If you love soft, buttery cakes packed with chocolate chips, this Chocolate Chip Cake is guaranteed to become a family favorite. Every bite is incredibly moist, tender, and loaded with mini chocolate chips, making it the perfect dessert for birthdays, potlucks, afternoon coffee, or anytime you're craving a simple homemade cake. It's an easy recipe made with everyday ingredients that tastes like it came straight from your favorite bakery.
Chocolate Chip Cake Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 20 minutes prep, 38-45 minutes bake time
- 🍴 Servings: 16 squares
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Soft, buttery, moist, rich, vanilla-scented, and loaded with chocolate chips
- 🍚 Best Served With: Coffee, tea, milk, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or fresh berries
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes! Bake it a day ahead and store tightly covered until ready to serve.
Summarize and Save This Content On
One of my favorite things about this chocolate chip cake is how it turns simple pantry staples into an incredibly soft, bakery-style dessert. The sour cream keeps every bite moist, while the mini chocolate chips are evenly scattered throughout the cake so you get chocolate in every bite. Whether you're baking it for family dessert or taking it to a gathering, it's always one of the first treats to disappear.
My husband never turns down a slice of homemade cake, especially when there's chocolate involved. My almost five-year-old grandson loves helping sprinkle the chocolate chips into the batter, and my two-year-old granddaughter is always waiting patiently to lick the mixing spoon. Baking simple family desserts like this has become one of our favorite ways to spend time together in the kitchen.
This recipe was inspired by my chocolate chip cookie cake and sheet pan chocolate chip cookie and pairs perfectly with vanilla ice cream, or a hot cup of coffee for the ultimate dessert.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Soft, moist, and loaded with chocolate: Butter, sour cream, and mini chocolate chips create a tender cake with rich flavor and chocolate in every bite.
- Easy to make with everyday ingredients: Simple pantry staples come together in just a few easy steps, making this recipe perfect for beginner and experienced bakers alike.
- Perfect for every occasion: Great for birthdays, potlucks, bake sales, holiday dessert tables, afternoon snacks, or an easy family dessert with our funfetti ice cream cake.
Ingredients
One of the best things about this cake is that it's made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
- Dry Ingredients: All-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt work together to create a soft, tender crumb while giving the cake the perfect rise and structure.
- Wet Ingredients: Unsalted butter, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, whole milk, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract combine to create a rich, buttery cake that's incredibly moist, fluffy, and full of flavor.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: Mini chocolate chips distribute evenly throughout the batter, giving you chocolate in every bite. Tossing them with 1 tablespoon of flour helps keep them suspended in the cake instead of sinking to the bottom.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Change the Chocolate: Use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or a combination of your favorites for a different flavor.
- Add Mix-Ins: Fold in chopped pecans, walnuts, toasted coconut, toffee bits, mini marshmallows, or colorful sprinkles for extra texture and fun.
- Customize the Flavor: Add cinnamon, espresso powder, almond extract, orange zest, or a pinch of nutmeg to give the cake a unique twist.
- Dress It Up: Frost with chocolate buttercream, vanilla frosting, cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache, or simply dust with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cake
This Chocolate Chip Cake is easier to make than you might think. Before you begin, preheat your oven to 350°F and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar for 3 to 4 minutes, or until light, fluffy, and pale in color. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.
Step 3: Finish the batter. Mix the milk and sour cream together. Add the dry ingredients and the milk mixture to the butter mixture in alternating additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined-do not overmix.
Step 4: Add the chocolate chips. Toss the mini chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of flour, then gently fold them into the batter until evenly distributed.
Step 5: Bake the cake. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 38 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The center of the cake should reach about 205°F if using an instant-read thermometer.
Step 6: Cool and serve. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before lifting it out using the parchment paper. Slice into squares and serve as is, dust with powdered sugar, or top with whipped cream, frosting, or a scoop of M&M ice cream.
Expert Tips
- Measure and mix carefully: Spoon and level the flour, use room-temperature ingredients, and mix just until combined to create a soft, light, and tender Chocolate Chip Cake.
- Keep the chocolate chips suspended: Toss the mini chocolate chips with flour before folding them into the batter so they stay evenly distributed throughout the cake instead of sinking.
- Bake just until done: Start checking the cake around 38 minutes and remove it when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Avoid overbaking to keep the cake soft and moist.
- Cool before slicing: Let the Chocolate Chip Cake cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes so it sets properly and slices into clean, even squares.
- Customize every slice: Serve plain, dust with powdered sugar, or top with whipped cream, chocolate ganache, vanilla ice cream, or fresh berries for an extra-special dessert.
- Store it properly: Keep the Chocolate Chip Cake tightly covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator to maintain its fresh, soft texture for several days.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy double chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chip pudding cookies.
Storage Directions
This Chocolate Chip Cake stays wonderfully soft and moist, making it a perfect make-ahead dessert for family gatherings, holidays, or whenever you're craving a slice.
Room Temperature: Store the cake tightly covered or in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Let slices come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving for the best texture.
Freezer: Wrap individual slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil or place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
Reheat: Warm individual slices in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds for that fresh-from-the-oven taste.
Make Ahead: Bake the cake a day in advance, cool completely, then cover tightly until ready to serve. It's even more flavorful the next day.
Serving Suggestions
- Fresh Fruit Pairings: Top with fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cheesecake fruit salad, sliced bananas, air fryer banana fritters, mixed berries or our old fashioned fruit salad for a lighter dessert.
- Classic Dessert: Serve with birthday cake ice cream, homemade banana ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Dress It Up: Frost with chocolate buttercream, cream cheese frosting, vanilla buttercream, or chocolate ganache for birthdays and celebrations.
- Coffee Break Favorite: Enjoy with hot coffee, cappuccinos, lattes, tea, or a cold glass of milk for an afternoon treat with our chocolate chip banana bread.
Chocolate Chip Cake Recipe FAQs
Coating the chocolate chips with a little flour helps keep them suspended in the batter instead of sinking to the bottom during baking.
Yes. Plain full-fat Greek yogurt is an excellent substitute and provides a similar moist texture.
Yes. Fill cupcake liners about two-thirds full and bake at 350°F for approximately 18 to 22 minutes.
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More Chocolate Chip Recipes
If you love chocolate chip desserts, here are a few more homemade favorites that are perfect for birthdays, holidays, bake sales, or satisfying your sweet tooth.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Chocolate Chip Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 ¼ cups mini chocolate chips
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour for tossing chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined, then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, vegetable oil, and sugar together for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Add the milk and sour cream and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and milk mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing only until the batter comes together.
- Toss the mini chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of flour, then gently fold them into the batter.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 38 to 45 minutes, or until the center reaches about 205°F or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving
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Notes
- Measure and mix carefully: Spoon and level the flour, use room-temperature ingredients, and mix just until combined to create a soft, light, and tender cake.
- Keep the chocolate chips suspended: Toss the mini chocolate chips with flour before folding them into the batter so they stay evenly distributed throughout the cake instead of sinking.
- Bake just until done: Start checking the cake around 38 minutes and remove it when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Avoid overbaking to keep the cake soft and moist.
- Cool before slicing: Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes so it sets properly and slices into clean, even squares.
- Customize every slice: Serve plain, dust with powdered sugar, or top with whipped cream, chocolate ganache, vanilla ice cream, or fresh berries for an extra-special dessert.
- Store it properly: Keep the Chocolate Chip Cake tightly covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator to maintain its fresh, soft texture for several days.
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