Chocolate Cake (Printable)
Rich, moist chocolate layer cake with silky cocoa frosting - easy steps and simple ingredients for 8 servings.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 2 cups granulated sugar
04 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
06 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
07 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - ½ cup vegetable oil
10 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup boiling water
→ Chocolate Frosting
12 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
14 - ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
15 - ¼ cup milk
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, ensuring even coverage to prevent sticking.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined and free of lumps.
03 - Add the room-temperature eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Beat on medium speed for approximately 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and homogeneous.
04 - Gradually pour in the boiling water while mixing on low speed. Continue until fully incorporated. The batter will appear thin — this is expected.
05 - Pour the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans, using a spatula to smooth the surface for uniform baking.
06 - Place pans on the center rack and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of each cake — it should come out clean.
07 - Allow the cakes to rest in their pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
08 - Beat the softened unsalted butter until light and creamy. Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, then add the milk and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
09 - Place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Spread an even layer of frosting over the top. Position the second layer and frost the top and sides of the entire cake, smoothing with an offset spatula.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The batter uses boiling water which sounds strange but creates the most impossibly tender crumb you will ever taste.
- It comes together in one bowl with zero fuss, making it forgiving enough for a Tuesday but impressive enough for a celebration.
02 -
- Do not rush the cooling step because frosting a warm cake will result in a melted, sliding mess that no amount of patching can fix.
- Swapping the boiling water for hot brewed coffee deepens the chocolate flavor dramatically without making the cake taste like coffee at all.
03 -
- Dust your cake pans with cocoa powder instead of flour so you never see those telltale white streaks on the outside of your dark cake layers.
- A quick chill in the refrigerator for twenty minutes after assembling makes the frosting firm up and gives you cleaner slices when serving.