Name: Chocolatey Chocolate Cake
Cook time: 20 minutes
Yield: Makes 1 (10- by 3-inch) round cake
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups (225g) all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup (45g) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar; 2 eggs, at room temperature; 1 cup (240ml) whole milk; 1/2 cup (120ml) grapeseed oil or any mild-flavored oil; 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 cup (240ml) boiling water; Confectioners' sugar, chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream, warm ganache, marshmallow icing, whipped cream

Slices of chocolate cake on a white plate dusted with powdered sugar.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens

This cake is pure celebration and my chocolate go-to. Not too rich but ridiculously moist, it is decadent without being overly sweet. It’s almost impossible to mess up and so easy to make; it gives Betty Crocker a run for her money. If you have a whisk and two large bowls, you can pull this off. Since the batter is very runny, avoid using a springform pan, which can leak. The final product has some serious shelf life— it will keep fresh for days, and it freezes well if you would like to bake it ahead of time.

Tip

You can double this recipe when it’s party time—just use a 15 by 11-inch sheet pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Recipe information

Yield
Makes 1 (10- by 3-inch) round cake

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups (225g) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (45g) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup (240ml) whole milk

1/2 cup (120ml) grapeseed oil or any mild-flavored oil

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (240ml) boiling water

Optional toppings:

Confectioners' sugar, chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream, warm ganache, marshmallow icing, whipped cream

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10 by 3-inch round pan with butter, line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper, and grease the paper. (I’ll let you just grease, line the bottom of the pan, and lightly flour the sides if you’re feeling lazy.)
Step 2
Place a large sifter or a sieve in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and sift.
Step 3
Add the sugar and whisk until combined.
Step 4
In another large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla together.
Step 5
Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until there are no lumps and the batter is smooth.
Step 6
Carefully pour in the boiling water and stir until combined. (Watch the little ones with the hot water!)
Step 7
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the oven for approximately 50 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, and the cake bounces back when lightly pressed.
Step 8
Remove from the oven and let the cake stand for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the cake to gently release. Peel off the parchment paper from the sides. Invert the cake, peel off the bottom piece of parchment, and cool on a wire rack.
Variation:
Step 9
Coffee Enhanced Chocolate Cake: Swap the cup of water for a cup of hot black coffee.

Cover of the cookbook, featuring a tall, single-layer cake with a drippy white glaze frosting.

Reprinted with permission from Simple Cake by Odette Williams, copyright © 2019. Photographs by Nicole Franzen. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Buy the full book from Amazon.