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 – 32 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.
I made this cake and it didn’t cook in the middle at all even after 45 mins, what am I doing wrong??!
Best & easiest chocolate cake recipe! So moist & delicious!
I didnt make it, but my mother in law did. Luckily i kept the left overs (1/3 of the cake) so eating it daily. GOLLy its so moist and delicious, even better than box cake (which usually is great for beginner bakers without the precise measurements). 11/10 and keeps SO WELL!!!!!!!!!
Made in a bundt tin for my daughter’s birthday. She and her friends all raved about it. Another absolutely brilliant recipe from Nagi.
Made this for cousins 70th birthday. Did a half quantity tester the weekend before. Lovely and moist and lovely chocolate not been too rich. Made in bundt tin and iced with choc butter icing. Topping with fresh strawberries hope everyone enjoys it
Stawpp! This recipe is so tasy i made it for my bowlibg comp and it was the persect sweet treat
Hmm…? I think I must’ve done something wrong as I found this cake barely held its shape. I made thin, 7″ layers and it’s a disaster. The cake didn’t come out of the tins even CLOSE to cleanly, but I’ll do more greasing, flouring and baking-papering this time. It’s practically falling apart it’s so moist. DELICIOUS, but I’m about to have a full on breakdown because I did not have time to make a second cake.
Hi Nagi, am about to make your chocolate cake but wanted to let you know I made your Whole Orange Cake for my 80th birthday and it was a beautiful recipe, just the way I wanted it. I would send you a photo but can’t attach it here. Helen
This recipe is excellent! I used some Espresso in the hot water! And the chocolate butter cream was to die for!
hi how do you make the choc butter cream frosting
You never ever fail me with recipes, thankyou 🥰 For years I always made a moist sour cream chocolate cake as nothing else stacked up. A week ago I needed a chocolate cake but had no sour cream so I followed this recipe, my goodness…..best ever 🥰 Family raving…..me getting fat 🤣 Happy, thankyou 🫂
Out of every chocolate cake recipe I’ve tried, this is by far the best. The texture, moisture and crumble Is perfect. The thin batter made me sceptical at first, but it turned out divine.
I love this cake. It came out wonderful. I now want to make it for my daughters birthday and it’s in 6 days. I have a question for you. I want to bake ut in a round tin but the measurements are 27 cm wide and 10cm high. Do I still do the same measurements of the ingredients and just bake in the one tin, and how long do I bake it for? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I have tried some chocolate cake recipe and none as good as your.
The texture of this cake was divine. I couldn’t help but taste a lot of bi carb and baking powder?? I used the right quantity and both were fairly new. Is it something I’ve done? Has anyone else had this problem?
I did also notice a strange taste, I reckon it needs less off both.
Yes i agree! In fact several similar recipes i used from other sites also resulted in the same thing. Im not sure how to get rid of it without affecting the rise.
I dont know why this was not raised by anyone!
I had the same problem
This cake is delicious! It will be an absolute go-to recipe. It was the perfect lightness.
Just wanted to ask: Has anyone used this recipe for a carved shape cake? Or is it too light and a mud cake would be better for shaping? I’d love to use this for a dog cake for my son’s 2nd birthday. (Two Let the Dogs Out – He loves pointing out Dozer when I’m flicking through the cookbooks!)
I think this might be the perfect chocolate cake recipe.
I used it as a basis for a sort of black forest cake, throwing some frozen cherries in with the mix, and it came out absolutely delicious.
What a star thank you I love your vanilla cake also as well as this chocolate cake..The added information regarding different pan sizes is a real bonus..sending love xxx
The BEST chocolate cake I have EVER made.
ts is so buns
By farrr the best chocolate cake recipe I’ve made. Paired it with a nutella ganache filling and it was a huge hit. Great recipe Nagi!