Easy Chocolate Cake From Scratch
Servings 8
Ingredients
**For the Cake:**
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 130g
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 165g
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil 65g
- ½ cup buttermilk 120g *(or make your own with ½ cup milk + ½ tbsp vinegar)*
- 1 tsp instant coffee optional, can be reduced to ½ tsp
- ¼ cup boiling water 60g
- ¼ cup cocoa powder 25g
**For the Ganache:**
- ¼ cup cream 60g
- 75 g chocolate of choice milk chocolate works great
Instructions
**For the Cake:**
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 9″ cake pan by lining it with parchment paper and greasing it with butter or oil.
- If making your own buttermilk, mix ½ cup milk with ½ tablespoon vinegar, stir, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure to sift the ingredients to remove any lumps.
- Add the egg, vegetable oil, and buttermilk to the dry ingredients. Use a whisk to gently mix until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix the boiling water with cocoa powder and instant coffee until smooth and shiny.
- Add the cocoa mixture to the cake batter and gently fold until fully combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
**For the Ganache:**
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to boil.
- Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Stir the mixture until smooth and glossy.
- Let the ganache sit for another 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Pour the ganache over the cooled cake and spread it evenly with a spatula.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy your decadent chocolate creation!
Notes
- You can easily make your own buttermilk by combining milk with vinegar or lemon juice.
- Be careful not to overmix the cake batter, as this can result in a tough texture.
- This cake can also be baked in a square pan or doubled for a larger sheet cake. Adjust the baking time accordingly.