Chocolate Cake Recipe

Chocolate Cake is undoubtedly a classic and timeless dessert that everyone still craves. It’s seriously moist, soft, chocolaty, and enjoyable. Bake this for celebrations to make memories extra special!

This chocolate cake recipe is an easy and quick recipe that you can bake for your family and friends to let them feel extra loved as they really are!

How to Make Chocolate Cake

It may seem difficult to make but you can actually make it at home with simple ingredients and equipment. Try this recipe to solve your sweet tooth! 

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Cocoa powder

Cocoa powder is one of the most important ingredients to be used in this recipe. It is responsible for the cake’s chocolate and fudgy flavor.

This is often unsweetened, so many cake recipes require sugar and milk to sweeten the batter. Cocoa powder is also a leavening agent for pastry recipes.

Plain flour

Meanwhile, plain flour is one of the ingredients that helps the cake form and maintain its structure. It has an elastic gluten network that gives elasticity, causing the cake to rise. Plain flour also contains protein which contributes to the cake’s foundation. 

Baking powder

Baking powder is another leavening agent that allows the cake to rise while cooking. When used properly, it will make the cake light and fluffy. Along with baking powder, bicarbonate soda is also an excellent leavening ingredient for pastry recipes. 

It is a tried and tested ingredient I often use for Banana Bread, Fried Fish Fillet, and Nigerian Coconut Egg Rolls!

Caster sugar

The purpose of caster sugar is a convenient cake ingredient because aside from adding flavor, it also dissolves easily in the batter for a smooth texture from the inside out.

It goes hand in hand with salt and vanilla extract that enhances the overall taste of the cake. 

Wet Ingredients

Eggs

Eggs serve a great purpose in baking desserts and pastries. Aside from the added flavor, it also binds the dry ingredients to sustain the cake’s structure.

Moreover, it adds moisture to a soft and moist cake. It can also contribute to the texture of the cake sponge and the crumbs. 

Milk

Milk is also a common cake ingredient because it gives the batter protein, moisture, color, and flavor. It creates an impression that the cake is so soft that it almost feels like it’s melting in your mouth. Aside from fresh or evaporated milk, I also like using Almond Milk as a healthy alternative.

Sunflower oil

Sunflower oil is one of the most highly preferred oils for baking because of its high smoke point – this is important to prevent the batter from burning in the oven. It can withstand oven temperature without compromising its nutritional benefits.

Water

Hot water is added to melt all of the ingredients together to avoid clumps in the cake. It breaks down the particles to achieve a smooth consistency of the batter. It intensifies the flavors and makes the cake last longer. 

Butter

Lastly, butter is simply used to prepare the pan for baking. Greasing the pan before baking prevents the cake from sticking to the pan. 

The chocolate cake requires basic baking ingredients but the most important part lies in how you actually make it. With these ingredients, I can guarantee you a no-fail chocolate cake!

Directions

Bake the Cake Base

1. Use a scale or measuring cups and spoons to make measurements.

2. Grease all of the edges of the pan with room-temperature butter.
3. Coat it with plain flour and rotate it around the flour to coat the sides of the baking pan as well. Remove excess flour. 
4. Preheat the oven to 170°C for 15 minutes.
5. Using a fine-mesh strainer, sieve plain flour, caster sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Use a spatula to break down larger particles. 
6. In the same bowl as the dry ingredients, put in the eggs, whole milk, sunflower oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk them together to combine. 
7. While whisking, add hot water to dissolve the dry ingredients.
8. Pour the batter into at least ¾ of the cake pan. 
9. Bake the cake at 350° C for 35 to 40 minutes or until done.

Decorate the Chocolate Cake

1. Carefully remove the cake pan from the oven.
2. Then, use a small palette knife to level the cake, creating a flat cake surface.
3. Place the cake board on top of the cake and turn it over. 
4. Spread your chocolate frosting evenly on top of the cake and along its side.
5. Smooth it out and use an icing scraper to add basic designs on top and along the cake edge. 
6. Use a piping bag to design the cake with more chocolate frosting.
7. Set it in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes. 

Now, give yourself a pat on the back because you just made an Irresistibly Delicious Chocolate Cake! 

Tips

How to Make Better Chocolate Cake

• One of the simplest ways to improve your chocolate cake is to purchase quality ingredients, especially cocoa powder.
• When choosing cocoa powder, go for ones that are darker in color because these will release richer flavor. 
• Always remember to grease your pan with butter or oil and flour to prevent the crumbs of the cake from sticking.
• Moreover, measure all of the ingredients, especially the flour and sugar.
• Don’t skip the milk! It helps retain the moisture for a creamy and smooth texture from the crust to the crumbs.
• Also, don’t forget to add salt to enhance the combined flavors of the ingredients. 
• Prepare the ingredients beforehand to allow them to adjust to room temperature, especially the eggs and milk.
• Aside from preheating the oven, refrain from opening it while the cake is baking inside.

How to Store Basic Cake Ingredients

Cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, plain flour, salt, and sugar are best stored in airtight containers in cool and dark places. Protect them from moisture to prevent bugs or contamination and to preserve freshness. 

Meanwhile, baking soda is best stored in its original packaging in a cool and dark place to protect its leavening properties. Store the milk in the fridge in its original packaging or in a sealed container or glass bottle preferably. 

Ingredient Substitutes

Cocoa powder is vegan and gluten-free but if you don’t have it in your pantry, you can use cooking chocolate, hot chocolate mix, or melted chocolate chips as substitutes. 

Plain flour is recommended because it is accessible and suitable for baked goods. However, you can still substitute it with other kinds of flour such as cake, almond, and whole wheat flour. 

