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.
Hi! This cake looks amazing and I was thinking of making it for my boyfriend’s birthday next weekend. However, once frosted with the buttercream frosting, should I store it in the fridge or would an airtight container in room temperature be okay?
Thank you so much!
Best Wishes!
Hey Eileen
I hope you don’t mind me jumping in on your comment! I always store cakes with buttercream at room temperature and they are fine (for about a week – pushing the limit – but definitely for 2 or 3 days!!).
If you decide to put it in the fridge I would pull it out and allow it to come back to room temp before serving.
I hope that helps 🙂
Amazing!! Thank you so much!! 🙂
Great cake and easy to make! How long can it keep for? In the fridge or out?
if you use the bundt pan do you still use the chocolate icing – do you cut it in half – want to use the bundt tin but not sure what to do which the cake once cooked – grand daughter called olive so bundt tin good for her birthday cake but how to ice and decorate
I would use a pourable chocolate sauce so it drips down the sides. Do 1 part cream to 2 parts chocolate, heat in microwave and mix, then pour over while hot 🙂
Hi Nagi, I’m in Australia and wondering if these measurements are US cups or Aus/Uk cups as they are slightly different. Thank you 🙏
Hi Cathy! This recipe works for both, despite the differences (which are relative enough across all the ingredients or this recipe has enough flex). I am so cautious about baking recipes working out whether readers are in the US or Australia (or other parts of the world) that I test every baking recipe I share using US cups and Australian cups. 🙂 I normally write this in baking recipes, I’ll add this in the notes! N x
In the oven as I type. How easy! I made fresh espresso and then topped up with boiling water to make the 1 cup. The batter is delicious can’t wait until it’s cooked.
Mine is the oven. I replaced the cocoa powder with melted dark chocolate, I did reduce oil and sugar and added extra flour. Will see how it goes. It was very liquid….
Me again! It worked! Fluffy, moist chocolate cake! Apparently the best of my bakes so far 🙂
Thank you!
Hello!
I made this cake yesterday and it tasted so good. Very rich though, good with coffee or tea!
I do have one question. The cakes rose in a dome shape. The top shelf more than the bottom. Would that be because of the oven or something else? Your cakes were perfectly even so I’m not sure if it was something I did
Nagi , I only have one pan in that size , is it okay to keep half of the dough waiting while the first layer bakes?
Hi Rue! unfortunately not so bake it all in one pan then cut in half later 🙂
I also have just one springform. How long do I have to keep the whole batter in the oven? Thanks!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I made it today (only one cake though as I don’t have two springform pans) and it’s amazing! Its definitely going to be my go to chocolate cake recipe from now on. It’s delicious!
Thank you for this recipe. It was soooo good. One of the best chocolate cakes I have had!
The best chocolate cake, moist, chocolaty and super easy, loved it!!
That’s terrific to hear Baker Beth! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
Have you tried this with gluten-free flour? If so, what flour blend or brand did you use? Would half-and-half white (or brown) rice flour and almond flour yield the same results?
I made this recipe today and it was so good Ingave half of it away as I didn’t want to eat it all up myself! Luckily I left some for my husband and daughter as they loved it too!
That’s great! So pleased you enjoyed this Allison – N x
Hi, I made this cake today and got fantastic raves….I baked it into two square nine inch pans and used frosting left over from another cake. I cut each cake into square (and rectangles) and served as individual pieces. I did not have enough frosting to layer the cakes.
Another solid recipes….I love your videos it is my go to before attempting to bake or make any recipes. The videos are clear in their steps and helps remove fear and gives visuals to how it should look like….I loves this……the written recipe is used as referral for measurement. Keep up the excellent work…as it makes my baking look like I know what I am doing. lol
Thanks again Nagi.
That’s great! So pleased you enjoyed this Leisel – N x
hello! this is my first attempt at baking and i had 2 questions. In the video, i see that on the cake pan, there is a lining on the side as well as for the bottom. I saw your notes on how to make the liner for the bottom of the pan. How do i make the lining for the side? Also, how long does it take to cool the cake completely before i put the frosting on? just trying to figure out if i need to make this the night before or if i’ll have time to do this the day of. Thanks!
Hi could this be made into cup cakes? I’m thinking of halving the quantity and trying mini ones. Any idea of the baking time please?
Hi Dilini! Search my site for chocolate cupcakes 🙂
I have made this cake as cupcakes too and they turned out just as good as the cake. Exact same recipe but cook for 18 mins.
Nagi, do you know the science behind the boiling water? I have another recipe that calls for hot water as well and don’t know why it needs to be hot …inquiring minds want to know!? 🙂
Thanks!
Hi Karen! Hot water makes the flavour of chocolate in the cocoa powder bloom 🙂 So it makes the cake taste more chocolatey!
For your chocolate basket, rub a piece of cello tape on the inflated balloon. If you later prick the balloon through the tape, it will deflate slowly.
That’s such a great idea!! Thank you! N xx
I tried this cake today and it was a hit..! Super soft, ever so slightly fudge..! So easy to make too.! Thanks for sharing and this will be my go to recipe for chocolate cakes for sure..!
Feeling for a slice or the whole cake. I love how easy it is to make.