Easy Chocolate Cake With Ganache Frosting

Zoha Malik

by Zoha Malik

Updated:

Rated 4.90 out of 5

573 Comments
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This Chocolate Cake recipe gives you *everything* you want in a chocolate cake: rich, decadent and chocolatey flavor that’s not too sweet, and an incredibly moist, fudgy texture. And it does all of that while being unbelievably easy – I am talking only 20 minutes of work, one bowl (almost), no mixer, basic ingredients (no sour cream!) easy. The cake gets its deep chocolatey flavor by blooming Dutch processed cocoa powder directly in boiling water, but you can use natural cocoa powder too. It is slathered with a simple 2-ingredient chocolate ganache frosting.

A slice of rich chocolate cake with luscious chocolate ganache frosting sits on a white scalloped plate, with a gold fork nearby.

“The best chocolate cake recipe EVER! It was so moist and tasted so delicious, perfection. It was so easy making it , didn’t need much time and simple hand whisking. Try it!”

– Abi, ★★★★★

I created this recipe 3 years ago trying to simplify my Chocolate Malt Cake, and the result blew me away. It was the easiest chocolate cake I had ever made (a bold statement, I know!) but didn’t compromise on flavor or texture. After perfecting it over dozens of trials, it has become my quintessential, foolproof chocolate cake recipe. It’s my go-to any time I want a great chocolate cake without a trip to the grocery store 😉 And if you want a vanilla version of this chocolate cake, check out my Velvet Vanilla Cake recipe!

What makes this cake so easy

I believe this cake is as beginner friendly as possible and takes only 20 minutes of active work, assembly included. Here’s how:

  • No mixer, 5 minute batter in a bowl: You don’t need complicated steps or a mixer to make this cake batter. Ingredients can be used straight from the fridge, and because we use oil instead of butter, a hand whisk gets the job done
  • Homemade buttermilk as the dairy: A simple mixture of milk and vinegar (or lemon juice) makes the buttermilk for this cake – no need to purchase real buttermilk or sour cream. The homemade buttermilk adds fat and acidity, which helps the cake rise
  • No vanilla: This is deliberate, not an oversight. I want the chocolate flavor to be the star of the show, and that means one less ingredient to worry about
  • 2 ingredient chocolate ganache frosting: Instead of a chocolate buttercream, which requires a mixer and is often too sweet and grainy, I use a ganache. It’s simple, silky smooth, easy to spread and perfectly chocolatey

My secret for a deep chocolate flavor

My recipe does one thing differently from others: not only do I use Dutch processed cocoa powder for its smooth flavor, I bloom it directly in boiling water before adding it to the batter. This concentrated contact intensifies the chocolate flavor and aroma much more effectively than the typical approach of adding hot water to the cake batter at the end. Don’t worry, though – if you can’t get your hands on Dutch cocoa powder, natural 100% unsweetened cocoa powder works too.

A close-up of a rich, moist chocolate cake with thick chocolate frosting. One large slice is being pulled out, revealing the cake’s dark chocolate layers and creamy filling. The cake sits on a white plate.

Step by step photos

Let’s talk through the very simple process of making this easy chocolate cake with photos to help you visualize everything (full recipe is in the recipe card below).

A glass bowl filled with smooth, melted chocolate ganache and a metal spoon inside, set on a light countertop with a beige and orange plaid cloth nearby.

Start with the ganache. Melt the cream and chocolate in 15 second increments in the microwave until smooth.

A glass bowl filled with smooth, glossy chocolate ganache being stirred with a metal spoon on a light marble surface. It looks thick and spreadable

Cover and let cool at room temperature until thick and spreadable.

A wooden bowl filled with mixed dry ingredients for cake on a light countertop, near a beige and red plaid kitchen towel and two eggs in the background.

For the cake, add the dry ingredients except the cocoa powder to a bowl (I recommend sifting to remove lumps) and whisk to combine.

A wooden bowl with flour, cracked eggs, and buttermilk being mixed for a chocolate cake recipe, ready for baking, on a beige countertop beside a plaid kitchen towel.

Add the eggs, oil and homemade buttermilk.

A wooden bowl filled with smooth cake batter and a metal whisk rests on a counter next to a beige and orange checkered cloth

Whisk gently until no lumps of flour remain.

A glass bowl filled with smooth, cocoa powder mixture sits on a light countertop next to a white and orange checkered cloth

Separately, mix the cocoa powder and instant coffee with boiling water to bloom to cocoa powder and bring out its flavor and aroma.

