The Easiest Chocolate Cake
For the Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F. If baking cake bites, line mini muffin tins with paper liners or spray liberally with baking spray. For a cake, butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, espresso powder and sugar. In another bowl, combine the water, oil and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to make a smooth batter. Add the chocolate chips or chunks and stir to incorporate. Finally, add the vinegar, stirring. Scoop the batter into the muffin tins, filling them ⅔ full. For a cake, pour all of the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, for the muffin-size cakes, 14 to 16 minutes. For the 9-inch cake, 25 to 30 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack to cool before unmolding. To serve, dust with powdered sugar or glaze with chocolate ganache glaze (recipe below).
For the Chocolate Ganache Glaze (optional)
Ingredients
Method
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and heavy cream. Microwave on high, in 30-second intervals, until the chocolate begins to soften and the cream is hot, 1 to 2 minutes total time. Whisk the chocolate and cream into a smooth and glossy ganache or glaze. Place the fully cooled cake on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Carefully pour over the glaze, using a spatula to spread it where necessary and tapping the pan to help it along. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 1 hour to set the glaze. Serve at room temperature.
This is it! This is the one! THE chocolate cake. The one I made one-handed while holding an infant, baked right before the birthday party, and the one I turn to on those weekday nights when I want something sweet. You can bake the cake as cake bites or as a celebration cake. Either way, in 30 minutes from start to finish you’ve got a scrumptious chocolate cake on your plate.