Chocolate Chip Cake (Printable Format)

Moist, tender cake loaded with chocolate chips. Perfect for gatherings or a sweet afternoon treat.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for coating chips

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

→ Add-ins

11 - 1 ¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

→ Optional Topping

12 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar or extra chocolate chips

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round or square cake pan, ensuring all surfaces are well-coated to prevent sticking.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly blended. Set aside for later use.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. The mixture should appear pale and increased in volume.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk in three additions. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined, taking care not to overmix as this can result in a dense texture.
06 - Toss chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons flour in a small bowl to coat evenly. Gently fold coated chips into the batter using a rubber spatula, distributing evenly throughout.
07 - Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly with spatula. If desired, sprinkle coarse sugar or additional chocolate chips over the top for decoration.
08 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. The top should be golden brown and spring back lightly when touched.
09 - Allow cake to cool in pan for 10 minutes before carefully inverting onto a wire rack. Cool completely to room temperature, approximately 1 hour. Slice into wedges or squares and serve.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The buttermilk creates an incredibly moist texture that stays fresh for days unlike typical scratch cakes that dry out overnight
  • This recipe walks that perfect line between everyday simple and special enough for birthdays without requiring fancy decorating skills
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are non negotiable here, otherwise the butter will seize and your cake won't achieve that tender texture
  • The flour trick on the chocolate chips is what keeps them evenly distributed instead of sinking to form a dense chocolate layer at the bottom
03 -
  • Don't overmix the batter once you add the flour or the cake will become tough and dense
  • Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots so it rises evenly

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