If you are searching for a simple Chocolate Cake Recipe, look no further! Made in one bowl, this soft, decadent and super moist Chocolate Cake topped with Silky Chocolate Ganache ends your search.
Try my easiest Chocolate Bundt Cake and this Chocolate Babka next! If you love to bake with chocolate, go check out my Chocolate Dessert Recipes. Got a Birthday Cake to bake? Well this Rainbow Cake Recipe is it!
Texture and Taste:
- Moist and decadent cake
- with fluffy yet rich crumb
- Topped with smooth and silky Ganache
Recipe Ingredients:
- Buttermilk: Store bought or homemade both work equally well in this cake. Check out my notes on how easy it is to make homemade buttermilk.
- Hot Brewed Coffee: Adding coffee wont make your cake taste like it. In fact it will enhance the chocolate flavor of your cake. It also gives a dark color to the cake.
- Oil: We are using oil as opposed to butter to create a moist cake.
- Vanilla: Even though it is a chocolate based recipe, adding vanilla is imperative to make a flavor balanced cake. I suggest using pure vanilla extract for best flavor.
- Flour: We are using all purpose flour to make this batter, but if you wish to make this cake gluten free, any gluten free flour can be subbed. I like Bob's Red Mill.
How to make the Best Chocolate Cake:
This one is a super easy cake recipe that you can make in one bowl. You don't even need a mixer. Just a whisk is enough. To make things easy, you can make use of a hand mixer if you'd like.
Lets see how we are putting it together:
- Step 1. Mix all your wet ingredients together in a mixing bowl, leaving hot coffee/hot water.
- Step 2. Now directly sift all dry the ingredients (flour, salt and leaveners) over wet.
- Step 3. Fold them and add hot coffee to this mixture.
- Step 4. Keep folding till flour disappears into the batter. Pour in a parchment paper lined pan and bake!
Chocolate Ganache:
So many people fret making their own chocolate ganache, but believe me it is super simple when you measure things well and follow the recipe instructions.
To make smooth chocolate ganache, you will require:
- Good quality Chocolate: You may use dark, semi sweet or even milk chocolate to make ganache. Chop your chocolate into pieces to make mixing easier!
- Heavy Cream: While heating the cream make sure it doesn't come to a boil. This step can be easily achieved by heating cream in microwave using small increments.
- Vanilla: A dash of vanilla extract in the ganache makes it taste so so so good. Try it!
Pro tips to make a perfect cake every time:
- Measure the ingredients correctly: It's best to incorporate a weighing scale to measure dry ingredients. Takes the guessing business out of the game. If you do not own a weighing scale, use fluff and sweep method to measure out flour and cocoa powder.
- Everything room temperature: Especially eggs and buttermilk! Room temperature ingredients emulsify better to create a uniform cake batter. To quickly bring egg to room temp, soak it in hot water for a few minutes.
- Hot Coffee/Hot Water: The idea behind using hot water or coffee is to bloom the cocoa powder. When the cocoa is bloomed well, it gives out the best chocolate flavor in baked goods.
- Make sure to use fresh leaveners: Expired baking powder or baking soda can lead to a dense cake. Make sure the leaveners are fresh before adding them to the batter.
- For Dairy-free Cake: If you wish to make this cake dairy free, add dairy free alternatives like almond/soy milk in place of buttermilk. I'd still suggest adding that ½ tablespoon of vinegar in the batter, as if you are making your dairy free version of buttermilk.
How to make thick Chocolate Ganache:
To make ganache for the topping of this cake, we are making it thick. And to make thick ganache we will use chocolate : heavy cream in the ratio of 2:1
Which means for every two parts of chocolate you will need one part cream.
Thickness and thinness of a ganache depends on the ratios of cream and chocolate used in the recipe. If you want a thick ganache add more chocolate than cream.
How long does it take for ganache to set?
Setting the ganache may need 1-2 hours. But you do not have to wait that long to top your cake. Cool the ganache down and top on cooled cake. It will set on cake even at room temperature.
Does chocolate ganache cake need to be refrigerated?
Chocolate ganache stays good at room temperature for about 2 days. For longer storage store it in refrigerator, it will last you for 7 days!
More Chocolate Desserts:
Chocolate Cupcakes (small batch recipe)
Cream Cheese Chocolate Cookies
Mini Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
Is chocolate cake with oil better than butter?
Yes, oil makes a cake very moist while the cakes made with butter tend to dry out soon. Cake made with oil bakes moist and stays moist for days.
Worry not, with all the chocolate flavor in this cake you won't miss butter at all!
What frosting is best for chocolate cake?
Well if you ask me, sky is the limit. So many flavors pair well with chocolate cake. Peanut Butter Frosting, Vanilla Buttercream or Nutella Frosting.
Go with Chocolate Buttercream, Cream Cheese Frosting, oh and Caramel Frosting would taste amazing! Berry frostings like raspberry, strawberry would be so good too!
If you liked this cake give it a star review. Also, tell me in the comments below, how did this turn out for you! And don’t forget to share your creations with me on Instagram at #greedyeatsblog Also follow me on Pinterest and Facebook!
Recipe
Simple Chocolate Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 8 inch Square/Round Pan
- Medium Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 large Egg (at room temp)
- ½ Cup Buttermilk (at room temp)
- ¼ Cup Oil (Canola/Vegetable/Avocado)
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup (207 g) Granulated sugar
- ½ Cup (120 ml) Hot Brewed Coffee/ Hot Water
- 1 Cup Minus 1 tablespoon (15 Tbsps, 117 Gms) All purpose flour
- 6 Tbsps (45 Gms) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
Chocolate Ganache:
- 16 ounces Dark or semi sweet Chocolate
- 8 Ounces Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 deg F and line a 8 inch square pan with a parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl mix all the liquid ingredients together (egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla) except coffee. Next add in sugar and beat it in too. You may use a hand beater or a hand whisk for this step.
- Now sift in all the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda) over wet and mix lightly. Pour in hot brewed coffee and combine just till the batter is formed. Batter will be thin.
- Pour batter in the prepared pan and bake for about 30-35 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Allow the cake to cool down for 5-10 mins in the pan and then loosen the edges of pan with a knife for easy removal. Allow the cake to cool down completely before frosting.
For Chocolate Ganache (that sets):
- Heat cream in a microwave safe bowl. Cream can also be heated on stove in a sauce pan. You don't have to let it come to a boil. Add vanilla and chocolate over cream and allow it to sit for 1-2 minutes. Whisk cream and chocolate together to form ganache.
- Cover and allow to set for a few minutes before topping on cake. The ganache will thicken and set during this time.
Notes
- 2-Layer Cake: You can double this recipe and bake in two 8-inch pans at 350 deg F for 30-35 minutes.
- Cupcakes: To make cupcakes out of this batter, line 12 cupcakes liners in a muffin tray and fill them about ⅔ full. Bake at same oven temp for about 23-25 minutes.
- for 9x 13 pan: Double this recipe using 2x button above the ingredients in recipe card and bake the cake for 35-40 minutes at same oven temperature.
- Bundt Pan: This cake can also be made in a mini 6 inch bundt pan. If you wish to bake it in 12 cup bundt pan, double this recipe and bake for 50-55 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, before inverting and attempting to taking it out of the pan.
Caroline
I love how easy this is and looks so rich and moist.