Nothing is as delicious as a sumptuous chocolate cake! Just digging into a bite of soft, creamy chocolate goodness is enough to bring a smile to anyone's face.
Ever wondered why chocolate is synonymous with happiness? Chocolate contains an amino acid called tryptophan, which releases serotonin and endorphins in the brain. These feel-good chemicals lower stress and increase joy!
Making your own chocolate cake at home doesn't have to be hard. In fact, we've hunted for some of the most delicious and easy recipes and found some gems. Up next are three of the best chocolate cake recipes around.
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
This delicious chocolate cake recipe from Add a Pinch will teach you to bake the best chocolate cake ever! Let’s take a look at this recipe and the ingredients that you will need.
Ingredients for the Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon salt
Ingredients for the Frosting
1 ½ cups butter (softened)
1 cup cocoa (unsweetened)
½ cup milk
5 cups confectionary sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon espresso powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and keep 2 cake pans of 9 inches ready. Make sure that you butter and lightly flour these pans.
- In a bowl, add the flour, cocoa, sugar, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, and mix these ingredients until combined.
- To this mixture, you can then add the milk, eggs, vegetable oil, and mix them together at medium speed. Next, add water and combine the batter well.
- Pour the batter into the cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes. You can then allow it to cool.
- To prepare the frosting, combine the butter and cocoa powder. Then add 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of milk and combine it with the butter. Do the same for the rest of the butter and sugar, slowly combining in these quantities.
- Lastly, you can add the vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well. And you have your frosting ready to go on the cake.
Chocolate Ganache Cake
This recipe by Café Delights will show you just how to make the most delicious fudgy chocolate cake. Listed below are the ingredients and procedure you can follow.
Ingredients for the Cake
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 large egg
½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
¾ cup milk
¾ cup boiling water mixed with 2 teaspoons of instant coffee powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
Ingredients for the Chocolate Ganache
1 cup heavy/thickened cream
250 grams of chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and keep an 8 inch round cake pan ready by lining the base with parchment paper and non-stick cooking oil.
- In a bowl, whisk to combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- You can then add the egg, oil, vanilla extract, and milk to the mix and combine it by beating it well. Lastly, you can pour the hot water and combine until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 40-45 minutes and then leave it to cool.
- To get the ganache ready, pour the cream into a small saucepan and heat it. Make sure that it doesn’t boil. Once it is heated, you can take the saucepan off the stove.
- Add the chocolate chips to the cream, close the lid for 5 minutes and let them melt. Once melted you can stir it and combine the chips into the cream.
- Lastly, refrigerate the ganache for an hour, and once thickened, use it as a spread on the cake.
Everyday Cocoa Cake
This cake is very easy to make and yet super delicious. Read on to discover how to make this chocolate cake from a recipe by Epicurious.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
¾ cup unsalted butter (softened)
2 eggs
1 ¾ cups sugar (light brown)
1 1/3 cups water
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectionary sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and keep a 9 inch round cake pan ready by buttering it and dusting it with flour.
- In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt.
- Separately in an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, and keep adding one egg at a time and combine. Then add the vanilla extract to the mix.
- Alternately add in the flour mix and water in small batches, mixing it until combined.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 55 minutes. Once done, let it cool for 1 hour. You can then invert it and dust it with confectionary sugar.
Takeaway
Try these delicious chocolate cake recipes at home to treat your friends and family. If you follow all of the steps they will also be worthy of Instagram fame.
There’s always a reason to bake a chocolate cake, so master these recipes and have them up to your sleeve anytime an occasion arrives!
