Easy Chocolate Cake
This easy chocolate cake recipe is a must-have for chocolate lovers. It requires simple ingredients and results in a super moist, tender cake covered in a super easy ganache frosting.
Prefer vanilla cake? Try our BEST Vanilla Cake recipe.
If you’re looking for an easy, fool-proof recipe you’ve come to the right place. This simple recipe is perfect for beginner bakers and experienced cooks alike. With pantry-staples and step-by-step instructions you’ll have a perfect chocolate cake ready to enjoy in no time.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Flour: All purpose flour.
- Sugar: I use granulated sugar but caster sugar can be substituted.
- Cocoa powder: Use the best quality unsweetened cocoa powder you can find. Dutch-processed cocoa powder is often the best.
- Salt.
- Baking powder.
- Baking soda.
- Vegetable oil: Canola oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, etc.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, milk with a teaspoon of vinegar can be used instead.
- Vanilla extract.
- Eggs.
- Boiling water/hot coffee: The coffee elevates the chocolate flavor but can barely be tasted. Use boiling water if you prefer.
- For the chocolate ganache: heavy cream, chocolate and salt.
How to make easy chocolate cake
- Combine dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, vanilla and eggs.
- Make the batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour in the hot coffee or boiling water and whisk until smooth.
- Bake: Pour the cake batter into greased and lined cake pans then place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cakes to cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
Tips for the best moist chocolate cake
- Don’t overmix: Overmixing can lead to tough texture. Mix until the ingredients are just combined for a tender result.
- Even layers: For an even cake, use a kitchen scale to measure out the batter into the prepared cake pans.
- Allow to cool completely: Frosting a cake while it’s even slightly warm will result in melted frosting and a big mess. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding any frosting for guaranteed success.
Storing and making ahead
- Make ahead: The cake layers can be baked then wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to a month. The decorated cake can be kept covered in the fridge for up to 2 days before serving – allow to come to room temperature before slicing and serving.
- Leftovers: Leftovers can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
For the ultimate, easy frosting, I always turn to whipped chocolate ganache. It’s rich, decadent and surprisingly easy to make. Other options for frosting are dark chocolate buttercream frosting, dulce de leche, coffee chocolate frosting or peanut butter chocolate buttercream.
How to make chocolate ganache frosting
- Heat the cream: In a small saucepan set over medium heat, heat the cream until just begins to simmer. In the meantime, chop the chocolate and add to a heat-proof bowl.
- Mix: Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and allow to sit for a minute to allow it to melt then stir together with a spoon or spatula. Stir until smooth then add a pinch of salt (optional).
- Allow to set: Cover the ganache with plastic wrap then allow to set for an hour in the fridge or up to 3 hours at room temperature. The fridge speeds things up but you’ll need to whisk the ganache every 10 minutes to ensure it sets evenly. Whisk every 30-45 minutes if setting at room temperature.
- Decorate: Once the ganache is thick enough to hold its shape, spread onto the cake layers and decorate.
Video
Servings: 12
Calories: 405kcal
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (180g) flour
- 1¼ cups (250g) sugar
- ¾ cup (75g) cocoa powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 cup (250ml) buttermilk
- ¾ cup (187,5ml) vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (125ml) hot coffee/boiling water
For the ganache
- 1½ cups (375ml) heavy cream
- 12 oz (350g) chocolate I used a mixture of dark/semi-sweet and milk chocolate
- pinch of salt
Instructions
For the chocolate cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C then grease and line two 8-inch/20cm cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, vanilla and eggs.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour in the hot coffee or boiling water and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the batter into greased and lined cake pans then place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven then allow the cakes to cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
For the whipped chocolate ganache
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, heat the cream until just begins to simmer. In the meantime, chop the chocolate and add to a heat-proof bowl.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and allow to sit for a minute to allow it to melt then stir together with a spoon or spatula.
- Stir until smooth then add a pinch of salt (optional).
- Cover the ganache with plastic wrap then allow to set for an hour in the fridge or up to 3 hours at room temperature. The fridge speeds things up but you'll need to whisk the ganache every 10 minutes to ensure it sets evenly. Whisk every 30-45 minutes if setting at room temperature.
- Once the ganache is thick enough to hold its shape, spread onto the cake layers and decorate.
Nutrition
Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 301mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 371IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Yummy
I’ve tried “simply delicious” recipes in the past and I totally loved them. This chocolate cake is going to be tried next. I look forward to all of your recipes
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Made this over the weekend. So delish!!! Love how easy it is and no elec mixer needed.
My ganache icing took a long time to thicken and I was quite worried it wouldn’t, but it eventually did and it was so decadent!
Will def make this again and again