Hot Chocolate Cake
A rich, moist hot chocolate cake made with simple pantry ingredients and topped with cocoa frosting or whipped ganache and marshmallows.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk or hand/stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 2 cake pans (8–9 inch or 3 6-inch)
- Parchment paper
- Offset spatula
- Cooling racks
- Knife and cutting board
- Kitchen torch
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder natural or Dutch-processed
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups hot chocolate or boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8–9 inch cake pans (or three 6" pans) with parchment paper. Brush the sides with butter or oil.
- Whisk dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add wet ingredients. Stir in the oil, butter, and milk until just combined. The batter will start to come together.
- Mix in eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated after each. Stir in the vanilla.
- Bloom the cocoa. Slowly stream in the hot chocolate while mixing—this deepens the flavor and darkens the batter.
- Divide and bake. Pour evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 30–40 minutes depending on pan size. Cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back.
- Cool and frost. Cool in pans for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto wire racks. Once cool, frost as desired.
Notes
- Substitute coffee for the hot chocolate if you prefer deeper flavor.
- Layers can be made in advance and frozen.
- Don’t skip blooming the cocoa it makes a big difference!