A wooden bowl filled with smooth yellow cake batter, topped with a splash of cocoa powder mixed with water. A beige towel with a checkered pattern is partially visible in the background.

Add the bloomed cocoa mixture to the remaining batter.

A wooden bowl filled with chocolate cake recipe batter, with a spatula resting in it. A beige and white checkered cloth is partially visible in the background.

Whisk gently until just combined; taking care not to over-mix. It will be a runny batter!

Divide the batter evenly between 2 8 or 9″ pans.

2 round cake pans with baked chocolate cake

Bake until just cooked; avoid overbaking as it can result in a dry texture.

A round chocolate cake layer on a marble surface with a large dollop of chocolate ganache in the center, ready to be spread

Once cooled, trim off the domes from the cakes. Carefully place one layer on a cake stand and add ganache on top.

A round chocolate cake covered smoothly with glossy chocolate ganache, sits on a white marble surface.

Spread the ganache evenly. Add the second layer and spread the ganache all over.

3 musts for a thick, smooth chocolate ganache

Ganache is the easiest frosting you can put on a cake as it is made with only 2 ingredients: chocolate and cream. However, some common mistakes can result in a grainy, lumpy or split ganache. Here are 3 tips to perfect it:

  1. Use the right kind of chocolate. You need semi sweet chocolate, or a mixture of milk and dark chocolate, for this ganache to firm up to a spreadable consistency. If you use all dark, it will be too firm. If you use all milk, it won’t thicken enough
  2. Make sure not to overheat the chocolate. The foolproof method is to heat the cream and chocolate in a double boiler (over a pot of boiling water), but you can also microwave in 15-20 second increments until the chocolate has just melted. Overheating can cause the chocolate to seize up and result in a grainy texture
  3. Let it set at room temperature. I know patience is hard, but this is the best way to cool ganache to the right consistency. Refrigerating will cool it too quickly and firm up at the edges, which will then create a lumpy texture. Cool it at room temperature for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring gently every 30 minutes, and it will thicken up beautifully

Want an extra shiny ganache frosting like you see in the pictures? Use a blow dryer on the cake! Ganache can become duller as it sets, but you can use a blow dryer on the lowest setting, held at least 1 foot away at an angle, to gently warm it up so it becomes shiny again. Don’t spend longer than 10 seconds on a section, though.

A round chocolate cake with a glossy chocolate ganache frosting sits on a marble cake stand with a wooden base. A beige cloth with a checkered pattern is in the background.

Scaling this recipe

This recipe as it is makes a double layered 8″ or 9″ chocolate cake, but you can easily scale it according to your needs:

  • Divide each cake layer into 2 to get 4 total layers, and double the amount of ganache for a more frosting heavy cake
  • Halve the quantities to make a single layer cake as pictured below
  • Bake in a 9×13″ pan with the same quantities and turn it into a sheet cake
  • Use the batter to make cupcakes instead (baking time will depend on the size)
round chocolate cake covered with ganache frosting and cut into small slices, with some slices placed sideways
a chocolate cake on a marble cake stand with some slices removed to show the cross section. cake has 2 layers and shiny chocolate ganache frosting

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Final tips before you make it

  • Weigh the ingredients, especially the flour, for the best results. I love this inexpensive scale from Amazon. If you don’t have a scale, fluff up the flour and cocoa powder with a fork before adding to a measuring cup and leveling off. Never stuff flour into a measuring cup as you will add too much (which means dry cake!)
  • Always sift the flour and cocoa powder! Cocoa powder, in particular, can be lumpy if not sifted
  • Never overmix the cake batter. Always whisk gently and only until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing develops excess gluten, which can make the cake dense and tough
  • To get the baking time right, check with a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes around ~20 minutes. It should have light, moist crumbs on it (no wet batter). If there’s wet batter, bake longer. If it’s completely clean, the cake is overbaked and may be dry!
  • Let the cakes cool down for 10-15 minutes before you remove them from the pans. This is very soft and moist cake, and trying to handle it warm can cause it to break
Print
A slice of rich, moist chocolate cake made from an easy chocolate cake recipe, with a shiny chocolate ganache frosting between layers and on the outside, served on a white plate with a gold fork nearby.

