Easy Chocolate Cake
You are going to absolutely love this easy chocolate cake recipe. Its so effortless to whip up that even a novice baker could win a contest with it. You only need one bowl (as long as you have a large measuring cup) and there is no creaming involved. You just put everything into a bowl, stir and bake. Yet it turns out so remarkably chocolaty and moist, people will think you’re a professional baker!
What Ingredients do I Need for an Easy Chocolate Cake?
You only need a few basic pantry staples to make this easy chocolate cake. They are:
- All purpose flour
- Sugar
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Milk
- Eggs
- Oil
- Vanilla
- Butter
- Icing sugar
- Unsweetened chocolate (for the frosting; or unsweetened cocoa powder)
Can I Use Cake Flour?
Cake flour is not the best choice to use for this recipe. Most scratch chocolate cake recipes turn out so moist that using cake flour would make it too moist (yes it’s possible). This would result in a cake that falls apart, making it better for cake pops. So for this reason, save the cake flour for your more challenging-to-make-moist cakes, like my Best White Cake or Old Fashioned Yellow Butter Cake on this blog.
For more information about the differences between all purpose and cake flours, read this very informative post by King Arthur Baking.
Do I Need to Refrigerate it?
You do not need to refrigerate your chocolate cake but you certainly can if you want to make it last a couple of days longer. The great thing about refrigerating it–because it is made with oil, it won’t become hard and dry in the fridge. This happens with cakes that were made with butter or shortening. As for shelf life, it will last 1 week in the fridge and about 4-5 days on the counter.
Can I Make Easy Chocolate Cake into Cupcakes?
Yes you can! Fill 18 cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake them for 18-22 minutes.
How Can I Bake a 9 x 13 Inch Slab?
To make this easy chocolate cake into a 9 x 13 inch slab, simply bake if for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
I really hope you’ll give this recipe a try the next time you want a chocolate cake. You will be amazed at how soft and moist it turns out, even if you’ve never baked a cake before. And if you do decide to try it, please rate the recipe on here and leave us a comment about how it turned out for you!
Easy Chocolate Cake
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
- 2 Cake pans 8 inches
Ingredients
CAKE
- 1¾ cups all purpose flour 210g
- 1½ cups sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup boiling water or coffee
FROSTING
- ½ cup butter
- 2 squares unsweetened chocolate or ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3-4 cups icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
FOR THE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350℉/180℃. Grease two 8 inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl whisk together all purpose flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together milk, oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
- Gradually add the milk mixture to the dry mixture with a whisk or electric beater. Mix until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Stir in boiling water or coffee. Mix until smooth; batter will be thin.
- Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks. Cool completely before filling and frosting.
FOR THE FROSTING
- Melt butter together with the chocolate or unsweetened cocoa powder until smooth. You can do this in the microwave or over the stove.
- Remove from heat and add salt. Transfer to a mixing bowl and beat in 2 cups of icing sugar. Add enough milk to make a spreadable consistency. Adjust with more sugar if needed. Beat in vanilla. Frosting is ready to use.