Every family has that recipe. The one written in pencil on a stained index card. The one no one was allowed to “improve.” Mee Maw’s Chocolate Cake is that recipe.
It wasn’t flashy or frosted six inches high. It didn’t come from a bakery or a cookbook. It came from a kitchen where love was measured by how full your plate was and how quiet the table got after the first bite.
This cake is deeply chocolatey, impossibly moist, and humble in the best way. No fancy techniques. No special equipment. Just a cake that shows up every time and tastes like home.
Why Mee Maw’s Cake Is So Special
Oil instead of butter keeps it tender for days
Hot liquid blooms the cocoa, making the chocolate flavor richer
Simple pantry ingredients mean you can make it anytime
One bowl, no fuss—because Mee Maw had better things to do
This cake doesn’t shout. It comforts.
Mee Maw’s Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup hot coffee or hot water
For the Chocolate Frosting
½ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup milk
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3½–4 cups powdered sugar
How to Make It
