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Simple Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing: A Soft Chocolate Cake Recipe
Forget fancy chocolate cake recipes. This Simple Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing keeps things surprisingly straightforward.
Why You Will Love and Enjoy This Simple Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing
- It uses straightforward ingredients you probably already have in the cupboard.
- The cocoa and hot water give the cake a lovely chocolate flavour without making the recipe complicated.
- The soft chocolate butter icing makes it feel a little more special, especially with the Flake and cherries on top.
Additional Information
- Can this cake be frozen? Yes. Freeze the uniced cake layers individually, well wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw them completely at room temperature before icing. The decorated cake can also be frozen, but the cherries and icing may not look quite as fresh once thawed.
- How long can it be stored? Keep the iced cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days if your kitchen is cool. For longer storage, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Let it sit at room temperature for a little while before serving so the icing softens again.
- Can I use a different flour? Plain flour works best here. If using self-raising flour, leave out the 2 tsp baking powder and keep the 1/4 tsp salt.
- Can I use butter instead of oil? You can, but the texture will change. The oil helps keep this cake soft and moist, so I’d stick with oil if that’s the texture you’re after.
- What if I only have one 20 cm pan? Bake the batter in one deep 20 cm cake pan, but expect a longer baking time. Check the centre with a skewer rather than relying only on the original 20 to 25 minute timing.
- Should the cocoa mixture be completely cold? No. It just needs to cool down from hot to warm or close to room temperature before being added.
- How do I know when the cake is done? The centre should spring back lightly when touched and a skewer should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Why does the icing need soft butter? Soft butter creams much more easily with the icing sugar and gives you a smoother icing without having to overbeat it.
- Do I have to use cherries and Flake? No. They’re optional decorations. The cake and icing are complete without them. They’re purely for decoration. Chocolate curls, grated chocolate work just as well.
Simple Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 – 10 slices depending on size 1x
- Category: Cake Cupcakes Cookies and Tarts
- Method: Easy baking
Description
This is the chocolate cake you need to make when you want something simple, soft and properly chocolatey without fussing over it. The cocoa is mixed with hot water first, which gives the cake a lovely, deep chocolate flavour, and the butter icing finishes it off nicely.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chocolate Cake
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 cup plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
Chocolate Icing
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon – 125 g soft butter
- 1 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar
- 1/4 cup sifted cocoa
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 to 2 tsp milk, if needed for spreading
To Decorate
- Flake, crumbled
- Red cherries, well drained
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350⁰F (180⁰C).
- Lightly grease two 20 cm sandwich pans and line the bases with baking paper. Greasing the pans well helps the cakes come out cleanly once they’ve cooled.
- Mix 1/4 cup cocoa with 1/2 cup hot water in a small bowl until smooth. Set it aside to cool until it’s warm or close to room temperature.
- Whisk 3 eggs and 1 cup of sugar together for several minutes, until the mixture is noticeably lighter, thicker and fluffy, as it will help to keep the cake light.
- Add 1/4 cup oil to the egg mixture and beat briefly until combined.
- Sift together 1 cup plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and fold gently.
- Pour in the cooled cocoa mixture and add 1 tsp vanilla essence. Fold and mix lightly until everything is just combined. The batter will be fairly loose, so don’t worry if it looks thinner than a typical butter cake batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared 20 cm sandwich pans. Give the pans a gentle tap on the bench to settle the batter.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350⁰F (180⁰C), or until the cakes are lightly springy in the centre and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Try not to open the oven repeatedly while they’re baking.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before icing. If the cakes are still warm, the butter icing will soften and slide around.
Chocolate Icing
- Beat 125 g soft butter until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually beat in 1 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar and 1/4 cup sifted cocoa until the icing is smooth and creamy.
- Beat in 1 tsp vanilla. If the icing feels too thick to spread easily, add 1 tsp milk at a time, up to 2 tsp, until you get a soft spreading consistency.
- Place one completely cooled cake on a serving plate. Spread some of the chocolate icing over the top, then place the second cake on top.
- Spread the remaining chocolate icing over the top and sides of the cake. It doesn’t have to look perfect. A few little swirls give a homemade look and character.
- Decorate with crumbled Flake and well-drained red cherries. Pat the cherries dry with a paper towel first so excess syrup doesn’t run into the icing.
- Slice and serve. If you can leave it for a little while before cutting, the icing firms up nicely, but honestly, I wouldn’t blame you for sneaking a slice sooner.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Rashida
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Would you make this for a birthday, afternoon tea or just because it’s Tuesday?
Simple Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing gives anyone who loves homemade chocolate cake a reliable recipe with a soft cocoa crumb, creamy chocolate icing and a fun Flake and cherry finish. The method is straightforward, the ingredients are familiar, and the finished cake feels special enough for a celebration while still being easy enough for an afternoon bake.
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This recipe looks easy enough. I´ll let you know if I make it!
Perfect, looking forward to hear from you.
This chocolate cakes looks easy to make, I will have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Mwah – so glad you will try it out. Please let me know once done if you like it, any feedback always welcome
yes, I will defiantly share with you
Thanks, looking forward to it 😉
This chocolate cake looks absolutely divine! 🙂
Thanks so much, actually just thought of you earlier today, and then as if you read my mind, here you are 😉
🙂
WOW, I am overwhelmed that you’re asking me. Yes I should have some, but what type of dish would you like to make. Once I know then I will be able to provide you with links on my blog.
You are the best. 🙂 The invitation said “we want real food no dips or veggie plates”. I recall from the last time, there is no kitchen and no electric for a crockpot. Last year I made a cake but I’m looking for something a little different that falls into the requested “real food ” category. Thanks so much
I made this one for a potluck not that long ago: Vegan, but very yummy
https://cookandenjoyrecipes.wordpress.com/2016/11/06/ess-3-bean-vegan-and-quinoa-pot/
Another vegan dish made by my daughter in law:
https://cookandenjoyrecipes.wordpress.com/2016/06/26/sariens-vegan-pie/
This is also a favorite:
https://cookandenjoyrecipes.wordpress.com/2016/06/19/ess-vegan-shepherds-pie/
If you prefer to do a salad – this is a crowd pleaser:
https://cookandenjoyrecipes.wordpress.com/2016/09/21/ess-potluck-rice-noodle-salad/
I have also made this one, but just did not add my pic here on the blog – silly me forgot to take a pic:
https://cookandenjoyrecipes.wordpress.com/2015/10/24/brussel-sprout-salad/
The same applies to this one:
https://cookandenjoyrecipes.wordpress.com/2015/10/14/lemon-garlic-zucchini/
Let me know if you’re looking for something different.
Glad to be able to help <3
Thanks, the rice noodle salad sounds really good.
I must admit, when I made this one, it’s the first one to be devoured in no time. Hope you enjoy it as well as your guests. If you remember, please let me know how it turned out and what your guests have to say – Enjoy my friend, and thanks again for thinking of me