Easy chocolate cake

Ingredients

What you need.

• 250g (2 cups) plain flour
• 300g (1 and a half cups) caster sugar
• 85g (3 quarters of a cup) cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 250ml (1 cup) milk or buttermilk
• 125ml (half a cup) vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 250ml (1 cup) hot water or hot strong coffee

Method

How to bake it.

1. Step 1. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease and line two 9 inch round tins.
2. Step 2. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
3. Step 3. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. The batter will be thin.
4. Step 4. Stir in the hot water (or coffee). The batter will be very thin, almost like pancake batter. That is correct.
5. Step 5. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared tins. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
6. Step 6. Cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool fully before frosting.

Tips for Harare bakers

A few things we have learned.

• Hot coffee instead of hot water deepens the chocolate flavour without making the cake taste of coffee.
• Buttermilk gives a softer crumb than plain milk. To fake buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk and let it sit for five minutes.
• Do not overmix once the hot liquid is in, or the cake will toughen.
• This cake freezes brilliantly for up to three months wrapped tightly in cling film.

Want to learn it in person?

Take a baking lesson at the studio.

Cake basics, buttercream finishing, fondant, sugar flowers. Small group lessons in the studio. Beginners welcome.

See lessons →