A Very Easy Chocolate Cake

Funny enough, the most common question I get asked is: ‘do you have a basic cake recipe I can use for (INSERT EVENT HERE)?’ The answer is YES! I have a very easy chocolate cake recipe that looks fancy but is super easy to make. It’s actually so easy, you’ll stop making boxed mixes after you make this.

I’ll warn you though – when you make it, you’ll think you’ve done something wrong because it’s basically liquid when it goes in the oven. But I promise, it’s right. And that liquid is what keeps the cake so moist and almost fudge like.

My favorite part is the chocolate, ganache-like icing – my tip? Make it right when you put the cakes in the oven so that it will be cool by the time the cakes have cooled! Oh man, this is so good!

What’s your favorite kind of cake? Let me know in the comments below! img_2191_jpg-1

A Very Easy Chocolate Cake

Servings: 8
Time: 45
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter, only for greasing pans
3oz of the BEST cocoa powder you can find, + more for dusting
8oz plain flour
12 1/2 oz sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs
9oz whole milk
4 1/2oz vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
9oz boiling water
7oz unsweetened baking chocolate
7oz whipping cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and dust two 8-inch round tins (not springform) with cocoa. Set aside.
For the cake, place the cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, eggs, milk, oil and vanilla into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.

Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will be very liquidy).
Divide the cake batter between the two round tins and bake in the oven for 25–35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.
For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1–2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.
To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins. Spread a little chocolate icing over the top of one of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife. Enjoy!