Bakery Recipe · Chocolate Cake · One-Bowl Sponge
The Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe We Keep Coming Back To
This is my second favourite chocolate cake recipe. It is made from scratch, easy to make, gloriously dark, and properly moist. It works as a tall 6 inch layer cake, an 8 inch cake, or a batch of generous cupcakes, and it has that deep chocolate flavour people expect from a proper bakery cake.
The not-so-secret bakery trick is instant coffee. It does not make the cake taste of coffee. It makes the chocolate taste more chocolatey, which is exactly the sort of helpful kitchen witchcraft we approve of.
It has long been a favourite with customers ordering our chocolate cakes in London and Surrey. If you want my absolute number one chocolate sponge, that would be our Chocolate Hero Sponge, which is a little more robust and designed for more flavour variations. But this one? This one is a beauty.
For a moist chocolate cake, use oil instead of butter, do not over-bake it, and add instant coffee to deepen the cocoa flavour. The batter will look runny. Do not panic. That extra liquid is exactly why the sponge stays soft.
How To Make Chocolate Cake From Scratch
This chocolate cake is quick, easy and delicious. You do not need a stand mixer, there is no creaming stage, and the whole batter comes together in one bowl.
The recipe yields three 6 inch chocolate sponge layers, two 8 inch sponge layers, or 12 large muffin-sized cupcakes. It is light enough for birthdays, rich enough for grown-up chocolate lovers, and simple enough to make without having a small nervous breakdown beside the oven.
- Prep Time 10 minutes
- Baking Time Around 25 to 30 minutes for layer cakes
- Yield 3 x 6 inch layers, 2 x 8 inch layers, or 12 cupcakes
- Texture Moist, soft, light and chocolatey
- Best Trick Instant coffee makes the cocoa taste deeper
Chocolate Cake Ingredients
The ingredients are probably already in your cupboard. Nothing rare, nothing ridiculous, and no mysterious patisserie-only powders that require a trade account and a prayer.
All ingredients are weighed in grams, even the liquids. It is more accurate, easier to scale, and frankly much less annoying than trying to scrape golden syrup out of a measuring cup while questioning your life choices.
| Ingredient | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Eggs | Bind the batter and give structure. |
| Oil | Keeps the sponge moist for days. |
| Milk | Adds softness and helps create a lighter crumb. |
| Cocoa Powder | Brings the deep chocolate flavour. |
| Instant Coffee | Makes the chocolate taste richer without making the cake taste of coffee. |
| Flour | Provides the sponge structure. |
| Sugar | Adds sweetness and helps retain moisture. |
| Baking Soda And Baking Powder | Help the sponge rise and keep it light. |
Oil is liquid at room temperature, so it keeps chocolate cake softer for longer than butter. Butter may sound fancier, but cocoa is doing the flavour work here. Take a seat, butter.
The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe
Here is the recipe. It is simple, reliable, and wonderfully forgiving, provided you do not over-mix the batter or bake the living daylights out of it.
- Prep 10 minutes
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes
- Yield 3 x 6 inch layers, 2 x 8 inch layers, or 12 large cupcakes
- Storage Stays moist for 5 to 7 days if stored well
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggs
- 120g neutral oil, such as vegetable or sunflower oil
- 250g whole milk
- 85g cocoa powder
- 5g instant coffee granules
- 300g granulated sugar
- 230g plain flour, sifted
- 10g sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda
- 5g baking powder
Making The Batter
- Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease three 6 inch round cake tins with butter, oil or cooking spray, and line the bases if needed.
- Whisk the eggs, oil, milk, cocoa powder and instant coffee together until well combined.
- Add the sugar and whisk again until evenly mixed.
- Sift in the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Whisk only until no lumps remain. Do not over-mix.
Baking The Cake
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins. The batter will be runnier than a butter-based sponge batter, and that is exactly what you want.
- Bake for around 25 to 28 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Let the sponges rest in their tins for 10 to 15 minutes before releasing them onto a wire rack.
- Allow the sponges to cool completely before filling, frosting or freezing.
- Do Not Panic This batter is meant to be loose.
- Do Not Over-Bake Cocoa dries quickly when pushed too far.
- Cool Before Frosting Warm sponge melts buttercream and causes chaos.
Frosting And Decorating
This cake is gorgeous with chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. It is smooth, silky, less sweet than American buttercream, and sturdy enough for a proper birthday cake finish.
Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients
- 150g egg white, at room temperature
- 225g granulated sugar
- 300g butter, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
Making The Frosting
- Follow our Swiss meringue buttercream recipe until the buttercream is smooth, glossy and stable.
- Add the cocoa powder and whip until fully combined.
- Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt if needed. Chocolate frosting loves a little salt.
Decorating The Cake
- Smear a small dollop of buttercream in the centre of an 8 inch cake board, then place the first sponge layer on top.
- Spread a layer of chocolate buttercream over the sponge. Repeat with the remaining layers.
- Crumb coat the outside of the cake with a thin layer of buttercream, smoothing with a palette knife or cake scraper.
- Chill for 10 to 15 minutes until the crumb coat has set.
- Apply a final layer of chocolate buttercream and smooth with a cake scraper. A turntable makes this much easier.
- Decorate with buttercream swirls, sprinkles, chocolates, cookies or whatever makes your chocolate-loving heart happy.
It is surprisingly easy to make a dry, dense chocolate cake because cocoa powder can be quite drying. This recipe avoids that sad little trap with oil, milk and a high liquid ratio. The batter may look alarmingly runny, but the result is soft, moist and beautifully chocolatey.
Chocolate Cake FAQs
How Long Does This Chocolate Cake Last?
This chocolate cake tastes great for 5 to 7 days if stored well. Keep it covered and away from direct heat or sunlight.
Can You Freeze The Sponge Layers?
Yes. Wrap the cooled sponge layers tightly in cling film and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before filling and frosting.
How Many People Does It Serve?
A tall 6 inch layer cake serves around 8 to 10 portions. An 8 inch layer cake serves around 14 portions, depending on how generously you cut it.
Can I Use 3 x 7 Inch Tins?
Yes. Because the recipe is in grams, it scales easily. For 3 x 7 inch tins, scale the recipe up by around 1.25 to 1.3.
Can I Use 3 x 20cm Tins?
20cm tins are roughly 8 inch tins. For 3 x 20cm tins, scale the recipe up by around 1.5.
Is This Cake Strong Enough For Fondant?
Yes, it can be covered with buttercream and fondant. It is very soft and moist, though, so it is not the best choice for heavy carving or sculpted cakes.
What Is The Secret To Super Moist Chocolate Cake?
Oil, sugar, enough liquid, and not over-baking. Those four things matter more than almost anything else.
Is Chocolate Cake Better With Oil Or Butter?
For this style of chocolate cake, oil is better for moisture. Butter sounds luxurious, but cocoa powder is the main flavour here. Oil keeps the crumb soft for longer.
What Makes Chocolate Cake Light And Fluffy?
Milk, raising agents, accurate measuring and gentle mixing. Over-mixing the batter can make the cake dense.
Which Oil Should I Use?
Use a neutral oil that is liquid at room temperature, such as vegetable, sunflower or groundnut oil. Olive oil can work, but it will bring its own flavour.
Should I Grease The Tin With Butter Or Oil?
Either works. A cooking spray is easiest, but a thin coat of butter or oil also does the job.
Anges de Sucre's Tips
- Frosting substitute: Cream cheese frosting works beautifully with chocolate cake. It is tangy, less sweet and very good at cutting through richness. Try the cream cheese frosting in our carrot cake recipe post.
- Chocolate orange variation: Add the zest of one orange to the batter. Juice the bald orange afterwards and use a little in the buttercream. Waste not, frost more.
- Gluten-free option: Swap the plain flour and baking powder for gluten-free plain flour and gluten-free baking powder. Always check sprinkles and decorations too.
- Bake ahead: The sponge layers freeze beautifully. Future you will feel smug, and rightly so.
- Vegan version: This recipe relies on eggs for structure, so it is not ideal as a vegan conversion. Use our vegan chocolate cake recipe instead.
This recipe is similar to our Chocolate Hero Sponge, but the Hero version is more versatile and includes multiple flavour variations, including chocolate chip and marble.
I hope you make this and love it as much as we do. If you use this recipe, share it on Instagram and tag @angesdesucre so I can admire it from afar, preferably with a cup of tea and absolutely no self-control.
If you have any questions or comments, drop them below this post.
Lots of love,
Reshmi xoxo
Theresa Malbasa
October 29, 2020
This is my favourite ever chocolate cake and have used it for many family birthdays. As it is very light would it be strong enough for me to use fondant icing to cover it? Really hope so!