Every baker needs a signature chocolate cake, and this is mine.
This cake may be easy to make, but don’t be fooled – this is one of the finest cakes around, combining a rich “devil’s food cake” with a sweet and creamy Swiss meringue buttercream.
If I could only eat one chocolate cake for the rest of my life, this would be it. I dare your disagreement!
A classic cake that is easy to make, and bursting with rich chocolate sweetness!
Prep Time45 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr
Total Time1 hourhr45 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Servings: 16
Calories: 838kcal
Ingredients
Chocolate cake
75gcocoa powder
325gplain flour
450gsugar
1tspbaking powder
1tspbaking soda
1tspfine salt
250mlwhole milk
2largeeggs
75grapeseed oil
1tspvinegar
2tspvanilla extract
125mlcoffee
Chocolate buttercream
165gegg whites
335gsugar
500gunsalted butter(softened)
165gdark chocolate(chopped)
Instructions
Chocolate cake
Preheat oven to 180c (160c fan).
Prepare two 8-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray and lining the bottom with baking parchment
Sift the cocoa powder into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using the paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until ‘sifted’ and well combined.
Measure 250ml milk out into a large jug. Add the eggs and whisk lightly to break up the yolks. Add the vegetable oil, vanilla and vinegar, and whisk again to combine. With the stand mixer running on low speed, pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients in a steady stream.
Once the jug is empty, measure 125ml strong black coffee into it. Add this to the cake batter, and stir again.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on high speed for another 30 seconds.
Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans – about 720g in each.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, until the top of the cake feels firm to the touch.
Remove from the oven and set the pan on a cooling rack.
Cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then invert the cakes and peel off the baking parchment.
Leave to cool completely.
Chocolate buttercream
Place the egg whites and sugar into a heatproof bowl, and set over a bain-marie.
I use the bowl of a stand mixer, to make everything cleaner and easier.
Stir gently over a medium heat until the sugar has all dissolved.
Whisk the meringue mixture for about 7 minutes, until cool and thick.
Add the butter, a little at a time, and continue whisking until the buttercream is smooth.
Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave, in short bursts, stirring regularly.
Allow the chocolate to cool a little, then add to the buttercream and whisk again.
Assembly
Trim the tops of the cooled cakes, using a bread knife.
Split the cakes in two, to make 4 thin cakes.
Stack the cakes, spreading a layer of the chocolate buttercream between each one.
Spread the remaining buttercream all over the top and sides.
Create an attractive swirl pattern in the buttercream, if you like.
Can I check please, is it 2 or 4 sponges in this cake please? The recipe says both 2 and 4? I only have 2 8″ tins so just need to know if I need to make half the sponge mix.
Lol I would love to be able to send you a picture of my sponges, but having put the mixture into 2 x 8″ tins….. I’m pretty sure you meant 4 x 8″ tins . Lol. The taste of the chocolate cake is epic (made 2 taster cupcakes out of some of the mix).
Oh my god. Apologies Dan. This comment about tins was meant to be on your chocolate and salted caramel cake. I take it back…. I mean my cake is ruined and my oven looks like Chernobyl, but it’s not the recipes fault!!! Whoopsie Kim
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7 comments
This is the best chocolate cake AND the Buttercream frosting is to die for.
Aaaahhhh! Thank you!
Hi Dan
Can I check please, is it 2 or 4 sponges in this cake please? The recipe says both 2 and 4? I only have 2 8″ tins so just need to know if I need to make half the sponge mix.
Thanks
Kim
Hi Kim, I bake 2 cakes, and then split them in half to create 4 layers – I like quite a lot of buttercream with this one!
Thanks Dan. We are big fans of buttercream in our house too.
Lol I would love to be able to send you a picture of my sponges, but having put the mixture into 2 x 8″ tins….. I’m pretty sure you meant 4 x 8″ tins . Lol. The taste of the chocolate cake is epic (made 2 taster cupcakes out of some of the mix).
Oh my god. Apologies Dan. This comment about tins was meant to be on your chocolate and salted caramel cake. I take it back…. I mean my cake is ruined and my oven looks like Chernobyl, but it’s not the recipes fault!!! Whoopsie Kim