We all love some easy dessert recipes, especially if we have to entertain our guests. And all this while enjoying hosting your party or dinner or any occasion. One layer cakes or sheet cakes are such desserts. This Easy Moist Chocolate Cake recipe is just that. This kind of cake is just what you want to take on a potluck, an office gathering or a birthday treat. Or even just lay it out on your dinner table. It is just perfect. If you are looking for some other chocolate recipe to feed a crowd here it is
This Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe is
- It is a single layer Dark Chocolate, Super Moist and most decadent.
- The frosting is easy as well. Just 2 ingredients.
- Uses very easy to get ingredients
- Quick to whip up.
- A perfect dessert for a crowd. You can triple quadruple this recipe
- Can be completely made ahead. refrigerated until serving. In fact the cake done atleast a day ahead tastes the best, as the cocoa flavour settles down deeper.
- A single layer cake. So, there is no cutting or layering. So no mess with crumbs
- Perfect dessert recipe, post dinner party or a small gathering.
- Its versatile, different decoration options. Read in the post
Let me break down the recipe here..
MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE how to make ?
This chocolate cake uses some simple ingredients. That you can just pull of your pantry.
DRY INGREDIENTS FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE
- Flour - All purpose flour here, no other substitute not even cake flour. The cake does need a flour with a little higher protein content. So All Purpose flour it is.
- Sugar - I have used dark brown sugar. Using brown sugar brings in more moistness and a nice caramel flavour. I used hersheys
- Cocoa powder - Unsweetened cocoa powder. Get your hands on the best possible cocoa powder.I have used hersheys here. You can use Ghirardelli, hersheys or any unsweetened cocoa powder here.
- Baking powder & Baking Soda - We are using both here, for leavening.
- salt a pinch - Elevates flavour
WET INGREDIENTS
- Eggs - large room temperature eggs. In this recipe eggs give moisture, structure and flavour.
- oil - brings in the ultra moistness to the cake
- buttermilk - contributes to the tenderness in the crumb when combined with the leavening agent
- hot water mixed with coffee or freshly brewed coffee. Brings out the depth in any chocolate cake or chocolate based recipe.
Mixing the batter for the chocolate cake
This recipe uses the dry and wet ingredients method.
All the dry ingredients go into a bowl whisked. In another bowl mix all the wet ingredients except for coffee mixed in hot water. fold in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The hot coffee will go in later
You batter will have some air bubbles. that is fine. After filling the pan. give a tap on the counter all the bubbles will release. Bake in a preheated oven until a toothpick inserted comes out clean
what pan sizes can be used for this recipe
This is baked in a square 8x8 pan. But you can also use an
- 7 inch round cake tin will work just fine with this recipe
- 8 inch round pan. will also be fine, the height will be a little low.
I would not recommend this for a sheet cake. However, you can double triple or quadruple this recipe to make it for any number of servings.
Here are some equipments and tools you will require for making this cake
- For mixing, you will need large medium and small bowls >> like these Mixing bowls
- Rubber or silicone spatulas >> Check out this range of spatulas here
- Cake pans - Here are some cake pans brands that I really love.
- Fat Daddio's - 8x8x2''pan
- Wilton - 8x2 round pan
- Parchment Paper
- Angled Spatula - for decorating - this wilton one is amazing
- Nozzles - for creating simple designs - For rosettes
- Piping bags
HOW TO MAKE GANACHE FROSTING
The frosting for this moist chocolate cake is a truffle ie a Chocolate ganache.- just 2 ingredients
- Full Fat cream and
- Semisweet or dark chocolate.
Any other ingredient increases flavour and the shine. Something like corn syrup and Anything above 54% is a good choice. You can use any good quality dark or semisweet chocolate. Now If you are looking for something more chocolatey, you can also use this fudge frosting recipe as well.
Making the dark chocolate ganache
- you will boil the cream and pour over chopped chocolate and let it just be. Do not mix. leave it for 5 to 10 mins. and then mix. It will look like melted chocolate.
- You will then let it set on the kitchen counter until it is spreadable consistency
This frosting can be used as a filling as well. But here its just a frosting.
This frosting sets well, ie hardens while in room temperature or in the refrigerator. So proportions are important. usually 2 :1 is the ratio, which means 2 parts chocolate to 1 part cream.
However we can play with these proportions depending on the temperature. And the consistency we require. In this recipe for ganache we will play with the ratio. We need a soft, yet a ganache that sets well but does not harden. Honestly there are so much to go on and on about ganache.More on that on another post, I promise.
Here we need a ganache that sets soft, so working on the consistency is very important. So playing around the ratio will bring you a consistency that is soft and to your liking.
MAKE AHEAD TIPS FOR A PARTY OR ANY OCCASION
The chocolate truffle cake can be made ahead. The cake and the frosting can be made well ahead and store. Heres what you can do.
- Bake the cake, Let it cool completely. Wrap them in cling film. and freeze them. Until the day before.
- Thaw the cake in the refrigerator. Transfer to the cake serving platter.
- The frosting can be made, and stored in the refrigerator.
