This is a really easy yet exceptional Chocolate Cake that truly tastes of chocolate. The crumb is beautifully tender and moist, and it keeps for up to 5 days. It requires no beater, just a wooden spoon.
Frost generously with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting for a terrific birthday cake or chocolate ganache for a luxurious rich option. For a richer, fudgier chocolate cake, try this Chocolate Fudge Cake. The ultimate glaze to impress, however, is without a doubt Chocolate Mirror Glaze…..
This is the Chocolate Cake
If you’ve been reading for a while, you know that sometimes I get real stubborn about doing certain things the “right way”. And there’s also a time and a place for shortcut recipes and quick dinners.
Then there’s recipes like this Chocolate Cake which tick all the boxes – it’s easier than the way I’ve been making everyday cake for most of my life, and the results are better.
You’ll love how it really does taste of chocolate even though it’s only been made with cocoa powder (the secret is to add boiling water – it makes the chocolate flavour “bloom”).
You’ll love how tender the crumb is, and how it stays moist for 4 to 5 days.
You’ll love how the cake can stand on its own so you could just dust it with icing sugar then serve slices with dollops of cream on the side. Though of course, smothering it with frosting never hurts….
This is the famous Hershey’s Chocolate Cake recipe which I tried on the recommendation of Michelle from the Brown Eyed Baker (one of the first places I go in hunt for baked goods). I tried it without massively high expectations, because I thought “how much better can this be than the usual, being such a simple recipe?”
I love being proved wrong when it comes to food. So wrong in fact, that even though I tinkered with the recipe multiple times, I landed right back where I started using the recipe exactly as written.
I truly think this might be the only recipe on my entire website that I’m publishing from another source without changing the ingredients at all. It’s unheard of! But to me, it’s perfect as it is. I don’t see myself using any other recipe for an everyday Chocolate Cake, ever again.
Incredibly quick and easy
It’s astonishingly quick to make the batter, with all the ingredients mixed up in one bowl using a whisk.
There’s no need to cream butter like the usual recipes because this one is made with oil which is the reason why this cake is beautifully moist. No more dry chocolate cake! 🙌🏻 (Also means this is more forgiving than most, having once accidentally left it in the oven for 15 minutes longer than necessary and it still wasn’t dry).
I’m publishing this recipe as part of the Easter Recipes posted yesterday! So here it is, dolled up for Easter. The same cake in the photos above, the same frosting, topped with speckled Easter eggs, baby chicks (both from Woolworths in Australia), and a chocolate basket. I’ve provided directions in the notes of the recipe for how I made that chocolate basket (hint – it involves a balloon…).
My everyday Chocolate Cake
Easter aside, I call this my everyday Chocolate Cake because it’s just that – my new favourite to make for any occasion. There will be times that call for a mud-cake like Fudge Cake made with both cocoa powder and melted chocolate. There will be times that call for intensely dark chocolate cakes. There will be times that you need / want the nutty brownie-like Flourless Chocolate Cake. And there will be times you’re after one that’s light-as-air, a delicate chiffon cake.
This one is for all the other times when you just want a great, classic Chocolate Cake. Which in my world, is 80% of the time! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups plain / all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder , unsweetened (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda (bi-carb soda)
- 2 cups white sugar (Note 1)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs (~55-65g / 2 oz each)
- 1 cup milk (low or full fat)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or canola)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1 1/2 batches Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (slide scaler on recipe)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C°/350°F (160°C fan). Read Note 4 regarding shelf positions.
- Grease 2 x 22cm/9" cake pans with butter, then line the base. (Note 3 re: springform pans and other pan sizes).
Batter:
- Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Add Sugar and salt. Whisk briefly to combine.
- Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Whisk well to combine until lump free – about 30 seconds.
- Add boiling water and whisk to incorporate. The batter is VERY thin (see video).
- Pour batter into cake pans.
Baking:
- Bake for 35 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. See Note 4 regarding cook time if pans are on different shelves.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks upside down (Note 5).
- Cool completely before frosting. I frosted the cake with my Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (scale recipe up by 50%).
