Description
Homemade chocolate cake brings pure dessert magic to family gatherings with its rich, moist layers of pure indulgence. Silky chocolate frosting and simple ingredients make this classic treat irresistible for weekend baking adventures.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (65 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cake Wet Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) whole milk or buttermilk
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) boiling water
Frosting Ingredients:
- ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 ⅔ cups (330 grams) powdered sugar
- ½ cup (45 grams) cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) milk (adjust for consistency)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the baking environment by warming the oven to 350F (175C) and preparing cake pans with a light coating of grease and flour to prevent sticking.
- Create a dry ingredient foundation by thoroughly combining flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a spacious mixing bowl, ensuring even distribution of all powdery components.
- Introduce moisture elements by gently incorporating eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract into the dry mixture, utilizing an electric mixer to blend ingredients until achieving a uniform consistency.
- Transform the batter’s texture by gradually introducing boiling water at a low mixer speed, which will create a surprisingly fluid and thin cake base with enhanced chocolate depth.
- Distribute the liquid batter evenly across prepared cake pans, ensuring smooth surface and consistent depth for balanced baking.
- Position the filled pans in the preheated oven, allowing the cake to develop a rich chocolate profile through precise baking, typically requiring 30-35 minutes for round pans or 35-40 minutes for rectangular formats.
- Validate cake doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; a clean removal indicates perfect baking completion.
- Allow initial cooling within the baking pans for approximately 10 minutes to help structural stability, then carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack for complete temperature reduction.
- Prepare for final presentation by allowing the cake to reach room temperature before applying desired frosting or decorative elements.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth batter mixing and even cake texture.
- Sift dry ingredients to prevent lumps and create a lighter, more consistent cake.
- For extra moisture, replace water with strong hot coffee to enhance chocolate flavor depth.
- Adapt recipe for gluten-free diets by substituting all-purpose flour with almond or gluten-free flour blend, maintaining same measurements.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 44 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg