Chocolate Snacking Cake
A easy, rustic one-layer cake that’s deeply chocolatey and approachable rich with just the right amount of tenderness. The kind of cake that asks very little of you—and gives so much in return.
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter (½ cup)
- ½ cup milk
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon Oil (any oil works well)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and prepare an 8” cake pan by greasing it and lining the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter, then stir in the milk and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth and glossy. (This blooming step enhances the chocolate flavor and makes all the difference.)
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Slowly pour in the warm cocoa mixture and stir until just combined. Then the oil.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes then invert onto a cooling rack.
- Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar or serve with a glaze or frosting, if you’d like.
Notes
This cake uses both white and brown sugar—the brown adds moisture and a hint of molasses flavor that plays beautifully with cocoa. If you prefer things slightly less sweet, you can reduce the total sugar by a few tablespoons without compromising the texture too much.