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
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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.
Hi Nagi, Just made this cake with my 10 year old son. It’s so simple to make and very delicious. Thanks for sharing. We are Nigerians and live in Nigeria. This is the beauty of the internet.
Messages like this are exactly why I love what I do! 🙂 From all the way in Sydney tp Nigeria, and hearing stories like this so I can envision you and your son making this. THANK YOU for taking the time to leave this message! N xx
What can I use for a sub for the 2 eggs???
You can use flax seed meal. 1 tblsp flax seed meal + 2 1/2 tblsp water= 1 egg
I’m not sure Logan, it’s a pretty critical ingredient of this recipe!
Baked this cake for my son’s birthday. IT WAS A HIT!!! Love from Zambia ❤❤❤
Hi Nagi, just a question, can you freeze this chocolate cake and if so how to defrost without any issues.
Hi Lala! I just added a note about this – not ideal to freeze because it’s so moist, it tends to sweat a bit inside and it tastes a bit “wet”, almost like chocolate pudding cake. Still lovely just not as cakey as intended! N xx
Thanks so much. The cake is so tasty so I wanted to save it for later.
Great cake! Very easy to make, takes literally 5 min to prep. Came out moist and delicious . Will be on regular rotation in my very limited baking arsenal. Thank you!
Great to hear you enjoyed this Ella! Thanks for letting me know 🙂 N x
Ooooh Nagi. I am excited. Actually baking this as cupcakes – in the oven right now 😊
Sorry I meant 5stars
No worries! I will fix it for you! :)( N xx
Hello Nagi, just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for this recipe. I have made a cake after many years and the results was great. I am so proud of myself 🙂 thank you & keep sharing this magic with us!
Can I use coconut oil?
Yes you absolutely can! N xx
Help…..can i make this as a slab cake
Hi Nic! Just pour it into a rectangle pan 🙂
Just don’t use a single 9inch pan. It overflows and makes a huge mess!
Thanks Nagi.
Awesome cake..so quick & easy.
I only discovered you on Friday & already cooked 3 of your recipes for dinner. They have been placed in the family album as absolute favourites.
Cant wait to try more.
Terrific to hear Nic! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it – N x
I just made this cake for my son’s birthday and everyone loved it! It’s so moist and reminded me of this really famous chocolate cake in Singapore called Lana Chocolate Cake.
That’s wonderful to hear Melissa! Thanks for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed this! N xx
Hi Nagi
Instead of oil, can I use butter?
Thank u!
Not for this one, sorry! Butter affects the moistness of the cake 🙂 N xx
Hi Nagi! I made this cake today and it was delicious. Thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
That’s terrific to hear Das! I’m so glad you enjoyed this! N xx
Ok so Nagi, you are my ultimate foodie….I have learnt to cook some amazing food and your style makes it so easy….and tonight’s easy peasy oh my God so delicious chocolate cake has my family loving you almost more than I do!! Thank you ❤️
Ohhhhh! That’s the sweetest message ever 🙂 I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed this Nicky!!! I can’t take credit for the recipe though, it’s from Hershey’s! They did a great job with this one 🙂 N xx
can this be made into cupcakes?
Yes definitely! Though have you seen the chocolate cupcakes recipe on my site? 🙂 N xx
Yes! I also have a similar Easy Chocolate Cupcakes recipe on my site, but this one works great too!
Hello Nagi, thanks for the best chocolate cake recipe ever. I’m chocoholic and this cake was just what I needed. Heavens bite and so easy to make. Best regards from Costa Rica. 😉
Fantastic to hear Eu! Thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
So what is the recipe for the icing
HI Nelly! It’s linked in the recipe 🙂 N xx
https://discountspot.info/chocolate-buttercream-frosting/%3C/a%3E 😉
Oh my thank you so much for posting this recipe!
There are no mom and pop bakeries near me and a friend of mine has allergies to certain food colors, so I took it upon myself to bake her a surprise birthday cake. Also, I have never baked a cake from scratch before, so I was nervous about it coming out properly.
I made one first to test for flavor last weekend and it was delicious! I can now say I can bake a cake from scratch!
I am making it one more time tonight before the big day and am putting some of the chocolate buttercream frosting on. Going to take it to work and get some more taste testers. 😉
Thank you again! 😀
Ohhh! I absolutely love hearing that Andrea. You’re a superstar! Your FIRST CAKE!! N xx
Hi Nagi, your choc cake recipe looks delicious, but would it be possible to use sunflower oil instead of veg oil as this contains trans fats which are bad for you?
Hi Ann! That will be just fine 🙂 Any neutral flavoured oil is fine!
Thanks Nagi,
Off I go then, will let you know how it turns out. Have absolutely loved your recipes, always look forward to getting an e- mail from you.
Kind regards
Ann xx
Hi Nagi,
When trying new cake recipes I usually make a half-quantity. I made three x 15cm (6″) cake layers as the area of a 15 cm tin is almost half of the 20 cm (8″) tin. I was really surprised how small the cake layers turned out, particularly when it looks like such a large cake in the photos.
Were your layers for the 23 cm cake quite smallish rather than thick?
Thanks again for another simple recipe.
Regards,
Angela
Hi Angela! Can I just clarify – did you make a half batch then use it for 3 x 15cm/6″ pans? If so, that would explain why they came out so thin – a 15c, pan is closer to 2/3 of the size of a 22cm pan, then if you split half a batch of batter of across 3 pans, the layers will come out much thinner than pictured in my photos. 🙂 Hope that helps! N xx
HI Janet! How odd, I can’t imagine anyone tasting the baking soda in this! Terrific to hear it came out great even when you reduced though, thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
I have experienced the same issue with different recipes ie the need to reduce bi-carb – I don’t know if there is a chance that there are different consistencies of bi-carb in different places, I am from Kenya.
Hi Janet! I will do a bit of a google and see if there is, but I’m not aware of any. 🙂 N x