a round chocolate cake on a white cake stand with shiny ganache icing
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This is simply the easiest homemade chocolate cake recipe ever! If you’ve been searching for a fuss-free cake that doesn’t skimp on flavour, then look no further! This delicious chocolate cake is rich, moist and smothered in a smooth chocolate ganache icing that just adds so much to this decadent cake!

This is, without a doubt, the easiest chocolate cake recipe I have ever made! If you couldn’t be bothered to go through ten different steps just to make the batter, then this is the only chocolate cake recipe you will ever need.

I have honestly been searching for a good chocolate cake recipe for so long. And when I say a ‘good’ chocolate cake recipe, I really mean one of the BEST chocolate cake recipes.

I’ve tried a lot and some were good…and some definitely were not. I remember being so disappointed one day to make one of Nigellas chocolate cake recipes, only to find that it was one of the driest cakes I’ve ever made. That was shocking.

But this cake is the one. The only chocolate cake you will over need in your life and once you try it, I think you’ll agree – and so will your family and friends!

A rich decadent whole chocolate cake covered with a shiny chocolate ganache icing on a white plate.

TIPS FOR THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE

  • As with any baking recipe, I recommend gathering up all of your ingredients before you start. It’s so heartbreaking to be halfway through a recipe, only to realise that you don’t have enough milk (speaking from past experience!).
  • I also can’t stress enough that you need to preheat the oven before doing anything else. Period. The oven needs to be the right temperature if the cake is going to get the best results.
  • Allow the butter, eggs and milk to come to room temperature before using. That way they bind together more easily and leave you with a better textured cake.
  • Always use good quality chocolate. I once bought a cheap brand of cooking chocolate for a cake a few years ago and when I melted it there was more oil than chocolate in the bowl. Yuck.
a round chocolate cake on a white cake stand with shiny ganache icing

Chocolate Ganache Cake

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert, Morning Tea
Cuisine American
Servings 12 slices

Ingredients
  

For the Cake

  • 250 g butter softened to room temperature
  • 2 cups caster sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 250 ml milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla essence
  • 2½ cups plain flour
  • 4 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 5 tsp baking powder

For the Ganache Icing

  • 200 g dark cooking chocolate
  • 100 ml cream
  • ¾ cup icing sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 180°C and line a 25cm round cake tin with baking paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Add butter, sugar, eggs, milk, flour, vanilla, cocoa powder and baking powder to a bowl and beat until smooth and well combined.
  • Pour batter into prepared cake tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
  • Meanwhile, roughly chop chocolate and place in a large heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add cream and stir often until melted and well combined.
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before whisking in the icing sugar. Set aside to cool completely. If icing is too runny, place in the fridge to firm up for 5-10 minutes.
  • Evenly cover the cake with a layer of icing. Store leftover cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Keyword Baking Recipes, Cake Recipes, Chocolate Recipes, Easy, Sweet Baking

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A rich decadent chocolate cake covered with a shiny chocolate ganache icing and sitting on a white cake stand. Text overlay reads "easy chocolate ganache cake"