“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh.
After much thought and reflection, I finally took the plunge. When it’s the one, you just know it. Maybe I’ve known for a while but was reluctant to admit it — it’s a big commitment. I think I’m ready now. I have found my favourite chocolate cake.
Call me silly if you like (okay, maybe a little!), but when you live and breathe cake, you develop real feelings for it. It’s no longer just flour and butter; it becomes something personal. If you’re anything like me, you’ll recognise the joy of discovering a recipe that ticks all the right boxes.
Perfect is subjective, and what I love may not be everyone’s ideal. Still, every baker should have a reliable, go-to chocolate cake in their repertoire. What makes this recipe stand out?
This cake works as a simple teatime treat or as the base for an elegant layered celebration cake. It’s dark and slightly dense yet moist — never gummy or sticky. Each bite is rich and chocolatey but not so heavy that you can’t enjoy a full slice. In short: simply delicious.
There’s more: you only need one bowl and no electric mixer — just whisk wet and dry ingredients together. The recipe scales easily for one to four layers depending on what you’re making.
Recipe adapted from: Sky-High Cakes
My favourite chocolate cake
15
55
1 10
2 8 inch cakes
Ingredients
- 250 grams or 2 cups all purpose flour
- 450 grams or 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 60 grams or 3/4 cups cocoa (Dutch-processed or natural)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 240 ml or 1 cup thick yoghurt or curd , at room temperature
- 240 ml or 1 cup vegetable oil
- 360 ml or 1 1/2 cups water , at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence or extract
- 2 Eggs , at room temperature
Instructions
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Grease and flour two 8-inch round pans and line the bottoms with parchment. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt.
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Add the yoghurt and oil and whisk well. The mixture will be thick and slightly gluggy.
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Add the water in half-cup increments, whisking thoroughly after each addition until smooth and pourable.
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Whisk in the vinegar and vanilla.
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Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each.
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Divide the thin, pourable batter between the two prepared pans. Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 50–55 minutes.
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A toothpick inserted into the centre should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs. Cool in the pans for 20 minutes, run a knife around the edges, invert the cakes and remove parchment. Cool right side up on a wire rack until completely cool.
Notes
Also :
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days, in the fridge for 5–6 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
- For best flavour, use Dutch-processed cocoa, though natural cocoa works well too.
- Baking pan options:
- 8-inch round: full recipe in 3 pans — 30–35 minutes; full recipe in 2 pans — 50–55 minutes (each can be sliced into two); half recipe in 1 pan — 50–55 minutes (can be sliced into two).
- 7-inch round: full recipe in 3 pans — 35–40 minutes; full recipe in 2 pans — 55–60 minutes (each can be sliced into two); half recipe in 1 pan — 55–60 minutes (can be sliced into two).
- 6-inch round: half recipe in 3 pans — 25–30 minutes; half recipe in 2 pans — 35–40 minutes (each can be sliced into two); half recipe in 1 tall pan — 45–50 minutes (can be sliced into two or three).
- Because this is a moist cake, chill it before handling and slicing for cleaner layers.