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 your cake last week for a birthday luncheon for 8 in ONE spring-form tin and didn’t bother to slice it later into two in order to put frosting in the middle. Gorgeous chocolate frosting over the top and sides with hundreds and thousands added for joyous colour! Provided vanilla icecream and/or double cream on the side. IT WAS A BIG HIT with the party goers who all commented on its moist yummyness!! Thankyou for shariing the recipe and providing helpful notes.
That’s so great to hear Jen! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x
Hi Nagi, I have been making so many of your recipes since I discovered your page a few weeks ago. This chocolate cake recipe has been shared so many times and today being Eid and my sisters birthday, I will make it just to share at her table. Thank you 😀
Hi Nagi,
Wanting to make this beautiful looking cake for my sons party- we have a crowd of 26 ! I have 2 round 30 inch pans. Can you recommend how I should adjust the quantities to fit these pans? Thank you!
30 inch pans??? I’m so sorry Caro, I am not sure how this will work for such a large one. My initial concern is that because the batter is so thin, it might not rise as it should. Sorry! N xx
Sorry Nagi, I actually meant 30CM pans ( not inch!!!)
Gotcha! I think that will be fine – they will be thinner layers but should work great! I think about 30 – 35 minutes 🙂 N x
This has just replaced my go to chocolate cake that I have been cooking for 30 years! Seriously easy, seriously delicious! Thanks a bunch for sharing it. Anne
I’m glad you enjoyed this Anne! Thank you for letting me know 🙂 N x
What is the size of that cake tins..
Hi Shirleen – it’s in the recipe! 🙂
Is it possible to use unsweetened almond milk with this recipe?
I’m afraid I haven’t tried that 🙂 Sorry!
Hello there
I was looking for a good choclate recipe and came across your blog
I have just got one 20cms round cake pan with me so I am just wondering if I can the pour the entire batter in one pan and bake it
And I would like to cut the cake horizantal and put the icing on the cake
Please suggest me and how long do you recommend to bake?
Hi Chandini – you sure can! Please see recipe notes for cook times 🙂
Thanks for the reply
Delicious! I’ve yet to make one of your recipes I didn’t love
Glad you enjoyed it Karen, thanks for letting me know! N x
where is the recipe for the frosting for this chocolate cake?
It’s linked in the recipe Vickie! 🙂 N x
Hello, is it possible to use selfraising flour with this recipie?
Hi Nagi
Long time no email… well I’m enjoying my time here in PNG on an Island called New Britain, where we all look forward to hearing a new container has arrived at the dock so that means we have goodies in the store ha ha
Still getting your emails (when the internet works) and loving your recipes which living here I have had to a few changes due to not being able to get all the ingredients.
keep them coming just love your recipes ,
sorry to see dozer not doing too well … poor ozer
cheerie
jane
Hi Nagi, could you tell me where can i find the frosting recipe that you used with this cake ?
Lovely recipe as always.
Thank you very much !!
Hi Victor! It’s linked in the recipe steps 🙂 Hope you love it! N xx
Oh, I copied it to my notes and it didn’t went with the hyperlink, i’m so sorry.
Thanks for the answer !!
Hey,
I just loved this delicious chocolate cake recipe. Thanks for sharing the cake recipe beautifully.
That’s great to hear Puneet! Thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback! N x ❤️
Hi wanting to cook a cake i can freeze, do you have any recommendations?
Hi Stace, Most of my other cakes can be frozen, just not this one!
I made this cake tonight for my son’s 5th birthday and it was such a hit!! We all loved it! I just can’t get over how delicious it was and wanted to say thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for an awesome recipe! Turned out beautiful and moist, not too rich and everyone loved it. They held their shape really well for icing too. Thanks for the awesome buttercream recipe as well 😁 I did have to tweak it very slightly by reducing the sugar by half a cup, and not because of the recipe but because I’m diabetic and try reduce it where I can, and it’s still sweet enough 👍🏼 To counteract the lower sugar I also added a tbsp of brewed coffee to bring out the chocolate flavour just in case the lower sugar amount put things off balance. Rave reviews all round though, great job! It’s defin one I have saved in my Favourites List ❤️
Thank you so much Nagi !!
You’re so welcome Mevan! N xx
I have just made this for my son’s 2nd birthday- popped 3/4 of batter into a 8 1/2 inch pan and that seemed to be just right- 42 minutes on 160 fan and made a second cake in a small silicone pan for the extra decorations- thanks for the great recipe! I’m delighted!
My chocolate cakes have been dry or too wet with other recipes! This one is amazing!
We live just outside of Bristol (Portishead) in the U.K.
That’s terrific to hear Lizzie! Thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
can you use self raising flour ? or just plain flour
Plain is needed for this one Nino! The rise is not the same using self raising 🙂 N x
Hi.. can i cut sugar to half? Is it very sweet?
Hi Stt! This is pretty sweet but not overly so in my opinion. I find many American cake recipes too sweet for my taste but not this one! 🙂 N x