Ann Reardon

Best Chocolate Cake Ever

Best Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever

 

Have you ever been disappointed by a dry and tasteless chocolate cake? Well then this is the recipe for you. This is my all time favourite chocolate cake recipe. It makes a rich moist cake that tastes like chocolate. The photos below are from making four times the quantities listed in this recipe – to make a cake big enough for 100 people. The picture above is from one quantity of this cake, layered with chocolate mousse, centered with orange creme brulee, coated in chocolate glacage and decorated with tempered milk chocolate.

 

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 hour 30 min
Total time:1 hour 45 min
Yield: 15 servings
Serving size: 1 medium slice
Calories per serving:460 (1350 kj (322.66 calories))
Fat per serving: 26g (0.92 ounces)

Ingredients:
200g (7.05 ounces) 70% cocoa dark chocolate
315g (11.11 ounces) or 1 1/3 cups plus 2 tbl spoons margarine
8 eggs
2 1/4 cups or 486g (17.14 ounces) caster sugar
1 1/4 cups or 200g (7.05 ounces) plain flour (use GF flour if coeliac, this recipe has been tested with gluten free flour and works well)
1/4 cup or 30g (1.06 ounces) cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions:

1. Place chocolate and margarine into a bowl.
chocolate in bowl with margarine
melt chocolate in the microwave
2. Melt in the microwave (30seconds, stir, 30sec, stir…).
best chocolate cake step by step
whisk eggs and sugar together
3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together
chocolate cake mixing
combine egg and chocolate
4. Combine egg and chocolate mixtures
sift flour cocoa powder and baking powder together
5. Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking powder together and mix into cake mixture until well blended.
chocolate chocolate cake
chocolate cake making recipe
6. Pour into cake tin or cup cake cases. (tip: if you don’t have a cake tin the right size or shape you can use a plain card board box lined with glad bakewell, make sure the box does not have shiny print or photos on it as then it will have a thin coat of plastic which will melt).
large cake pan lined with baking paper

7. Bake in slow oven 150C (302 degrees Fahrenheit) in 2 x 20cm (7.87 inches) round cake tins.  If you are making a large cake this can take well over an hour.  If the cake is looking done on top but is not yet cooked through put an empty baking tray on the shelf above it in the oven.  Insert a knife into the centre to check if it is done. Moderate oven 180C (356 degrees Fahrenheit) is fine, for cupcakes allow approx 20 mins.

by Ann Reardon How To Cook That

March 6, 2011

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My Cookbook

ann reardon crazy sweet creations cookbook
Stores that sell my book listed by country: http://bit.ly/ARcookbook
All recipe quantities in the book are in grams, ounces and cups.

295 Comments View Comments

  1. hi Ann
    I bake it and it is SO delicious thank you

  2. Hi Ann,
    If I half the recipe, should I akso half the baking time?

  3. Hi Ann! I was just wondering, can you use non-stick cooking spray instead of baking paper? Thanks!

    • you could but its more likely to stick baking paper or tin foil would be better

    • Hi Livi, Ann prefers the baking paper as it works better but there is no reason why you can’t use a spray.

  4. Hi!!
    I was just wondering what type of cake this is? If it was a light fluffy cake or a dense mud cake? My dad’s favourite cake is mud cake and I’m on the hunt for the perfect mud cake for his birthday next week. If anyone could reply I would really appreciate it! 😀 😀

    • Hi Christine, This recipe is more like a mudcake. Hope it is what you are looking for.

  5. hey Ann,
    i’ve just used your recipe and it was the best chocolate cake EVER! it’s magic, it’s very moist and light but very sturdy when stacked and decorated. thank you for sharing.

    • Hi Sophie, so gald this recipe worked for you!

  6. hello Ann
    In my country there is no margarine. Can I use butter instead? Is it the same?

    • Hi shirin, You can easily swap butter for margarine.

