How to Make the Easiest and Most Irresistible Chocolate Cake
Quick and Easy Recipe for Sylvia's Chocolate Cake
This moist and delicious chocolate cake recipe will be your new best friend. It comes together quickly, so this is perfect for when you want a homemade cake without spending all day in the kitchen.
It is great for a weeknight dessert, but also it works for a special occasion. This is a cake I request often for my birthday. You can dress it up with sprinkles or add other decorations to make it festive. If it lasts that long, this cake will stay moist and fresh for a week.
A Chocolate Cake Your Family Will Love
Served plain or with ice cream, the taste of this cake can’t be beat. It is full of chocolate flavor between the cake itself and the icing. This cake has long been a favorite in my family. I hope it will become a favorite in yours!
Helpful Tips:
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making Sylvia’s Chocolate Cake.
- Slightly under bake the cake. The picture below shows what a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted into the cake will look like. Start testing for doneness at least 5 minutes before the required bake time.
- Stir batter by hand. This cake comes together in one mixing bowl. Ensure a tender cake texture by using a whisk to stir the batter instead of an electric mixer.
- Use butter in the batter and margarine in the frosting. You can use margarine in the batter as well, but the cake has a richer flavor when real butter is used. However, I find that margarine works better in the frosting. It gives it a smoother and more spreadable texture.
The Perfect Chocolate Cake for a Potluck
Because this cake is made in a 9 x 13 inch pan, it is ideal for taking to a potluck or a picnic. It travels well, and it does not require refrigeration. Anyone who loves chocolate will love this cake. As we like to say on our blog “no day has to be ordinary”. No day will be ordinary with this cake as a part of it. Enjoy!
Have a good day –
Kristin
Need another easy chocolate dessert recipe? Try out The Best Brownie Pie Recipe.
Sylvia's Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- ½ cup shortening
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Dash salt
Instructions
- Preheat over to 400°.
- Sift or whisk together in a large mixing bowl 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of sugar. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, melt over medium heat 1 stick butter, 1/2 cup shortening, 3 T. cocoa powder, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
- Pour melted mixture over the flour and sugar.
- Whisk together in a measuring cup the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, vanilla, and salt.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour and sugar mixture. Whisk to combine.
- Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
- Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Start testing after 25 minutes. Do not overbake. You still want a small amount of batter to cling to toothpick or cake tester when inserted into cake.
- When cake is cool, frost with Sylvia's Chocolate Icing.
Sylvia's Chocolate Icing
Ingredients
- 1 stick margarine
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 6 tbsp milk
- 16 oz powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Sift one box of powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl.
- Melt margarine, cocoa, and milk together in a small saucepan. Stir to prevent burning on bottom of pan. Bring to a boil.
- Pour hot mixture over powdered sugar. Add 1 tsp. vanilla. Beat ingredients together with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Frost top of cooled 9 x 13 inch chocolate cake.
This is on my “to make list”
Mine too! 🙂
Can’t wait to try Sylvia’s Chocolate Cake! 😋