I’ve baked this cake so many times that I almost forgot to just sit and write down the key steps. It is the perfect chocolate cake that anyone can easily bake at home. I baked this cake for Aaron’s first birthday when I baked him the train-cake and this year I used the recipe again to bake the dinosaur-cake. You can do a lot with this recipe. It ensures a firm cake so that you can do all shapes and cut the cake without it falling apart. It is also extremely moist and delicious inside, especially when you follow the below steps to the tee.  It is my go-to cake when I have to bake for a party or event, kid or adult.

For a two-layer cake you will need;

  • Baking spray / baking paper
  • 2 x 20x20cm round cake pans (can use square cake pans as well)
  • You can divide the recipe exactly by two if you want a one layer cake
  • 2 x mixing bowls
  • You don’t have to have a fancy stand-mixer for this recipe to work; a normal electric mixer that you grandmother used will be more than sufficient.

 Ingredients;

  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (400g) sugar
  • 1 cup (126g) cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (200g) full cream milk
  • ½ cup (110g) oil
  • 4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (236g) warm water (can use coffee as well)

Key steps;

  1. Preheat the oven to 180’C. Spray the sides and the bottom of the bake pan carefully. You can use baking paper if you want to, but you have to spray it nonetheless. Use baking paper if you don’t have a non-stick pan.  
  2. Sift and mix all the dry ingredients; flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and the salt. Keep aside.
  3. In a separate mixing bowl use an electric mixer to combine the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract. Don’t add the warm water at this stage.
  4. Add half of the dry ingredient mixture and blend it with the electric beater until nicely combined. Then add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated.
  5. The last and most important step is to add the warm (almost boiled) water. This step will ensure the moist cake. You can use coffee here, I like to use warm water only to lessen the caffeine amount within the cake.
  6. Pour the cake batter into the two prepared cake pans (as evenly as you can) and then bake it for 35-40 minutes.
  7. Let the cake cool within the cake pan for 10 minutes and then carefully remove the cakes and let it cool on a rack completely before you cover it with your choice of frosting.

My go-to and a bit healthier cake frosting;

Ingredients;  

  • 2 cups dark chocolate chips (can use normal chocolate / white chocolate as well)
  • 1 cup Greek / full cream plain yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Edible flowers (optional)

Easy steps;

In a microwaveable bowl heat the chocolate in 30 seconds increments until it is melted and smooth. Be careful not to burn the chocolate. Add the yogurt and stir by hand until frosting is well combined. Spread it over the cooled-off cake. Add edible flowers to decorate.  

I also made a reel on instagram that shows the easy steps and how moist the actual cake can be If you’ve made it, please let me know !