The Best Chocolate Cake
The Best Chocolate Cake
A one-bowl chocolate layer cake — quick, deeply chocolatey, and reliably moist thanks to a finishing pour of boiling water.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 cup milk (or buttermilk, almond, or coconut milk)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or canola, or melted coconut oil)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- Chocolate buttercream frosting, for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray, or buttering and lightly flouring.
- Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk to combine, or stir through with the paddle attachment until well mixed.
- Add the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla to the flour mixture and mix on medium speed until well combined.
- Reduce speed and carefully pour in the boiling water, mixing until combined. The batter will be very thin — that's correct.
- Distribute the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely before frosting with chocolate buttercream.
Thin batter is correct: The batter will be very thin after the boiling water goes in. Trust the recipe — that's what gives this cake its moist crumb.
Make-ahead and freezing: Cool the layers completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze in zip-top bags for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator with the wrapping intact, then fill and frost.
High altitude: Adjust the recipe for your area's altitude as needed.
Make-ahead and freezing: Cool the layers completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze in zip-top bags for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator with the wrapping intact, then fill and frost.
High altitude: Adjust the recipe for your area's altitude as needed.
Per serving (cake only): 124 cal · 27g carbs · 3g protein · 1g fat · 178mg sodium · 17g sugar · 1g fiber · 15mg cholesterol
Adapted from Add a Pinch by Robyn Stone.