  7. Hi Ann! Love ur tutorials! I was wondering if its possible for u to give variation as per tin/pan size, meaning quantity of the ingredients depending on the tin size…

    • Hi Purnima, If you can provide your cake tin size, we will do our best to approximate it for you.

  8. Hi. Can we use canola oil instead of margarin? How much can I use? Thank you.

    • Hi janet, not in this recipe sorry

  9. Hello Ann,

    I made this cake for my husband. He absolutely loved it. He said this is the best chocolate he has ever eaten. Thank you for sharing such awesome recipes

    • Hi Mav, So glad you husband enjoyed this recipe.

  10. Hi Ann,

    I was wondering if you can help me with using this recipe in a tiered cake.
    I’m making a two tiered cake and in each tier there are three layers of cake and two layers of basic buttercream.
    Should I put a thin cardboard cake board under each tier?
    Should I put one on the top one if there will be supports inserted into the first tier?
    I’m using a sturdy drum underneath to support both.
    I’m delivering this cake from Brooklyn, NY to Lakewood, NJ.
    I know you live in Australia but how would I support such a cake that is going 70.7 miles without damage occurring?

    Thanks!
    Hadassah Levi

    • Hi Hadassah, I would suggest one cake support board under the top tier. When transporting such a distance, I would prefer to have someone hold the cake or alternatively support it with towels to reduce movement and keep it cool.

  11. I made this recipe yesterday for cupcakes, my 4 kids and husband LOVED it. I made it again today and am making cake pops with it. I am making Christmas cookies also today and putting the cake pops with the cookies in a cute little Christmas tin. I just love your channel. I have been baking for decorating for 12 plus years but you simply things to such a wonderful level. I am recommending your channel to all my friends, being I love you so much. Keep up the great work.

    • Hi Kim, Thanks so much for the great feedback. I love the idea of making cake pops with this recipe!

    • Hi Kim, Thanks so much for the great feedback. I love the idea of making cake pops with this recipe!

  12. Hi Ann,
    Just wondering if I would have to add simple syrup between the layers if I were to top this cake with buttercream, because the name states that it is already really moist.
    Thank you!
    P.S. I’m 11 and making the Hello Kitty cake for my little sister turning 3

    • Is the cocoa powder used in the”best chocolate cake ever” unsweetened cocoa?

      • Hi Donna, yes I used unsweetened cocoa.

    • Hi Gaby, If you were making this cake to be used within a day or two it should be fine as is. If it needs to be kept longer, then use the Syrup. I Hope your sister loves her Birthday Cake!.

  13. I was wondering where I could find the mousse filling recipe

  14. Hi Ann,

    Can shortening be used as a substitue for margarine in the cake recipes?

    Thank you
    Cheers
    PA

    • Hi PA, we don’t get shortening here in Australia so I have not been able to test that one sorry.

  15. Hey I’m 12, I made this for my mom and she loved it! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!

  16. Hello, I was wondering what I could use instead of the egg for an eggless cake?

    • Hi Janki, you’d be best searching for an eggless or vegan cake recipe as all the proportions would be different

  17. Hi Anne,

    What size cake tin would you recommend for the cake mixture above?
    and what temp oven would you call moderate.

    This cake tastes amazing, but can’t seem to get the correct oven temp.

    Thank you
    Ivan

    • Hi Ivan I use 2 x 20cm round cake tins and moderate oven is around 180C or 350F

      • please let me the size of the cake tin and moderate oven mean how much 180C. or 160C…for 1 hour 30 mins

        • Hi Hunt, The tin I use is 20cm in diameter. A slow oven is better for the round cakes 150c. A moderate oven is 180c.

  18. Hello, could you tell me the oven temperature I should use? Thank you!

  19. Hi Anne,

    Would you be having an amazing black forest cake recipe that you can share?

    Thanks,
    Aliya

  20. I made this recipe on the weekend and it tasted AMAZING however the next day when everyone ate it it was a lot drier? Why could that have been? Could I have left it out to cool for too long?

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