Cake flour has lower gluten than plain flour and is perfect for baking a cake from scratch. Whole wheat flour can result in a denser cake but it is rich in fiber and other nutrients than plain flour. 

Both cake flour and whole wheat flour have gluten content so these cannot be used for a gluten-free diet. Luckily, you can make use of almond flour as a gluten-free alternative. 

Aside from caster sugar, you can also use powdered sugar, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and even coconut sugar as a sweetener. However, note that this can change the cake’s texture, color, and flavor. Sugar is generally vegan-friendly and gluten-free. 

If you don’t have bicarbonate of soda, you can add a bit more baking soda for leavening. As for the whole milk, it is gluten-free but it is not vegan-friendly. You can use vegan-friendly substitutes like almond milk or soy milk.

How to Make Chocolate Cake Without an Oven

You can still make Chocolate Cake even without an oven! Use your steamer to boil water and place the aluminum foil-covered baking pan in the middle. Cover the steamer with a lid and let the cake cook for up to 45 minutes over medium-low heat. 

Use the cake tester or a toothpick to check for doneness before taking it out of the steamer. 

Chocolate Cake Variations

For a vegan version of Chocolate Cake, it’s best to use unsweetened almond milk and granulated sugar to substitute for whole milk and caster sugar. 

On the other hand, for a gluten-free chocolate cake recipe, be on the lookout for gluten-free ingredients. For instance, you can buy gluten-free all-purpose flour, gluten-free baking soda, gluten-free vanilla extract, dairy-free milk, and unsweetened cocoa powder as alternative ingredients. 

In case of lactose intolerance, use either cashew milk or coconut milk to substitute the whole milk. Also, purchase or make your own lactose-free chocolate pudding to decorate and coat the cake. 

Recommended Tools

• Hand mixer: You can mix the ingredients by hand but you can also use a hand mixer for faster mixing.
• Mixing bowl: Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
• Balloon whisk: Use this to mix the ingredients together
• Sieve: Make sure to sift your dry ingredients using a sieve.
• Measuring cups & spoons: In baking, measurements matter, so use measuring cups and spoons!
• Kitchen scale: This can be an alternative tool for measuring cups and spoons.
• Spatula: Use a spatula to mix and distribute the ingredients. 
• Cake tin: You definitely need a cake pan to form and bake the cake in the oven.
• Cooling wire rack: After baking the cake, you need to let it rest on a cooling rack before frosting and decorating. 
• Small palette knife: Use this knife to level the cake’s surface. 
• Cake board: Place the cake on a cake board for presentation and decorating purposes. 

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How to Serve Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake is commonly served as a dessert but it can also be consumed for breakfast and even as a snack. It is usually decorated with chocolate ganache or frosted with piped decorations. 

You may also include different kinds of fruits as toppings. Strawberries are popular choices for Chocolate Cake toppings. Alternatively, arrange various kinds of chocolates on top or along the sides of the cake to add sweetness and design. 

According to a study by researchers at Tel Aviv University, cake and other desserts can safely be eaten for breakfast. 

The study concluded that mornings could be a good time to eat cake because metabolism is faster, and you can burn carbs throughout the day.

For beverages to go with your yummy Chocolate Cake, make sure to consider the following:

• Almond Milk
• Iced Tea
• Hibiscus Lemon Tea
• Strawberry Banana Milkshake
• Zobo Drink

Storage Tips

To store cakes, some of the options you can use as containers are airtight plastic cake containers, tin cans, glass domes, cake servers, or cake slice plastic containers. 

• At room temperature: For unfrosted chocolate cakes, you can wrap the cake in cling film, lasting up to 5 days at room temperature. On the other hand, if it has already been frosted, refrigerate it within 2 days. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is chocolate cake healthy? 

Contrary to popular belief that chocolate cake has harmful effects, it actually has lots of health benefits when eaten in moderation. It contains sugar and protein to fuel you with energy throughout the day.

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

The chocolate cake also contains nutrients and minerals and to add to its nutritional value, you can include fruits as toppings. It also contains polyphones to regulate hormone levels and stress levels. Chocolate cakes can be mood changers! They make excellent comfort food too. 

Moreover, the components of chocolate can improve brain function and enhance cognition, especially if fresh fruit toppings are added. And overall, chocolate cake is truly satisfying to consume!

How can you make chocolate ganache? 

Chocolate ganache is one of the most common decorations or toppings for cakes and it is also easy and simple to do. You only need a cup of heavy cream and semi-sweet chocolates. 

Finely chop the chocolate using a knife while cooking the heavy cream in a saucepan. Then, put the chocolates in the cream and wait for them to melt for around 3 minutes. Use a spatula for occasional stirring to prevent burning. 

After the ingredients are combined, simply let it cool for up to two hours before using it on the cake!

Can babies have Chocolate Cake? 

Of course! Upon reaching the age of 24 months old, the baby has developed a digestive system that can process food with chocolates.

Before introducing the baby to chocolate cake, feed him or her the basic chocolate foods first – this is also the time to check if the baby has allergic reactions to chocolates. 

What are the signs of Chocolate Allergy?

According to Healthline, adverse reactions to chocolate cake can be attributed to either chocolate allergy or chocolate sensitivities. 

Chocolate allergy manifests when you observe changes and reactions in your skin, breathing, and digestion. You may develop hives, cramps, vomiting, shortness of breath, and swelling of the tongue and lips. 

Meanwhile, chocolate sensitivities can experience flatulence, indigestion, migraines, rashes, and acne. Consult your doctor if you observe any of these reactions upon eating chocolate.