I love a simple chocolate cake. One layer, a bit of frosting. Sprinkles. Boom. Chocolate cake. The chocolate cake recipes comes from Bon Appetit Magazine and the frosting is my own. The cake is so soft and tender and the frosting is rich and fluffy. Need I say more? Let's get to the recipe!
This recipe calls for a 9-inch round cake tin but you can also use a 9x9-inch square or turn the cake batter into cupcakes in a muffin tin.
Ingredients:
For the Chocolate Cake:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 ¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
1 ¼ tsp kosher salt
½ cup cocoa powder, sifted
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Frosting:
3.5 oz (100g) dark chocolate (I used 70% Lindt Excellence)
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup icing sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder
½ tsp vanilla extract
Small pinch of salt
Rainbow sprinkles, for decorating
Directions:
Line a 9" round cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 325F.
In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
In a separate bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix together using a spatula until fully incorporated. It will be thick and pasty.
Heat warm milk until scalding hot (in the microwave or on the stovetop). Whisk into batter until lump free and just combined, do not overtax.
Transfer batter into prepared pan. Bake cake, until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, 40–50 minutes. (Mine took 45 minutes).
Let cool 5 minutes. Run a knife around the outside of the cake and invert onto a wire rack to cool. Remove parchment paper.
While the cake cools, make the frosting. Break chocolate into small pieces. Place in a heatproof bowl. Melt the chocolate in the microwave on 30 second increments. Alternatively, melt chocolate in bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Set aside to cool to room temperature. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine butter and icing sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in cocoa powder, vanilla extract and salt. Scrape in cooled chocolate. Beat to combine. Ice cake with frosting, top with sprinkles if you like.