- Truffle frosting hardens while chilled. Take it out and microwave for 10 to 15 secs. Take it, mix it. Work with a spatula or an icing spatula until you get the right consistency.
- Now the cake and the truffle is ready for assembling and serving.
How to Assemble the cake ?
- All you need to do is. Let the cake completely cool.
- Transfer to a cake serving platter. Frost the cake with the truffle/ganache frosting. using an angled spatula I love to decorate with some sprinkles. Or may be some simple rosettes.
- Put it in the refrigerator. (or may be use any cake decorating techniques). I love simple techniques
- Pull the Cake out, cut them into bars. (use a knife dipped in warm water for clean cuts).
- Serve them on dessert plates with forks.
Now doesn't that sound like an easy dessert for a party? It surely does. Now if you want to try some different decorating techniques.
DECORATING TECHNIQUES AND OPTIONS
There is a huge variety of simple easy decoration techniques you can use on this cake.
- Sprinkles - Colour co-ordinate your party and use sprinkles on the cake.
- Make an extra cup of frosting. whip it up until light and fluffy. Pipe beautiful Rosettes, using wilton 1m or 2d.
You can pipe, or just smear the ganache. top it up with sprinkles. Let me know what did you do? Would love to see what you made @sweetspotbakeblog on insta.
📖 Recipe
MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE
Equipment
- mixing bowls 2 medium and large
- spatula
- electric mixer
- 8x8 inch pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 120 grams flour
- 40 grams cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- a pinch salt
- 90 grams granulated sugar
- 60 grams brown sugar
- 100 ml buttermilk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large eggs
- 60 ml canola oil - or vegetable oil
- 100 ml warm water
- 2 teaspoon instant coffee granules/powder
FOR THE GANACHE FROSTING
- 200 ml Heavy Cream
- 300 grams semisweet chocolate - chopped tiny
Instructions
TO MAKE THE CAKE
- Pre heat oven at 170°c or 340°f. grease and line a 8X8X2'' pan
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients - flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt. keep aside
- In a large bowl, beat the egg, buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract. Set aside
- Make a hot coffee with hot water and instant coffee. Keep Aside
- Now fold in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient. Mixing from under the bowl so all the wet and dry ingredients are mixed well.
- once the batter is homogenous, add the coffee and give a nice stir. You can use an electric mixer here.
- Pour the batter in the pan. Give a tap on the counter to release the air bubbles.
- BAke for 25 mins. Check in between for doneness/until toothpick inserted comes out clean
- let the cake sit in the cake pan, until completely cool. Then transfer to the wire rack. After this you can assemble the cake
TO MAKE THE FROSTING
- Put the chopped chocolate in medium bowl.
- Heat the cream until it bubbles up. Pour the cream over the chocolate.
- Let the cream, melt the chocolate on it owns, for atleast 10 mins.
- Now stir gently until there is an emulsion of chocolate and cream. This is ganache.
- Let the ganache set in room temperature until it is of spreadable consistency. Read the notes
ASSEMBLING THE CAKE
- Let the cake cool completely, before assembling. Even better, if the cake is refrigerated.
- Bring the ganache to desired spreadable consistency, read the notes.
- Place the cake on a cake serving platter.
- Smear or Spread the ganache as required. First place a big blog of ganache and move in a direction, that forms a pattern. Do this until you complete the cake.
- Now cut the cake into equal bars. I made 9 bars.
Recipe Notes
- This cake is meant to be moist and it will have a lot of crumbs, so i dont recommend layering with this one.
- use good quality cocoa powder
- Do not over bake the cake. A good 20 -25 mins is good. Do keep a check.
- ganache can be set on the counter top. I would recommend this, as you can check the consistency you want. This will happen while the cake is being cooled.
- if the ganache gets to hard, pop it on a bowl/saucepan with simmering water. And adjust the consistency accordingly.
- You can store the ganache in the freezer, it will hold up good for atleast 2 months.
Kusum says
Can eggs be replaced with something else?
Shrilatha says
yes with hung curd or greek yoghurt.however Im coming up with an eggless version too.
Ernest Thayoh says
Woooow I really like the recipe and the way u hv explained,thank u so much keep on giving us best recipes.
Shrilatha says
Thank you so much.
Ernest says
Can you please help me with wedding cake recipe,the one that last long please?
Shrilatha says
What kind of recipe are you looking at? please connect with me on sweetspotcakenbake@gmail.com
ปั๊มไลค์ says
Like!! I blog frequently and I really thank you for your content. The article has truly peaked my interest.
Ronak Mehta says
The cake looks perfect and fabulous to bake for a special day. Yes, its definitely the best chocolate Cake. Lovely!!
Shrilatha says
thank you so much for the love. Keep baking and take care
Sulekha says
Hi there,how do I downscale this recipe to a 7 inch square tin?
Thank you
Shrilatha says
Hey Sulekha
you can use the same recipe. you will only get a nice cake with a good height.
Just make sure the tin is 7x7x2
a good 2 inch height will be good.
Hope this helps
Sulekha says
Thank you☺️
Shrilatha says
This is such a lovely write up. Thank you for the shout out. Keep baking. Its a therapeutic world that you have entered in.