Who doesn’t love a chocolate cake? Because my daughter and I do! I have been baking for years, and trust me; I have tried a lot of recipes before finally landing on this delicious chocolate cake recipe. One bite of this moist, super-smooth chocolate cake and my guests were all drooling. According to them, it was the best chocolate cake they have ever tasted!
I didn’t let them know how easy-peasy it was to make this chocolate cake. I just gave them a sweet smile and thanked them for the compliments. But now, I have decided to unveil this quick recipe so you all can try and make your taste buds excited.
A Little Something about the Chocolate Cake Recipe
Enough with all the praises, let’s talk about how easy it is to make the chocolate cake. The best thing about this recipe is that the batter can easily be prepared in a bowl without using any heavy-duty mixers. One of the ingredients that really enhanced the cake’s taste was the addition of espresso powder. I like to put it in both chocolate cake and frosting.
If you haven’t yet tried adding espresso powder to your baked chocolate goods, then you are missing out on a lot! This ingredient elevates the flavors just like vanilla extract, and now it has become my essential little ingredient in all the baked chocolate recipes.
You can buy it at the grocery store or online too, but I would recommend you to make your own homemade espresso powder because it is easy and cheap.
How to Make Chocolate Cake at Home
You can make both cake and frosting ahead of time. Allow the cakes to cool down completely, wrap them in a plastic wrap, and place each layer in a zip-top freezer bag. Frozen cake layers can be stored fresh up to one month.
- To frost your cake, just remove it from your freezer and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator with plastic wrapping intact. Once completely thawed, go ahead and frost your cake.
- Another great thing about this chocolate cake recipe is that you can modify it according to your preference. For example, to make your cake gluten-free, you can add gluten-free flour in place of all-purpose flour.
- If you are lactose intolerant or want to make a dairy-free chocolate cake, then use almond milk or coconut milk in place of cow milk. Moreover, you can also use buttermilk in place of milk, and get the same great results.
- Don’t like eggs? No problem! You can use 2/3 cups of unsweetened applesauce in place of two large eggs. And yes, this way, you might have to bake your chocolate cake just a few minutes more.
Ingredients Required to Make Chocolate Cake
- Two cups of sugar
- Two tablespoons of baking powder
- Two cups all-purpose flour (or alternative option mentioned above)
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- One teaspoon homemade espresso powder
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- One teaspoon salt
- One cup dairy milk (or alternative options mentioned above)
- Half cup vegetable oil (or alternative option mentioned above)
- Two large eggs
- Two teaspoons vanilla extract
- One cup of boiling water
Steps You Need to Follow
Before getting to the chocolate cake recipe, preheat your oven to 350F. Spray two 9-inch pans with baking spray or buttering. Then finally,
- Grab a large bowl or a stand mixer, add flour, cocoa, baking powder, sugar, salt, baking soda, and espresso powder in it. Whisk through to mix well or use your paddle attachment to stir through the mixture until it’s combined well.
- Add vegetable oil (or any alternative), milk, eggs, and vanilla extract to your flour mixture and mix well on medium speed. Once combined well, reduce speed and add a cup of boiling water to the batter.
- Now, grab the sprayed cake trays and distribute the batter evenly between the two—Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. For peace of mind, you can put a toothpick or cake tester in the center of the cake. Once it comes out clean, you will know your chocolate cake is ready.
- Once ready, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for ten minutes. Serve it fresh and warm!
Note: Don’t worry if your cake batter gets thin after adding boiling water. It is totally fine and will result in the moistest and delicious cake you have ever tasted!
Storing Your Homemade Chocolate Cake
So your cake is ready, and you want to store it safely to serve later? The good thing is that your chocolate cake can be stored for three to four days on the counter without any problem. However, make sure to cover it well under a cake dome, if possible.
Furthermore, you can also store it in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life to four to five days. If you like your cake warm, then when you are feeling like having a slice, simply microwave it for 15 to 30 seconds. Doing so will freshen up both the cake and the frosting.
Summary
- Prep time: 40-45 minutes
- Cook time: 25-30 minutes
- Total time required: 60-75 minutes
- Total ingredients required: 12
- Method: Oven
- Category: Dessert
