How to make easy chocolate cake?

This easy chocolate cake is rich, deeply moist and made entirely from pantry staples, with one clever trick that sets it apart: a cup of boiling water stirred in at the very end. That hot liquid blooms the cocoa and hydrates the batter into something thin and almost pourable, which is exactly what gives the baked cake its impossibly tender crumb. It bakes into two tall 9-inch layers, ready for whatever chocolate frosting you love.

Why you'll love this

• A deeply moist, tender crumb thanks to a cup of boiling water stirred in at the end
• Built from simple pantry staples, with vegetable oil keeping it soft and moist even straight from the fridge
• Bakes into two 9-inch layers, ideal for frosting and stacking into a celebration cake
• Big, rich chocolate flavor from cocoa that is bloomed by the hot liquid

Key ingredients & swaps

• Unsweetened cocoa powder — the main source of chocolate flavor; it gets bloomed by the boiling water at the end, which deepens and rounds out its taste, so sift it to break up any lumps
• Boiling water — the secret step, stirred in last to bloom the cocoa and hydrate the flour into a thin batter; do not be alarmed that it looks watery, that thinness is what makes the crumb so tender (swap in hot brewed coffee to deepen the chocolate flavor without tasting of coffee)
• Vegetable oil — keeps the cake moist and soft, and unlike butter it stays tender even after chilling, so the cake does not dry out in the fridge
• Baking soda and baking powder — the cake rises on both; the soda reacts with the acidity in the cocoa for lift while the powder carries it through the bake, giving a light, even crumb
• Whole milk — adds moisture and richness to the batter; for a tangier, even more tender cake you can use buttermilk in its place
• Eggs — bind the batter and give the layers structure so they hold up to frosting and stacking

How to make it (step by step)

1. 

   1

   Prep the oven and pans

   Heat the oven to 350F (175C) and grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (or line the bases with parchment). Getting the pans ready first means the thin batter can go straight in once it is mixed.

2. 

   2

   Whisk the dry ingredients

   Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Sifting removes lumps and spreads the leaveners evenly so the cake rises uniformly.

3. 

   3

   Mix the wet ingredients

   In another bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, milk, oil and vanilla until smooth. You want it well blended and lump-free before the two mixtures meet.

4. 

   4

   Combine, then add boiling water

   Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing just until combined, then carefully stir in the cup of boiling water. The batter will turn thin and almost soupy, which is exactly right; resist the urge to add more flour.

5. 5

   Bake the layers

   Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake about 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Avoid opening the oven for the first 20 minutes so the cakes set and rise properly.

6. 6

   Cool, then frost

   Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes so they firm up enough to handle, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Frost only once fully cool, or the frosting will slide and melt.