Easy Chocolate Cake
This easy chocolate cake recipe yields a rich moist chocolate cake made in a 9 x 9 pan with a simple ganache frosting. It’s the perfect dessert for any occasion or even just a weekday!
Love delicious and simple dessert recipes? Then you’ve got to try my chocolate brownies and my double chocolate loaf cake!
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Easy Chocolate Cake
If you are looking for the best chocolate cake look no further! This easy chocolate cake from scratch is perfect when you are craving something sweet and are short on time. This recipe is similar to my Best Chocolate Cake Recipe. I add coffee to the batter to amplify the chocolate flavor. I also like to use good quality cocoa powder. It makes all the difference!
This chocolate cake turns out perfectly soft and moist thanks my secret ingredient: vinegar. When you add a small amount of vinegar to the cake batter along with baking soda it causes the baking soda to react. The reaction produces a fluffier softer cake!
This recipe is reminiscent of the original hershey’s chocolate cake that everyone loves! Super rich, chocolatey and comes together in minutes. This recipe can also be made in cupcakes or in a 10 inch cake pan or 11 x 7 pan.
I top the easy homemade chocolate cake with a simple ganache made by whisking heated cream and semi-sweet chocolate chips together until smooth. Pour on top of the cooled cake, and enjoy!
Ingredients For Easy Chocolate Cake
- Sugar: I use a combination of equal parts brown sugar and white granulated sugar. This gives the cake the perfect amount of sweetness to bring out the chocolate flavor and keeps it moist.
- Baking soda: Is the leavener in this cake. It is also used along with the vinegar to make the softest cake ever!
- Vinegar: Along with baking soda causes a reaction that makes the cake fluffier and softer. An easy tip that makes all the difference!
- Vanilla: Adds the perfect amount of flavor to the cake.
- Oil: I use 1/3 cup of vegetable oil in this recipe. Canola oil, coconut oil or even melted butter can be used in it’s place.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: I always recommend using high-quality cocoa powder when possible, especially in simple recipes like this easy everyday chocolate cake where it really stands out.
- Salt: Also helps to bring out the flavors in this cake. A little bit goes a long way.
- Flour: We like to use all purpose flour in this recipe versus cake flour. Gluten free flour can be substituted to make this cake gluten free.
- Coffee: Nothing goes together quite as well as chocolate and coffee. This easy chocolate cake recipe is made super moist and rich from the cup of strong coffee added to the batter. The coffee flavor isn’t strong. Rather, it compliments the chocolate and elevates that flavor; similar to the vanilla extract.
How To Make Chocolate Cake From Scratch
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 9 pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Combine the dry ingredients — flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda — in a large bowl. Set aside.
Then, in a separate medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients — both sugars, vanilla, vinegar, oil, and coffee — and whisk until smooth.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined making sure not to over mix. (It’s OK to see streaks of the dry ingredients.) Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into comes out mostly clean with only a few crumbs. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting with the ganache. (Details on how to make it below.)
Once the cake is frosted, place it in the fridge for an hour or so before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
How To Make Chocolate Ganache
I top the Chocolate Cake off with a simple Chocolate Ganache. The ganache is super easy to whip up. To make the chocolate ganache melt semi sweet chocolate chips and heavy cream in the microwave until smooth and melted. You can also cook the ganache over a double boiler. Allow the ganache to cool for about 2-3 minutes. Spread on top of the cooled cake and place in the fridge to allow it to set. This makes it a lot easier to cut the cake!
Toppings
Feel free to decorate the cake with your favorite sprinkles before placing it in the fridge to set. This will helps the sprinkles to adhere! I like to change up the sprinkles due to the season. Pink sprinkles for valentine’s day and red and green for christmas!
You can also add shaved chocolate or crushed up oreo’s on top!
Storage Instructions
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container or in the pan covered with plastic wrap or foil for up to 4 days. Press plastic wrap to the exposed parts of the cake to prevent it from drying out.
Freeze this cake and ganache separately or by the slice in airtight containers or plastic bags to enjoy for up to a month! Wrap slices securely in plastic wrap before packing to freeze.
More Cake Recipes To Try
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake
- Easy Carrot Cake
- Gooey Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
- Double Chocolate Loaf Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache
Easy Chocolate Cake
Easy Chocolate Cake. A rich chocolate cake made in a 9 x 9 pan with easy ganache frosting!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup coffee
Ganache
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream warmed
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 9 pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.
- In a medium bowl combine both sugars, vanilla, vinegar, oil and coffee.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined making sure not to over mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into comes out mostly clean with only a few crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting with the ganache.
- Once the cake is frosted I find it easier to cut when the ganache has time to harden a bit so I put it in the fridge for an hour before slicing and serving.
Ganache
- Whisk chocolate chips and warmed heavy cream together until melted.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from King Arthur Flour
Thank you Braun for sponsoring this post. All opinions and text are my own!