A chocolate cake that actually delivers without a long list of fussy steps is harder to find than it should be. This one uses good cocoa and a ganache topping made from just cream and chocolate chips, no tempering, no thermometer. Two tube pans, 340F, about 40 minutes. The butter and sugar get properly creamed first, which is the step most people rush and then wonder why the texture is off. High-quality cocoa matters here more than it does in a recipe with ten other strong flavors competing; this cake is simple enough that the cocoa carries it. A lower baking temperature than most recipes call for keeps it moist throughout rather than just in the center.
How to Make Super Simple Chocolate Cake
Cream the butter and sugar until it’s actually white
This step takes longer than most people give it, at least four minutes with an electric mixer. You’re looking for a noticeably pale, fluffy mixture. Stopping too early means a denser crumb and less lift in the finished cake.
Sift the dry ingredients together
Cocoa powder clumps and uneven distribution shows up as streaks in the baked cake. Sifting flour, baking powder, and cocoa together takes thirty seconds and prevents that. Add the dry ingredients gradually, not all at once. 
The ganache topping is deliberately simple
Heat cream until it just simmers, pour over good chocolate chips, and stir until smooth. Let it cool slightly before pouring so it coats rather than runs off the sides. Nothing more to it than that.
Super Simple Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 4 large organic eggs
- 1 cup softened butter (room temperature)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup full fat milk
- 2 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup high quality unsweetened cocoa
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup good quality chocolate chips.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 340F.
- Grease and flour 2 tube pans.
- Sift flour, baking powder and cocoa with a pitch of salt.
- Use an electric mixer to mix the butter with sugar until it turns fluffy and white.
- Add eggs gradually, while continuing to mix.
- Add the milk and mix.
- Add flour gradually to the liquid mixture and stir till the mixture is completely smooth.
- Pour the mixture into pans and bake for 35 minutes.
Topping
- Bring the heavy cream to a boil, then gradually pour over chocolate chips, while stirring continuously until the chocolate is dissolved and turned into a paste.
- Let the paste cool slightly, and then pour over the cakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a chocolate cake super simple?
A one-bowl mixing method, pantry staples, and no creaming of butter required. Many simple chocolate cakes use oil instead of butter, which also keeps them moist longer.
Can I use Dutch-process cocoa instead of natural cocoa?
If the recipe calls for baking soda, stick with natural cocoa since the two react together. Dutch-process works in recipes that use baking powder, or in combination.
How do I keep the cake layers from sticking to the pan?
Grease the pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, then grease the paper and dust with cocoa powder (not flour, which leaves a pale film on chocolate cake).
Can I make this cake ahead for a birthday?
Bake the layers up to 2 days ahead and wrap tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature. Frost the day you plan to serve it.
Why does my chocolate cake come out dry?
Overbaking is the most common cause. Start checking for doneness 5 minutes before the recipe suggests. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs, not completely clean.