Easy Chocolate Cake (Ganache Frosting!)

by Zoha Malik

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.90 stars from 210 reviews

A fudgy, decadent chocolate cake made with 20 minutes of work! Basic ingredients (no sour cream), no mixer, and finished with an easy 2-ingredient ganache

Yield:12 servings

Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
25 mins
Cooling Time:
1 hr, 20 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 2 cup all purpose flour (260g)
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar (300g) – caster or superfine sugar work too
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup vegetable oil (130g)
  • 1 cup homemade buttermilk (240g) – make your own by mixing 1 cup milk (240g) + 1 tbsp vinegar, or use store-bought
  • 1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder (50g)
  • 2 tsp instant coffee – can be reduced to 1 tsp or omitted entirely
  • 1/2 cup boiling water (120g)

Ganache frosting:

  • 1 cup heavy cream (240g)
  • 300g chopped semi-sweet chocolate – I use a mixture of dark and milk chocolate

Instructions

Ganache frosting:

  1. Start with the ganache so it can cool while you work on the cake. Add the cream and chocolate to a microwave safe bowl, and microwave in 15-20 second increments, stirring in between, until the mixture is warm and the chocolate has almost melted. It should continue to melt in the next 1-2 minutes. If it isn’t fully melted, microwave for another 10-15 seconds. Make sure not to overheat the chocolate as it can seize up
  2. Cover the bowl with a plate and rest at room temperature for ~1.5 to 2 hours, stirring gently every 30 minutes, until the ganache has thickened to a spreadable consistency*

Cake:

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 350F (conventional) and prepare 2 8″ or 9″ cake pans with parchment paper and butter / oil
  2. If making your own buttermilk, mix 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp vinegar, stir, and set aside
  3. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until well combined. I recommend sifting the flour to make sure there are no lumps
  4. Break in the eggs, and add the vegetable oil and buttermilk. Use a whisk to gently mix until the ingredients come together and no lumps remain. Take care to mix gently 
  5. In a smaller bowl or cup, mix boiling water with cocoa powder and instant coffee, and whisk until you get a shiny mix. This step blooms the cocoa powder and brings out its lovely chocolatey notes
  6. Add the bloomed cocoa powder mix to the cake batter, and gently fold until combined. Do not overmix as that can result in a tough, rubbery cake. The batter will be runny, that’s totally fine!
  7. Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared pans
  8. Bake at 350F for about ~20-25 minutes for 9″ pans, or ~23-28 minutes for 8″ pans, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with light, moist crumbs attached (no wet batter), and the cake springs back when gently poked. Avoid overbaking as that can result in a dry cake
  9. Let the cakes cool down for 10-15 minutes in the pans, and then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack. Trying to handle the cake while it’s still warm can cause it to break, so be careful!

Assembly:

  1. Once the cakes and ganache have cooled, it is time to assemble. Use a serrated knife to carefully trim off the domes from the cakes and make them even. Place one cake on a serving stand or turntable, and add 1/3 of the ganache. Spread it evenly with an offset spatula
  2. Add the second layer of cake on top, and cover with the remaining ganache all over, using the spatula to create a “brushed” rustic finish. If you want to avoid getting crumbs in the frosting, apply a thin crumb coating first, chill for 15 minutes, then apply the rest of the ganache. 
  3. Serve & enjoy!

Video Tutorial

Notes

  • Egg substitute: Eggs help emulsify the batter and give structural integrity to the cake, so I don’t recommend skipping them. However, if you want an egg-free alternative, try flax seed eggs instead (1 tbsp flax seed powder + 3 tbsp water to replace every egg)
  • Buttermilk: I always make my own buttermilk by mixing 1 cup whole milk with 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice. It will look clumpy, don’t worry. If you have sour cream or store-bought buttermilk on hand, you can use that instead
  • Cocoa powder: I strongly recommend Dutch processed cocoa powder for the best results, but you can use 100% unsweetened natural cocoa powder with no other alterations needed
  • Instant coffee: A small amount of coffee amplifies the chocolate flavor, and can’t be tasted separately. If you don’t have instant coffee, you can replace the 1/2 cup boiling water with 1/2 cup hot brewed or pressed coffee, or skip the coffee altogether
  • Chocolate for ganache: The ratios in this ganache are specifically for semi-sweet chocolate, or an equal mixture of milk and dark chocolate. I don’t recommend using all dark chocolate (it will become too firm) or all milk chocolate (it won’t thicken enough)
  • Cooling ganache: If you are in a rush, place in the fridge and stir gently every 10 minutes, scraping the sides, until the ganache reaches a spreadable consistency (should take ~30 minutes total). Be careful as refrigeration can cause parts of the ganache to become too firm, resulting in a lumpy texture
  • Make ahead and storage: You can make this cake ahead of time and keep it at room temperature with a cloche / glass lid on top of it for up to 2 days. If you need to store for longer, refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes until the ganache firms up, then cover it with cling wrap and refrigerate for up to 7 days. Bring to room temperature before serving, and store any cut cake in an air tight container
  • Freezing: You can cover the cake in cling wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temperature to serve 

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Comments

  1. Catherine Sadler

    Hi
    Are the baking cups American or English please?

