Chocolate cake is a perennial favourite loved by most people and its popularity in recent years has increased even further. Interest in baking exploded during the pandemic for many reasons. Baking provides a sense of comfort in troubled times, and not only can it be great fun, but you can also save a lot of money in the process. Moreover, nothing beats the smell and taste of home baking.
There are a huge number of chocolate cake recipes: some are more decadent whilst others are considered healthier options. The following traditional chocolate cake recipe is straightforward to make, even for someone who has been baking for just a short while.
Traditional Chocolate Cake Recipe
EQUIPMENT
Mixing bowl 2X
Fork
Tablespoon
Either 7-inch (17.5cm) square cake tin 2x, or 8-inch (20cm) round cake tin 2x. Grease with a small amount of butter or vegetable oil or use greaseproof paper on bottom of tins
Sieve
Cooling wire rack
Toothpick
Saucepan
BAKING TIME
Preheat oven to 176C (350F or Gas Mark 4)
Bake for around 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
Cocoa powder – 50g (1¾ oz)
Water (boiled) – 240ml (8 fl oz)
Butter softened (unsalted) – 175g (6¼oz)
Caster sugar – 275g (9¾ oz) also known as castors/baker’s/superfine sugar
Eggs – 3x medium or 2x large
Flour (plain) – 250g (8¾ oz) also known as all-purpose flour
Bicarbonate of Soda -1½ teaspoons
Baking powder – ½ teaspoon
Icing (Frosting):
Milk – 240ml (8 fl oz)
Butter (unsalted) – 75g (2¾ oz)
Icing sugar – 350g (12¼ oz)
Cocoa powder – 2 tablespoons
Filling:
Butter (unsalted) – 75g (2¾ oz)
Icing sugar – 175g (6¼oz)
METHOD
Cake:
1) Add cocoa powder to water in mixing bowl 1. Mix well.
2) Transfer 4 tablespoons of the cocoa mix to mixing bowl 2.
3) Add softened butter to bowl 2 and stir in the caster sugar. Keep mixing until you achieve a fluffy consistency.
4) Add eggs to mixing bowl 2. Keep mixing.
5) Pour remaining cocoa mix from bowl 1 to bowl 2. Keep mixing. Set aside bowl 1 for the filling later.
6) Use the sieve to sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into bowl 2. Mix ingredients together to produce a creamy batter.
7) Pour equal amounts of batter into the 2 cake tins and bake for around 25 minutes.
8) Carry out toothpick test on cakes. Insert a toothpick into each cake-they should come out clean with no sticky mess. If not clean, place cakes back in the oven for a few minutes. Repeat test to check afterwards.
9) Allow cakes to cool in their tins for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
Icing (Frosting):
1) Gently warm milk and butter in a saucepan until the butter melts. Do not simmer or boil.
2) Use the sieve to sift the icing sugar and cocoa into the saucepan. Mix to a smooth consistency. Remove saucepan from the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
Filling:
1) Add the butter and icing sugar to mixing bowl 1. Mix until a smooth consistency.
2) Add 4 tablespoons of icing (frosting) from the saucepan to bowl 1. Blend to an even consistency.
Assembling Cake:
1) Spread the filling on top of one cake. Aim for an even layer.
2) Place the second cake on top of the first one covered in filling.
3) Spread icing across the top of the second cake. Aim for an even layer.
Summary
If you fancy making a delicious, full flavoured chocolate cake in an hour or less, give our traditional chocolate cake recipe a go. It’s demonstrates many principles of cake baking in a beginner friendly way. The result will put a smile on even the most discerning chocoholic’s face!
