Snack cake? Why I love these two words together so much I am not quite sure! But here is my new go-to recipe for a quick and easy single-layer Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
This is the perfect recipe to make if you aren’t comfortable with decorating cakes or if you are in need of an easy recipe for a bake sale or office birthday party!
Chocolate cakes deserve a category of their own! So, if you’re looking for the perfect chocolate cake recipe and want a few more options have a look at this Chocolate Bundt Cake or this recipe for a Caramel and Chocolate Birthday Cake.
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Ingredients
This easy-to-follow chocolate cake recipe is made from simple ingredients. Just remember, the ingredients must be at room temperature before you start baking.
- Sunflower oil
- Granulated white sugar
- Extra-large eggs
- Self-raising flour
- Salt
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Full cream milk
- Strong brewed coffee
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Cream cheese
Cocoa powder – this recipe doesn’t use any chocolate bars or chocolate chips in the cake or in the icing. This means that you must make sure you are using high-quality cocoa powder to get a great-tasting cake.
Strong brewed coffee – for this recipe I use ground espresso beans and a French press to make a strong pot of coffee that I then use with the other wet ingredients. Make sure you are doing the same and using quality real coffee, as this enhances this chocolate cake's flavor.
Unsalted butter – choosing unsalted butter for baked goods is the better option because you can adjust the salt separately. I like adding a tiny pinch of salt to my frostings rather than using salted butter.
Another note when it comes to butter and frostings, please make sure the butter is at room temperature. Cold butter is very hard to whip into fluffy frostings, making it harder to know when the buttercream is ready.
Cream cheese – adding cream cheese to frostings might be the best way to ensure a silky-smooth texture! Just make sure the cream cheese is also at room temperature so that you don’t get lumps in the frosting.
Instructions
Making this chocolate cake and the cream cheese frosting is super simple. Follow the steps below to ensure the perfect single-layer chocolate cake.
STEP 1: Beat the oil, eggs, and sugar. Add the eggs, sugar, and oil to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until well combined.
STEP 2: Add the dry ingredients. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and bicarbonate of soda. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, and beat at medium speed until just combined.
STEP 3: Add the wet ingredients. In a jug mix together the milk, brewed coffee, and vanilla. Slowly pour this into the egg and flour mixture, with the motor running at low speed. Mix until combined and lump-free.
STEP 4: Bake. Pour the cake batter into a prepared cake tin and bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 40 minutes. Once baked allow the cake to cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
Once the cake has cooled make the frosting recipe. Be sure you are using room temperature butter and cream cheese.
STEP 1: Beat the butter and dry ingredients. Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, and butter to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until combined.
STEP 2: Add the cream cheese. Add the cream cheese and beat again. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and milk and beat again.
STEP 3: Decorate. Top the sheet cake with the frosting and smooth it across the top of the cake with a knife or rubber spatula, decorate with m&ms or other candies.
Variations
If chocolate is the requirement for your next bake and you are up for trying a different frosting. This single-layer cake can also be made with this recipe for Peanut Butter and Cream Cheese Frosting, so delicious!
Equipment
This chocolate cake can be made with or without the help of an electric mixer. However, for the chocolate frosting, I suggest using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to help get the frosting super fluffy.
You will also need a rectangular cake tin 35cmx28cmx7cm. You can choose to bake this cake in round cake tins and make a layer cake instead. However, the baking time will need to be adjusted. Set the timer for 25 minutes and check the cake for doneness.
If you are new to cake making, take a look at this blog post where I walk you through how to tell if a cake is done baking.
Storage
To keep the cake moist, I suggest covering the cake in the chocolate cream cheese frosting as soon as it has cooled. Also, be sure only to cut the cake into squares when you are ready to serve it. Otherwise, each square can start to dry out.
To store any leftover cake, place the cake in an airtight container and store it at room temperature out of direct sunlight for about 3 days. If the weather is particularly hot, choose to store the cake in the fridge in an airtight container. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving it.
Tips for making the best chocolate cake
- Make sure you preheat the oven and test the temperature with an oven thermometer.
- Prepare the baking tin with oil and parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking.
- Test the cake for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center of the cake.
- Be sure the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature before making the frosting.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before decorating.
- Only cut the cake before serving, otherwise, it will dry out.
I hope you give this Easy Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting a go! I think it’s the perfect introduction to cake making but also a great recipe for anyone looking for a really easy cake to make that can be ready pretty quickly!
Let me know what you think of this recipe by commenting below or get in touch on Instagram with your photos and feedback, I would love to hear from you!
Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 1 rectangle cake tin, 35x28x7cm
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 240 ml sunflower oil
- 500 grams granulated white sugar
- 6 extra-large eggs
- 500 grams self-raising flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 100 grams cocoa powder
- 450 ml milk
- 150 ml strong brewed coffee
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 150 grams butter
- 500 grams icing sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 100 grams cocoa powder
- 250 grams cream cheese
- 50 ml milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a rectangular cake tin with oil and parchment paper.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the oil, eggs, and sugar. Beat at medium-high speed until well combined.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and bicarbonate of soda. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, and beat at medium speed until just combined.
- In a jug mix together the milk, brewed coffee, and vanilla. Slowly pour this into the egg and flour mixture, with the motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again. Ensuring the cake batter is well mixed and lump free.
- Pour the cake batter into a prepared cake tin and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked allow the cake to cool in its tin for 20 minutes and then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, and butter to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until combined.
- Add the cubed cream cheese and beat again. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and milk and beat again.
- Top the sheet cake with the frosting and smooth it across the cake with a knife or rubber spatula, decorate with m&ms or other candies.
Alex says
When I saw the description “snack cake” I knew this was for me! Such an easy recipe to have cake everyday! 🫢