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.
can i make this cake into cup cakes?
Hi – If I want to make this cake for 25 servings, which cake pan should I use?
This is by far the easiest, most delicious chocolate cake I have ever made! It’s a regular favourite of my family! Thanks, Nagi!
Hi! Would this recipe work as cupcakes?
I make this as cupcakes all the time (currently right now!).
It yields about 24 cupcakes if you fill 2/3 full. I bake for 25 minutes, swapping the trays halfway through.
I think it would, but you wouldn’t be able to make a double layer with icing in the middle
That’s just a delicious recipe for chocolate cake, easy and simple to bake. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Nagi, what adjustments would I need to make to bake this recipe as a vanilla cake? It’s the first cake recipe I’ve used that’s risen and stayed moist using egg replacer AND has been delicious. I’ve had no luck with egg free vanilla cakes and would love to try this recipe without the cocoa!
obsessed with this fool proof chocolate cake. always a crowd pleaser and everyone asking me for the recipe. Im too lazy to make the chocolate mirror glaze its perfect with the buttercream! love
Hi. How do i adjust the ingredients for 2 x 6 inch round pan?
Hi Valerie did you get a response to this? Or how long did you cook for in 2 x 6 inch tins?
Buy bigger tins… its worth it!
Has anyone reduced the sugar? Even one cup would be alot for me for this sized cake. Would it affect the consistency? I’m not concerned about the taste.
Yes, I use about half the sugar with no impact on the cake
Hi Nagi,
Thank-you for this recipe – I used it to make a 3 tier (6 layer) wedding cake! My first ever wedding cake! I filled each tier with your choc ganache, crumb coated and iced it with buttercream, and decorated with flowers. It was yummy and held up to being used in tiers well! (I used dowels and cake boards for support.) Thank-you!!!
As a bonus, I made truffle/cake pops with the cake trimmings – I just mixed the cake up with (spreadable!) cream cheese, rolled into balls, chilled, dipped in choc and topped with some shiny sprinkles for a bit if glam and served them in patty pans. They were so so good.
Thank-you!
Seriously the best chocolate cake I ever made i substituted vegtable oil for coconut oil it was sooo moist i loved it . I used a square tin it worked fine . Easy peasy
Hi Nagi, I’m so excited to make this for my daughter’s birthday. Would it work well with your Fluffy Vanilla Frosting?
I made this cake for my sons birthday. We had someone at the party who can’t eat dairy, so I substituted the milk with almond milk and made a nuttelex chocolate frosting. The cake was absolutely delicious! This will definitely be my go-to chocolate cake recipe from now on. Thanks Nagi!
Amazing!
This has to be the BEST chocolate cake recipe ever! Made this for some friends and they loved it! It was so good and simple to make!
On my second attempt, I added some coffee in the boiling water which gave a lovely rich flavour to the cake too.
Thank you Nagi for yet another great recipe!
I love your site!! I used to be an avid baker but having had a baby, I just don’t have the time anymore to spend hours in the kitchen, churning out the good stuff.
Which is why this recipe is my go to base chocolate cake recipe. I just loaded it into my oven, with the help of a very eager 2.5 yr old.
I halve the recipe and use a great little pan I found at Coles of all places. Its a loaf pan with straight sides, 33cm x 15cm x 5cm. It takes about 24-26 mins to bake at 160 in my fan forced, super bloody hot and fast oven.
Your vanilla cake recipe is outstanding and simply incomparable – but this is a fantastic, super quick chocolate cake base recipe. Love it!
I have a half batch of milk chocolate ganache setting up on the counter as the cake bakes and I have to keep my beady eye on the little ratbag who is surreptitiously hovering, waiting for me to turn my back!
Thankyou for such a great recipe and a big kiss for Dozer!
Best cake I have ever made. Boiling water makes all the difference. I put it in for 30 mins instead of 35 and it came out perfect. 100% recommend
Hey Nagi, I have a question: if I only have one 9-inch pan, is it possible to bake the entire cake in this pan and cut them into two layers later? If yes, how can I adjust the time and temp?
Wooooow! I’ve baked this quite a view times and it never fails. Brilliant!!!! Best chocolate cake recipe out there and I’ve tried plenty
Thank you Nagi
I have made this cake gluten and dairy free and no one even noticed! Great recipe. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi Angela! Wanting to do the same, did you just use a GF flour mix?
I made the chocolate cake with your chocolate ganache recipe and mirror glaze. My first attempt at baking part cake and it turn out pretty great!
But I am wandering where did I go wrong as the cake itself wasn’t as moist as it was after I baked it (made everything day before and assembled, followed all 3 recipes step by step, kept in fridge overnight).