    1. Zoha

      American! 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces

  2. Kauser

    Loved this recipe, turned out the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made. Thank you so much dear. Just one question, can I use 8 inch tray to bake?

    1. Zoha

      Aww thank you so much, Kauser! Makes me so happy to hear that. And yes, you can do that too – just adjust the timing if needed.

  3. Zara

    Hello, loving your recipes so much!
    I was wondering if I could make cupcakes from this recipe?

    1. Zoha

      Hi Zara! Yes for sureee!!

      1. Lisa Fathelbab

        Hi, The very BEST Chocolate cake I ever ate!! So moist and delicious! And so easy to make! Thank you for sharing!

  4. Aabida Banu

    I made it. It was pretty quick to make and my son who isn’t a fan of chocolate cake said it was delicious ?

    1. Zoha

      Yay! That’s a huge compliment!

  5. Pj

    This looks so good! Planning to bake for my son, can I reduce the amount of sugar?

    1. Zoha

      Hi!! I don’t find this cake to be too sweet so I don’t think you need to, but you can try!

  6. Poornima

    My 10 year old and 8 year old helped me to make this cake for my husband’s birthday. It was super delicious. You won’t believe the cake was done in minutes. Everyone enjoyed it especially my 2 year old didn’t want to share the cake with anyone.

    1. Zoha

      Honestly made my day. Thank you so much!

      1. Tooba Sohail

        turns out perfect everytime!
        super moist & just the kind of chocolate cake that I love.

        1. Zoha

          Thank you, Tooba!

          1. Mahnoor Basit

            This is the recipe I am going to use whenever I want to impress someone or Whenever someone will ask me to make chocolate cake.. the aroma of cocoa powder after blooming technique (I used hershey’s) was something else.
            I followed the recipe to the T. Even though I was bit skeptical about quantity of baking soda and eggs (I usually make cake with equal weight of eggs,sugar, flour) but I followed and result was as promised . I topped the cake with zoha’s pecan choco frosting from texas sheet cake recipe and Its just pure deliciousness…
            though sugar quantitites look alot but the end result is a balanced cake. not overly sweet and not bland..thankyou zoha for this recipe…

          2. Zoha

            AWW thank you for the very detailed and kind review. This is exactly why I do what I do! <3

  7. Najah

    The best chocolate cake I’ve ever made! So easy and delicious.

    1. Zoha

      Thank you so much, Najah! Means the world to me

  8. Madiha Hameed

    Can we use normal coffee instead of instant one ?

    1. Zoha

      You can replace the hot water + instant coffee with the same amount of brewed hot coffee

  9. Musa

    My 10 year old made this today. Will defo be thinking of you when indulging later on at Iftar time x

    1. Zoha

      Aww!! Much love!

  10. Ashona

    Hi Zoha,

    Thank you for the lovely recipes.
    I tried making this cake and it came ok. it sank in the centre. It tasted good though. could it be because I don’t have a convection oven? I baked it for 20-25 min in a normal oven at 180 degrees.
    Please can you tell me what mistake I made. thanks.

    1. Zoha

      Hi Ashone! It sounds like your cake was underbaked. I also don’t have a convection oven, but not every oven is built the same and its possible your oven isn’t properly calibrated. This is why it’s imp to always do the toothpick test before taking a cake out 🙁

  11. Nazma

    Hey, this cake looks delish, my son loves chocolate cake so I’ll be trying this.
    Slightly confused as you have the sugar as 3/4 cup at 165g, and the flour at 1 cup at 130g.Was this supposed to be the other way around?
    We are in the UK so use grams rather than cups. Could you clarify the correct grams quantity.
    Thank you!

    1. Zoha

      Hi Nazma! The measurements are correct. Flour weighs less than sugar, so 1 cup of flour is 130g while 1 cup of sugar is ~220g.

