Simple Chocolate Cake Recipe

Posting this recipe for Nikky, in relation to the "low sugar" chocolate cake thread. I have been making this cake for over five years, and have found that doubling the original quantity produces a lovely, fairly tall cake. Or, if you made it in two tins, you could fill it with a chocolate cream or similar. Or, just halve the quantity for smaller tins, or for a lower height cake. Yes, the batter does seem insanely thin when it is mixed up and poured into the tin, but it does work, and produces a wonderfully moist, quiet dense cake (but not a 'mud' like cake). Served warm out of the oven, un-iced, with thickened or whipped cream, it is very pudding-like, ideal for warm winter desserts. Also, being cooked long and slow, the cake rises level, doesn't crack (perfect for icing!), and also it doesn't sink when it cools. This is the double size quantity (with a reduced amount of sugar from the original recipe):

Simple Chocolate Cake

125g butter, softened (I have even used melted butter)
1 1/2 to 1 2/3 cup white sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups plain flour
5 tsp baking powder
6 tblsp cocoa powder
2 tsp bicarbonate soda
2 cups milk

Grease and line a 27cm diameter cake tin (at least 10cm tall), preheat oven to 150c fan forced.
Mix butter, sugar, and vanilla together until thoroughly combined.
Beat in eggs gradually.
Sift dry ingredients together, and add alternately with milk until thoroughly mixed.
Pour into prepared tin and bake for 2 to 2 1/4 hours, or until baked.
Leave to cool in tin for ten minutes then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely to ice (or serve warm).

The original recipe came from book "Fresh & Tasty Biscuits & Cakes", and calls for creaming the butter and sugar together (which I never bother with), and 180c, 18cm square pan for 40 minutes.

I also just use made up powdered milk, and it tastes great. Also, if using a springform tin, sit the tin on a baking tray in the oven to catch any leaks (saves cleaning the oven!).


Chocolate Butter Icing (from the same book, published on the same page to go with this cake. I have doubled the quantity to match the above size cake. :) )

1 cup dark chocolate
6 tblsp butter
1/2 cup double cream

Stir all ingredients constantly in a double boiler (bowl over simmering water, don't let the bowl touch the water), until the mixture is smooth.
Remove bowl from heat, and set aside to cool slightly. Spread whole cake with icing.


Please enjoy my cake!

ohhh so can't wait to make this on Sunday!

Oh I so want to make this tonight, but I only have 1 egg :(

I have one in the oven now!!! I am baking it at the original 180 degrees for 40 mins b/c I can't wait to try it (the batter was delicious)

Oh yum Rhi Chi Chi, now I am hungry for cake! I included the original method incase people wanted to try that, not just my way.

Well the cake turned out really well - cooked well and was moist. I didn't have a large enough cake tin, so it did overflow a bit but I just cut it even and that was the bottom of my cake. I didn't ice it b/c I took it to my sister hot, it was really yummy. Thanks for posting!

Oops for the tin! But you solved it, so all good. And I bet you had to eat the off cuts! :)

And you are very welcome.

I have just put this cake in the oven!

fingers crossed it works! :pray:

Thanks again Netix! :hug:

Fingers crossed for you! I am sure it will be yum!

Would this work in a muffin tin? Was thinking of making this into muffins or do you think the mixture would be too liquid/soft?