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.
Made this cake and everyone loved it! They couldn’t believe how moist and rich it was! Thank you
I cant wait to try this. But I was wondering if you’ve tried using espresso in place of water. I normally use this in my chocolate cake to add more flavor. Just wondering if you’ve tried this yet and still came back to the original.
Fabulous cake! Made it with less sugar than the recipe and then used your less sweet frosting on top! How good was that!?! Delicious!
Nagi ~ 😬 I always baked boxed cakes but saw this chocolate cake in your cookbook. I baked it for my son’s birthday. Also used your recipes for peanut butter frosting for the middle layer and chocolate frosting on the rest of the cake. It was the most deliciously moist cake we have ever had. Better than a cake from a bakery! ❤️
Have never commented on any web recipe before but this recipe is absolutely as advertised- perfect, easy and like the cake equivalent of the little black dress. Essential- and can dress up or down. Has replaced my old family recipe!
I need to make a chocolate and vanilla marbled cake (or better said a tiger cake which I thought I’d do with vanilla with food colouring and chocolate). Planning to use this recipe for the chocolate. And your amazing vanilla recipe. But now little worried about the description of this being watery… will it work? Or do I need a different chocolate cake??
So tender and soft made this and tastes so good for dessert you deserve more recognition keep the good work
What did I do wrong? The centre of my cake in a 22cm pan took AGES to cook – an extra 20 minutes. My oven was at 160′ fan forced and I followed all instructions. How can I improve this please? The cake was delicious but I was very concerned about overcooking it!
This used to happen with many of Nagi’s recipes for me until I realised my oven runs a bit cold. I haven’t gotten round to using a thermometer but usually just adjust the temp up by 10 degrees (so I baked mine at 170) and it usually works out.
We love this cake and icing. If I use this recipe for cupcakes, how long would you bake it for?
Someone in a later post said 20-25min worked for her, and not to over fill as it rises quite high
Can I use this recipe for a 2-tiered cake? Or will I need dowels to support the top tier?
Hi, Nagi. Can this cake be the bottom tier on a 2-tier cake? Will it be better to use dowels for added support? Looking to make this for my niece’s quinceaneara and she loves chocolate cake.
Easy to follow and enjoyed by all. Husband said it was my best cake and I’ve made a few. The mix was watery and I had some leakage in the cake tins so be prepared for that 😬. Will absolutely be making this again.
Hi Nagi, thank you for this delicious chocolate cake recipe ❤️
Nagi, this is the best recipe EVER! I ran out of caster sugar so used brown sugar instead. It was delicious 🤤.
Hi Nagi/ anyone
What am I doing wrong?? Tried x2 and both times it’s been very flat and dense 🙁 I can bake the fantastic vanilla cake to a T ( always my go to) but this chocolate cake has me bowled over, I just don’t get it, doing everything to plan baking in 2x 8″ inch pans for 38mins x
Are you using baking powder and baking soda that are fresh and in date? Apparently they can lose their “rise effect” if they have been sitting around too long? Also an obvious one – making sure not to open the oven door?
Hi, yes all fresh ingredients! Not opening the oven until the timer goes off, I’m totally baffled 🙁
Did you manage to resolve the problem Denise? I’m having the exact same problem. I’m up to attempt number 5 and still getting the same flat, dense cakes. All fresh baking powder, baking soda.
Hi Nagi , just wondering what size. Bundt tin do I use
Yvonne
Made the version in the book, slightly differentvery tasty, freezes well
Hi Nagi. This was my first buttercream birthday cake I’ve made and your recipe absolutely nailed it! The instructions and practical tips about baking times were particularly helpful. Many thanks!
Can I make two of these and layer them?
Hi Nagi!
Just wondering… if I am making this cake for 16 people, do I still use 2 22cm pans?
Thankyou
Love your work!