This super Moist Chocolate Cream Cake has a rich, deep chocolate flavor and is incredibly easy to make with just a few ingredients. Whether you are making it for a special occasion or an afternoon tea party, this is the perfect recipe for you!
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This chocolate cake recipe calls for oil instead of butter which is the key ingredient for an ultra-moist cake. The amount of oil used to make this delicious cake is half of the amount used in most of the chocolate cake recipes out there.
Why This Recipe Works?
- Fuss-free yet perfectly moist chocolate cake for birthdays, Valentines Day or any other special occasion.
- This cake has very little oil in its batter which makes it reasonably low calorie. Only 359 calories per portion which makes it the perfect chocolate cake to indulge yourself without feeling guilty!
- It is very quick and incredibly easy to make with just a few ingredients.
- It has a rich chocolate flavour with a moist crumb, and is drizzled with chocolate sauce for even more chocolate!
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Eggs - They make the chocolate cake rich and fudgy. Bring your eggs to room temperature before using them for a smooth batter that rises easily.
- Self-raising flour - You can use plain/all-purpose flour with the addition of 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
- Sugar - I use caster sugar for this recipe but you can use granulated or light brown sugar instead.
- Vegetable oil - Oil makes the cakes moister so don't substitute it with melted butter. Use fresh vegetable oil that doesn’t have any off flavors. Substitute it with sunflower or rapeseed oil.
- Milk - I use semi-skimmed milk in this recipe but full-fat milk would work as well.
- Cacao Powder - I recommend using good quality unsweetened cocoa powder for a rich & bitter chocolate taste.
- Vanilla - It adds flavour to the cake. I use vanilla bean paste or extract but vanilla bean works even better if you have it in hand.
- Salt - It is necessary for balancing the flavor. A little goes long way!
- Cream - You can use double cream/heavy cream or whipping cream to make the creme Chantilly. Make sure it is cold before whisking and keep it refrigerated until you need it.
- Chocolate shavings - I prefer using dark chocolate blocks. Use a sharp serrated knife to make shavings.
Step-by-Step Instructions
It is very easy to make this delicious Chocolate Cake with whipped cream and to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:
- Bake the Cake - Heat the oven to 170°C (fan oven). Lightly grease the base and the sides of a 23 cm (9") cake tin. Beat the eggs and the sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed until it double the size up and it is light & fluffy. (Make sure your eggs are at room temperature). Alternatively, you can use a hand-held mixer and a large bowl. Add the vanilla paste, milk, and oil, mix at low speed until combined. Add the flour, cacao powder, and salt to the bowl and gently mix until all combined.
Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake it in preheated oven for 25 to 27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool down for 5 minutes and make a few holes on the cake with a toothpick. Pour the 350 ml milk slowly over the cake using a spoon. Cover the cake with a cling film and let it cool down and absorb the milk in the fridge.
- Prepare the Chocolate Sauce - Mix the cacao, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Put ½ cup of water in a small saucepan and add the cacao mixture. Bring it to a boil, whisking occasionally. Let it simmer for a minute and remove the pan from heat. Add the vanilla paste, stir well and let it cool down in the fridge. The chocolate sauce should have a thick syrup consistency when cooled down. It shouldn't set like a frosting!
- Make the Creme Chantilly - Place the cold double cream or whipping cream, vanilla paste, and sugar in a bowl. Beat them until stiff and hold their shape nicely. Avoid over whisking it or the cream will turn into butter. Keep it in the fridge until the cake and the chocolate sauce are cooled down.
- Decorate the Cake - Place the cake on a serving plate and top it with the cream chantilly. You can either pipe it on or smooth it out with a knife. Pour the chocolate sauce in the center of the cake and let it drizzle gently all over the cake. Decorate it with chocolate shavings and nuts.
Related Recipes
Love Chocolate? Check my other delicious chocolate-filled recipes.
Yes, you can make this cake couple of days in advance, or freeze it until ready to use. Simply let the cake cool down, wrap it with cling film, and put it in a freezer bag. Defrost the cake and prepare the chocolate sauce while the cake is defrosting. Make the creme Chantilly last minute and decorate it just before serving.
Oil is the key to making a moist cake. Don't replace it with melted butter as it will change the texture. Adding cold milk when the cake is still hot also makes this cake extra moist and delicious.
They add a rich flavor to the cake as well as nutrition, color, and structure. They also help the cake batter to rise while baking which creates the overall structure of the cake.
Top Tip From The Chef
- Don't put too much flour in the cake mixture. The cake batter is slightly runny so don't be tempted to add more flour. Always use a scale to weigh the right amount of flour.
- Take the cake out of the oven when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Your cake will be dry when over baked.
- Creme chantilly melts and loses its structure with the heat. Therefore, make sure the cake is cooled down in the fridge before spreading the creme Chantilly on top. Also, the chocolate sauce needs to be cold before pouring on creme chantilly.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this Moist Chocolate Cream Cake as much as you would enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!
Moist Chocolate Cream Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
- 4 eggs (room temperature)
- 200 g caster sugar
- 60 ml semi-skimmed or full-fat milk
- 30 ml vegetable or sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 200 g self raising flour
- 30 g cacao powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For Soaking the Cake
- 350 ml semi-skimmed or full-fat milk
For the Chocolate Sauce
- 50 g cacao powder
- 100 g caster sugar 1 cup
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 118 ml cold water ½ cup
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
For the Creme Chantilly
- 200 ml very cold double cream or whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar (18 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
To Garnish
- dark chocolate shavings
- chopped walnuts, pistachio or hazelnuts
Instructions
Making the Chocolate Cake
- Heat the oven to 170°C (fan oven).
- Lightly grease the base and the sides of a 23 cm (9") cake tin.
- Beat the eggs and the sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed until it double the size up and it is light & fluffy. Alternatively, you can use a hand-held mixer and a large bowl.
- Add the vanilla paste, milk, and oil, mix at low speed until combined.
- Add the flour, cacao powder, and salt to the bowl and gently mix together until all combined.
- Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake it in preheated oven for 25 to 27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool down for 5 minutes and make a few holes on the cake with a toothpick.
- Pour the 350 ml milk slowly over the cake using a spoon.
- Cover the cake with a cling film and let it cool down and absorb the milk in the fridge.
Preparing the Chocolate Sauce
- Mix together the cacao, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
- Put the water in a small saucepan and add the cacao mixture.
- Bring it to a boil, whisking occasionally.
- Let it simmer for a minute and remove the pan from heat.
- Add the vanilla paste, stir well and let it totally cool down in the fridge.
- The chocolate sauce should have a thick syrup consistency when cooled down. It shouldn't set like a frosting!
Making the Creme Chantilly
- Place the cold double cream or whipping cream, vanilla paste, and sugar in a bowl.
- Beat them until stiff and hold their shape nicely. Avoid over whisking it or the cream will turn into butter.
- Keep it in the fridge until the cake and the chocolate sauce are totally cooled down.
Decorating the Cake
- Place the cake on a serving plate and top it with the cream chantilly. You can either pipe it on or smooth it out with a knife.
- Pour the chocolate sauce in the center of the cake and let it drizzle gently all over the cake.
- Decorate it with chocolate shavings and nuts.
Nutrition
FOOD SAFETY
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
Joseph
This is an excellent recipe, the whole family enjoyed. Thank you so much!
Ayla Clulee
Great to know Joseph! You are very welcome 🙂