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.
Kathy says
Such a simple, robust recipe with delicious results! I iced my cake with cream cheese frosting, which is less sweet but needs refrigeration (recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction). It worked really well, because this cake is light and fluffy straight from the fridge.
Mathangi Selvanayagam says
Hello Nagi, can I use cake and pastry flour to make your chocolate cake? your recipe use all purpose flour, instead of all purpose flour can I use cake and pastry flour? please advise.
Thanks,
sai.
Maya says
Hi Nagi! I am 11 yrs old and I started baking in the beginning of quarantine. It is now my new hobby. Your chocolate cake recipe is amazing! My whole family approved and said it was better than the recipe I usually use. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
THOM FICKENSCHER says
I MAKE THIS CHOCOLATE CAKE(HERSHEYS) ALL THE TIME, BUT INSTEAD OF USING 1 CUP OF BOILING WATER I USE 1 CUP OF STRONG COFFEE. FABULOUS!!!
Precious says
I tried the recipe and it was amazing, even my mom was impressed by the cake, THANK YOU
Christopher says
I made this cake with the ganache and mirror glaze to cheer up the people in my social distancing pod and it brought smiles all around! I added some edible flowers as decoration. I have been requested to make it again!
Lynn says
Hi Nagi, just wanted to let you know I made this fabulous cake complete with the ganache and the mirror glaze for my grand daughter’s 27th birthday. I was a bit worried about the mirror glaze as I haven’t made anything like that before. However the cake turned out sensational and I only wish I had taken a photo of it to send to you before everyone demolished it! Thank you for your wonderful site, you explain things well so they make sense in the procedure/method. I love your recipes and I’ve made so many of them. Next up the vegetable tagine! Thanks Lynn
Kim J says
Hi Nagi. Best chocolate cake ever! Everyone wanted the recipe. Not sure how you could get it to last for five days though… too delicious. Thank you!
Imaan says
Hello! I want to make this for a friend. I have 3 6inch tins will I have to make this recipe 3 times for each time and how long would I bake?
Anna says
My cakes sank quite a bit in the middle. I am at a high altitude. Is there anything I can do or do you know why this happens?
picosinge says
From another baker living at high altitude, this is a good resource:
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
JEANNY OETAMA says
Delicious cake!!! I made this with the choc ganache and choc mirror glaze and my gosh it’s so divine. Moist and rich cake.
Hetal Patel says
Hi can I use sunflower oil instead vege one?
Abi says
Thanks for this recipe. I made as one large square cake as a children’s birthday cake and all three children declared it the best chocolate cake ever. They never want another bought cake. Bonus was that it was so easy to make. I am an avid follower if your site and it is my go-to for new ideas.
Lucy says
This is a beautiful cake, once I decorate with your chocolate buttercream frosting can I put it in the fridge? And how long will it keep? Thank you.
Dee says
Hands down best chocolate cake recipe on the internet! Soooo easy, I had all the ingredients in fridge & pantry, cake is moist and it tastes amazing! I love the fact that all I had to do was whisk and not take out my mixer! I divided the batter between two 7inch pans and with my fan forced oven on 160 it took an hour to bake both together. Love it!
Miranda says
Omg thank you so much for this. I come to your site when I need something good to cook and you never fail with your recipes. I made this for my boyfriend’s birthday, and wow, amazing. I can’t thank you enough 🙂
Anni says
Can this be halved?
Nagi says
Yes it can Anni – so you’ll only need one pan. N x
YOUNG 11 YEAR OLD BAKER says
What can I use instead of cocoa or vanilla? Thx
-Young Baker
Nagi says
Hi Mr Young Baker – you need the cocoa in this recipe sorry, it’s what makes it a chocolate cake 🙂 N x
Young Baker says
Oh but what can I use for the vanilla then?
Thx
P.s. I am a girl.
Kelly Harris says
Hello Nagi, I don’t have any milk so can I subs with cream? Thanks
Nagi says
Hi Kelly, yes you can! Use 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup water to make up the 1 cup of milk 🙂 N x
Ayisha nortey says
I really enjoyed it