      1. Loraine

        Hey Zoha!

        I’ve been following you for quite some time so anytime I need a recipe, I head on here. I wanted to make an eggless version of this. Replaced egg with thick full fat curd. The cake turned out to be super moist. Incase anyone wants an eggless version, maybe you’ll can try this. Thanks a ton Zoha ❤️

        1. Zoha Malik

          So happy to hear this! and this will be very helpful for other people who want an eggless alternate, thank you Loraine 🙂

      2. Nour

        can I use butter instead of oil? if yes, what would be the butter portion?

      3. Shahana Beegum

        So when we are using cups for measurement, is it okay to take one cup sugar and one cup flour? or should we measure and take?

        1. Zoha

          Hi Shahana! I don’t think I understand your question fully (sorry), could you kindly 1explain?

  12. Tehreem

    This turned out SO GOOD! As a newbie in the kitchen this recipe is just what I needed to boost my confidence! So easy to follow and execute. Love that it was basically one pot and had no butter! The cake was so fluffy. One thing I did to elevate the flavors was to double the ganache for a fudgier feel!

    1. Zoha

      Yay!! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Tehreem! <3

  13. Maryam Lucman

    Delish!

    1. Nina

      I have not made anything so delicious in such a short time! Thank you again, Zoha!

      1. Zoha

        Yay – thank YOU Nina!!

    2. Zoha

      Thank you!

  14. Arati Tambwekar

    This cake recipe is absolutely amazing and easy to make. But I have a question..
    Can I replace eggs with anything else?

    1. Zoha

      I haven’t tried it myself, but you can try to make flax seed eggs 🙂

  15. Kawsar

    One of the best and easiest recipe I’ve tried. It was moist and so yummy. I made it twice already. Everyone loved it. Thank you for making the video, it really helps. Keep up the great work ☺️☺️

    1. Zoha

      Yayyyy!!!! You made my day! <3

  16. Mrs. Abdul Rahim Sada

    Amazingly Delicious and very easy to make cake recipe.. I must say that as a dessert lover and as a baker myself, this is one of the most moist, chocolaty cake I have ever tried.. Glad I came across such a recipe!! It’s surely worth-trying and I can assure you won’t be disappointed..

    1. Zoha

      Thank you so much!! This means the world to me – i am so happy you tried and loved the recipe as much as I do 🙂

  17. Abi

    The best chocolate cake recipe ever, it was so moist and tasted so delicious, perfection ! It was so easy making it , didn’t need much time and simple hand whisking. My friends loved it so much, DEFINITELY THE BEST RECIPE, try it!

    1. Zoha

      WUHUUUU!!!! SO happy to hear that

  18. Nilupul Fernando

    Made this cake so many times. This is an absolute Chocolate delight! Bravo!

    1. Rini Biswas

      Hi
      This is the best chocolate cake recipe ever.. no fail.. just loved it.. but one question, what is the substitute of egg? is it possible make this recipe without egg.

      1. Wendy

        I used an applesauce thing – 1 per 1 egg.

        1. Simran

          Hi! I made a half portion of this cake and everyone loved it! I’m going to try making it eggless – has anyone tried this? Usually, when I bake it’s never as good. Any advice?

          1. Zoha

            Hi Simran! Eggs are imp in baking but in this case you could try making a flax seed egg

    2. Zoha

      Yay! Thank you for trying it! <3

  19. Noor Afzaal

    I came across this recipe last week and since then have made it twice! It’s super easy to make and hands down the best chocolate cake recipe I have come across!

    The cake was soft, moist and the perfect amount of chocolatey, thanks Zoha!

    1. Zoha

      Wow, that’s amazing! Thank you for trusting my recipe <3

      1. Ayesha Shahid

        If we want to skip the espresso, do we still need to add the 1/4 of boiling water?

        1. Zoha

          Yes, don’t skip the water!

        2. Ayesha Shahid

          Sorry I meant the instant coffee not espresso!

  20. Mumtaz

    Very easy and super fast recipe and the output – super chocolatty and yummy yumm??? Thanks Zoha ❤️❤️

    1. Zoha

      Hehe, thank you so much! <3

      1. Aleena

        I tried this cake today for my husband’s birthday and it turned out great! Such an easy recipe and the cake was so soft and moist. I also added some chopped walnuts on the top before baking. Thank you for this recipe, Zoha!

        1. Zoha

          Thank you so much, Aleena!

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