The “Don’t Bring Anything” Ultimate Chocolate Cake: What to bring when you’re told not to bring anything to an event. If your friend is having you for dinner, date night, play date for your kiddos. Whatever the occasion, this is essentially just a really easy, really moist chocolate cake with a quick frosting.
This will surely become your new favourite, easy chocolate cake recipe. It uses lots of liquid to keep the cake moist, and the ganache frosting is a glorious alternative to chocolate buttercream. It is also darker and more adult – whilst also being a dream for any birthday cake request.
I make this cake in a 9 inch round tin, as a great afternoon treat to keep slicing and coming back to. However, you could use a loaf tin, or it easily double ups to use as a birthday cake with 9″ round cake tins. This all comes together in one big bowl – stand or electric mixers are fine. Ensure there are no lumps, and the batter will be a little thin, before pouring out. It comes out so soft, begging to be coated in buttercream.
Allow yourself enough time for the cake to cool before frosting. Hands on time is entirely up to you depending on how special you want the decoration to be! The buttercream makes enough to top the entire cake. Adjust if you want to pipe extra on top, or if you only want to use a little.
Despite being incredibly easy, it would be a fantastic choice for a celebration cake, you just might want to double up/add extra frosting! The recipe itself is fairly foolproof, relying on oil and liquids rather than butter to keep it really moist.
Tips for the best The “Don’t Bring Anything” Ultimate Chocolate Cake
- Cocoa Powder: As this is a key part of any chocolate cake, try to get yourself the higher quality variety.
- Batter: The batter will be fairly runny, but that’s what keeps it moist. Be careful when pouring it into the tin, but trust the process!
- Oil: Use vegetable or sunflower. Try not to use anything flavoured like extra virgin olive oil or peanut oil, otherwise this will overpower the other flavours.
- Hot Chocolate: I essentially make a hot chocolate to pour into the batter. This is where the hot chocolate powder, boiling water and milk come in. This just adds an extra chocolate-y moisture bomb.
I make my The “Don’t Bring Anything” Ultimate Chocolate Cake using a 8″ circular cake tin (just like these) and recommend a high speed mixer for when combining the dry and wet ingredients (with a mixer like this). If you’re looking for other cake ideas check out this Biscoff Traybake Cake or this Honey and Almond Loaf Cake.
The “Don’t Bring Anything” Ultimate Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 175 g Plain Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
- 2 tsp Hot Chocolate Powder
- 100 ml Boiling Water
- 60 ml Milk
- 160 g Granulated Sugar
- 2 Medium Eggs
- 2 tbsp Golden Syrup
- 150 ml Vegetable Oil
For the Buttercream
- 120 g Butter Room Temperature
- 30 g Dark Chocolate Melted
- 350 g Icing Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Line an 8" cake tin.
- In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, sugar and salt.
- Get the kettle on – essentially we are going to make a hot chocolate. Combine the boiling water, hot chocolate powder and milk in a mug. Set aside.
- Make a well in the dry mix, and add the eggs, syrup and oil. Once thoroughly combined, slowly pour in the hot chocolate mixture until it has all been incorporated. The batter will be fairly thin.
- Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.
- Once cool, make the frosting: beat the butter on high with an electric mixer. Add half the icing sugar and the melted chocolate and combine for several minutes until combined. Add the remaining icing sugar until you reach your desired consistency.
- Spread over the cake, add some chocolate decoration if you like (I grate dark chocolate and add any kind of chocolate I have in the cupboards)! Slice and serve.
