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.
Not good. Super gummy, even with cooking it for 30 extra minutes. Horrible texture and not good.
I think the acid hasn’t been added to the cake mix. Vinegar is the usual one used. I made the cake with and without vinegar and it is 100% better with it.
Nom nom… Very moist! it’s a keeper!
Hi nagi, thank you so much for posting this, I’ve made this cake a few times and 4 out of those as birthday cakes! its moist and so chocolatey everyone loves it. Could I be able to switch the chocolate to matcha powder? how much matcha would you recommend me to add?
thanks!
I am curious. Can this be made into a chocolate cake for someone who is allergic to all dairy and eggs? What would the substitutions be in that case? I made this cake and absolutely loved it and wanted to make a version of it that my friend who is allergic to eggs and dairy for her birthday.
Amazing recipe…many comments of how delicious it was. Had bake it multiple times..it’s a recipe to keep. Many thanks Nagi x
Saw this in your cookbook and made this cake for my son’s 16th…and swapped to GF flour.
It. Was. Amazing. I have made many a cake in my time – saw how highly peeps were rating this – and I have to say, the results were so yummy! Light, moist, chocolatey, delicious. Did mine as a sheet cake (to feed 16 year old boys), and topped with the glorious chocolate buttercream. Thanks for this recipe Nagi – I’ll be going back for seconds (and thirds) very soon!
Hi
Great recipe! Turned out great for me ma’s bday!
Best cake ever! Made it today. I reduced the sugar to 300g as per some comments and it was sweet enough. Icing I did 1.5 the amount and had extra left over. My husband who is usually super fussy said everything about the cake was delicious. Will make again.
Haven’t made this cake for decades but wanted a chocolate cake for husbands birthday and settled on this. So glad I did-and wondering why I let this recipe lapse. Thanks for bringing it back to me Nagi. But I did use a different frosting-King Arthur’s Simple Chocolate Frosting which is my go to.
Hello, this was baked in a single 22cm/9″ pan, and 40 to 45 minutes at 160 degrees fan forced just wasn’t long enough. I think it was more around 60 mins in the end, checking every 5 mins. It did not burn but was worried it would be dry, Also was not just my oven I think, as a sister did the same recipe in one cake pan and she said the same. Took ages. Used the 8-10 persons original recipe. Nice cake 8cm or 2″ high. (Don’t like buttercream in the middle of cakes, usually too sweet.)
it was so shit i shat my pants cause im lactose
my tastebuds had been taken away due to my childhood being abusive. I couldn’t taste much because I was used to nod being feed for days. Also I was beat on the regular
I agree
You retard of your lactose don’t eat stuff with butter dumb fuck
Wonderful reipe Nagi! Jaidah – what a horrible and unnecessary comment
I’m 52 years old and I’ve only started baking. Yeah. I know, really late to the party 🤣. This is NOT only the best chocolate cake I’ve baked but the best chocolate cake I’ve eaten. I was a little worried when I poured the batter into the tin but I did read it was ‘VERY thin’. I’m just amazed at how good it is. Thank you!
This cake was delicious! So moist and cakey. Even my dad, who doesn’t like chocolate cake, liked it. Will definitely make again.
I have made this cake 3 times with great success. Today I made it in muffins pans – baked for about 25 minutes. Turned out great. Made 18. Delicious with whipped cream with salted caramel stirred through. Drizzled more caramel on top.
Grandchildren made this cake this afternoon. Wow were they delighted with the result. Moist, light, chocolate heaven in every bite. So easy to make and the aroma is as delicious as the taste. Thank you for sharing Nagi x
What a great cake and the buttercream was literally the icing on the cake! Definitely my new go to choc cake recipe. As one of my work colleague’s said ‘I want to be buried with this cake”! Absolutely gorgeous!
this Baker’s recipe for the chocolate cake (on the box) was the best ever chocolate cake. I am so happy you agree and didn’t try to make it something else, so many people do this and Baker’s had it right from the start. One important tip, do not over bake, as you want this moist! I always take it out a few min. early. So, thank you, Nagi ~ because you kept this recipe “as is”, I respect that regarding this recipe, so I signed up for the newsletter! why mess with perfection?
I made this a couple of days ago (with the recommended buttercream!) for my friend’s birthday. It turned out really well and got compliments on being light and having a moist crumb. Lots of people went back for seconds!
Will definitely make this one again.
Heavenly chocolate cake! Will be saving this recipe! I used Dutch process cocoa powder. I paired the cake with almond buttercream.