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 – 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.
Made this cake and the buttercream! Would definitely recommend and will definitely be making again
Can I use this recipe for cupcakes?
Hi,
Do you have any recommendations for altitude adjustment? (7000 feet). We made this on Christmas Day and it exploded in the oven. We are thinking that is why. We still used it and made a topping and it was more like a pudding lava cake (truly delicious) but I would like to try and make it as an actual cake. 😉
Hi Nagi, are we able to use olive oil instead of seed oil or canola?
Use some common sense, obviously you could use olive oil. It might just taste slightly different.
I used MCT liquid coconut oil as I do not like seed oils like canola. It worked perfectly! And you can’t taste any coconut. I use light flavour olive oil for cakes sometimes but it can affect the taste and be too strong.
Made with evoo and it was fine! 🙂
Have made this recipe before but forgot it lol sooo happy to find it again is a no fail 100%. Yes I use Olive Oi in all my cakes including lemon
I always do!
I know this is an old comment, but I’m going to add my 2c as I was looking for an answer to this as well.. I’ve made it with olive oil and it was fine, but use one that’s mild, not a peppery / bitter one.
Just made this over Christmas. It is a great recipe and best of all the cake stays moist. I also used the chocolate buttercream frosting – also great. The chocolate cake lovers really enjoyed this cake.
Hey Nagi
Are most Australian ovens fan forced? I feel so silly asking this. My oven has a fan at the back. Is that fan forced? Lol
I have made this cake numerous times and always get rave reviews. For a special occasion I make a chocolate mousse filling from whipped cream and chocolate ganache folded in together, then cover the cake in a thin layer of ganache before covering and decorating with fondant. It looks spectacular, and is a surprisingly moist and light cake. Perfect 👌
A chocolate cake is a rich and moist dessert made with simple ingredients like flour, cocoa powder, sugar, eggs, and butter. To make it, start by mixing dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt) and wet ingredients (butter, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla). Combine both mixtures, then pour the batter into greased cake pans. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool before frosting with your favorite chocolate icing or ganache for a decadent treat!
I’ve made this cake a few times but usually reduce the sugar, I’ve also swapped oil for melted butter when I’ve run out (it doesn’t turn out as moist as the original recipe)
I’ll review the original recipe:
It’s moist, super tasty but too sweet for my taste (when i followed the recipe with no changes). When it came out of the oven, still warm, it tasted almost like an oreo cookie but super soft.
Adding hot coffee instead of water works much better too imo.
I also like to use a combination of brown and white sugar just because.
Basically, great recipe, it’s the one I always use with just a few changes.
Just made your chocolate cake.
Was a huge success, decorated it with mandarin oranges,
Was wonderful. Thank you
Hi can you please advise if this recipe can be doubled for 4 cakes? Thank you 😀
Hi,
How far ahead can I make this cake?
Thank you!
Nagi, this cake is sooooo moist. I was so pleased how it cooked and making your Buttercream chocolate icing was perfect. I used Cacao powder which was fine instead if cocoa. Bravo x
I made this recipe from Nagi’s Dinner book, and OH. MY. GOD. It’s heaven. Tastes like a devils food cake, but deliciously lighter in texture. Only difference I think this recipe has to the book is there’s a small amount of instant coffee in the book. I’m gonna be thinking about this cake for a while 🤤
I always add instant coffee to chocolate cakes. I think it’s the only thing missing in this recipe so I add it to the boiling water
Okay, the only chocolate cake recipe I will use for the rest of time! I love that it is so delicious and greatly versatile. I have iced with strawberry buttercream, for my daughter & also made dairy free ganache the first time I baked it. That was a decadent choice, yum!
Just yum, yum, yum! Thank you.
Tried it very nice
Is that right, 2 cups of sugar?
I used 100p grams less than the required amount and it was sweet enough, possibly even slightly to sweet for me (I used 330 grams). I will reduce the amount of sugar again next time I make it.
I LOVE this recipe, the most beautiful cake and everyone LOVED it. The icing made enough for two cakes and who doesn’t love extra icing. I wonder if there is an easy way to convert to Cupcakes?
I made cupcakes with this recipe. First time, I filled 2/3. Then I filled to just under that and perfection! I did have leftover batter (made two dozen). I baked for 20 minutes at same temp. I then filled them with custard (from other recipe) and topped with real whipping cream. (I used vanilla, powdered sugar and mascarpone. I now am asked to make these cupcakes and the cake by many. It’s a hot commodity! I also use other fillings and toppings with both cake and cupcakes. Experimenting is great fun!
Hi Isabella. I made these into cupczkes today and they came out perfect. I reduced fhe cooking time to 20 – 25 minutes. Absolutley delicious 😋
Just delicious, soft and moist
Made this cake for my sons birthday and it was an absolute hit. I hadn’t made a cake in years and this recipe did not disappoint. Thank you!