Recipe Notes:
- bundt pan – 50 minutes
- single 22cm/9″ pan – 40 to 45 minutes
- 2 x 20cm / 8″ pans – 38 minutes
- 3 x 20cm / 8″ pans – 25 minutes
- 33 x 22 x 5 cm / 13 x 9 x 2″ rectangle pan – 35 – 40 minutes
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Dozer vs tiny toy chick.
Chick won.
Very yummy, I made it with 200g sugar and it was still delicious! I iced it with ganache. I will make this cake again, thank you.
I have made this cake many times and the cake sinks in the middle. I think around 3 times it has been successful… Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong?
Forgot to say..this can also happen if your oven is too hot. Try lowering the temp and cook for longer.
Were all your ingredients at room temperature? Also, do not overbeat the mixture, as it adds too much air. You could also try putting a flower nail on the bottom of the pan to help it cook better in the middle. I hope this helps.
Hi has this cake been made using gluten free flour? How was it?
I’m interested to know how this worked out. Thinking of making it with gluten free/almond flour. Additionally, anyone tried using protein powder/pea protein?
Made this cake and the buttercream! Would definitely recommend and will definitely be making again
Hi Nagi, are we able to use olive oil instead of seed oil or canola?
I have made this cake numerous times and always get rave reviews. For a special occasion I make a chocolate mousse filling from whipped cream and chocolate ganache folded in together, then cover the cake in a thin layer of ganache before covering and decorating with fondant. It looks spectacular, and is a surprisingly moist and light cake. Perfect 👌
Nagi, this cake is sooooo moist. I was so pleased how it cooked and making your Buttercream chocolate icing was perfect. I used Cacao powder which was fine instead if cocoa. Bravo x
I made this recipe from Nagi’s Dinner book, and OH. MY. GOD. It’s heaven. Tastes like a devils food cake, but deliciously lighter in texture. Only difference I think this recipe has to the book is there’s a small amount of instant coffee in the book. I’m gonna be thinking about this cake for a while 🤤
Okay, the only chocolate cake recipe I will use for the rest of time! I love that it is so delicious and greatly versatile. I have iced with strawberry buttercream, for my daughter & also made dairy free ganache the first time I baked it. That was a decadent choice, yum!
Just yum, yum, yum! Thank you.
Tried it very nice
Is that right, 2 cups of sugar?
I used 100p grams less than the required amount and it was sweet enough, possibly even slightly to sweet for me (I used 330 grams). I will reduce the amount of sugar again next time I make it.
I LOVE this recipe, the most beautiful cake and everyone LOVED it. The icing made enough for two cakes and who doesn’t love extra icing. I wonder if there is an easy way to convert to Cupcakes?
Hi Isabella. I made these into cupczkes today and they came out perfect. I reduced fhe cooking time to 20 – 25 minutes. Absolutley delicious 😋
Just delicious, soft and moist
Made this cake for my sons birthday and it was an absolute hit. I hadn’t made a cake in years and this recipe did not disappoint. Thank you!
About to make and realise I only have sunflower oil, will it change how cake tastes?
This cake was delicious! However I was very disappointed it didn’t mention the gasoline anywhere in the recipe. How are people supposed to know to include gasoline if it isn’t mentioned? Just a thought <3
such a beautiful and yummy cake! I made it for my daughter birthday with vanilla buttercream and again for little boys’ birthday with chocolate buttercream cream and it turned out delicious both time
The only change I made was to replace the eggs with 2 egg yolks and flax-eggs as my son has egg white allergy, but still turned out great 😊
I have made this a dozen times and everyone loves it, including the cook. It is so quick and easy except when you forget the sugar. I made a Sugar syrup and used the thin cake as a base for strawberry mousse cake.
I use Jamie Oliver’s method to line the spring form: scrunch up a sheet of baking paper and flatten it out over a greased tin. Never leaks.
Can you store the cake unfrosted wrapped in foil and inside resealable sandwich bag in the fridge for up to two days?
My twins just turned 4, and one of them asked for your vanilla cake while the other desperately wanted a chocolate one. So, I decided to test both of your cakes in one night! I’m not usually a big fan of chocolate, but the chocolate cake is a keeper: super moist, not overly sweet, and perfectly balanced. I just reduced the sugar by about 50 grams. I used raspberry jam between the layers and covered the top with your chocolate buttercream frosting, which turned out fantastic. I can’t wait to have another slice!