8 Inch Round Chocolate Cake
This is the perfect anytime cake, it’s delicious chocolate flavor topped with a stabilized whipped cream can be topped with chocolate curls, berries or sprinkles to serve up at a party, after dinner treat, and all the little celebrations in between the big celebrations.
I’m all about dessert!
I find it hard to resist.
My fork just keeps going back for more.
I like simple flavors and really love when making it is uncomplicated.
This cake is easy, no mixer needed.
Feel free to whip the cream by hand if you wish. I have whipped cream by hand many times, but most often use an electric whip (a whip attachment on an immersion blender) it’s a small batch so it doesn’t take long either way.
The whipped cream is stabilized, meaning it won’t get all watery as it sits on the cake.
This cake is so great, it’s baked in an 8″ round pan, and comes out beautifully, I do wrap the outer edge of the pan with a baking strip (a wet baking strip, I used to use strips of towels and secure them with safety pins or T-pins, but now use these baking strips and they are GREAT!) I use them to be sure the cake will bake up evenly.
This cake is baked in an 8″x 2″ pan, it’ll bake to the top of the pan and settle a bit when it’s cooled.
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE VIDEO below also!
More chocolate recipes you may like:
- Chocolate Syrup
- Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes & Frosting
- Hot Fudge Sauce
- Chocolate Spaghetti, so creamy and delicious!
What would you top this cake with…
I chose chocolate curls, I melted chocolate with some coconut oil, then spread it on the back of a baking sheet and put it in the fridge to chill, then pressed a pastry scraper to create the curls
alternatively, you can use a vegetable peeler and glide it along the long edge of a candy bar for small curls, other options are chocolate chips and some cherries, berries (think strawberries, raspberries or blueberries) super easy toppings are items like chopped nuts or sprinkles.
Normally whipped cream “weeps” and gets wet and separates easily, this simple tip will stabilize the whipped cream and stays nicely on the cake and lasts for days in the fridge on the cake.
Add dry milk to the whipped cream, you can whip it by hand or with an electric whip, or beaters. I use THIS, it’s a handheld immersion blender with a whip attachment. I can’t tell you how many times a week I use this, I love it! I use it for smoothies, whipped cream, and sauces. If you want to see some sauce recipes look here.
From start to finish this cake is ready in under an hour.
This cake is so great, you can eat it with nothing on top, or pile on some flowers to make it pretty if you like.
All you’ll be looking for is a fork, to dig into it!
If you’re looking for an 8″ Vanilla Cake Recipe Click HERE.
8 Inch Round Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened (not melted but soft. I put in the microwave on defrost for 30-second intervals twice)
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup dutch process cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup buttermilk or 1/4 cup milk and 2 teaspoons vinegar blended
- 1/4 cup hot coffee or boiling water
whipped cream frosting
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons dry milk- this stabilizes the whipped cream so it doesn't separate and it tastes great too.
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate (Ghirardelli 60% cacao chips)
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Prepare an 8" round cake pan with a baking spray or oil and flour pan, so the cake releases easily (I use Baklene)
- In a medium bowl add butter and sugar and whisk until well blended.
- Add in vanilla and egg and whisk to combine.
- Add in cocoa, baking soda, salt, and stir in flour
- Add in buttermilk and stir,
- then add in coffee and whisk until smooth.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan (wrap with a wet baking strip to bake cake evenly)
- Bake at 350° for 33-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove cake from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes then place wax paper over the top of the cake to turn cake onto a cooling rack.
- Cool cake completely before applying any frosting.
Whip the heavy whipping cream with dry milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla until peaks form.
- Spread whipped cream over cake and top with chocolate curls, sprinkles or chocolate chips for an easy decorated cake.
chocolate curls:
- heat chocolate chips with coconut oil spread on the back of an ice cold baking sheet (that has been in the freezer for a few minutes) then press a metal spatula or bench scraper to create the curls.
- Place curls on top of whipped cream and serve.
- After frosting cake with whipped cream and topped with the chocolate place in the fridge if not serving soon. Can be made ahead and refrigerated, then taken out of the fridge at least 29 minutes before serving so it can begin to come to room temperature.
- A cake that is served immediately or within a few hours even if refrigerated will be soft and fluffier than a cake that has been refrigerated overnight as the cake will become denser. So depending on how you like your cake you'll know when to frost your cake and serve it to your liking.
CLICK HERE for my Single Layer Vanilla Cake
I think the salt measurement is an error. Could you clarify the correct measurement.
It looks fabulous. I’m anxious to try it.
I adjusted it to reflect the correct amount of 1/2 teaspoon (not 1/24 teaspoon, that would be crazy to figure out, I must have hit the 4 by mistake) thank you for letting me know there was a mistake.
I am in the middle of making this cake, but I am missing the step to add the flour. I am assuming it’s with the rest of the dry ingredients?
sorry, there was an error in the recipe box, I added the flour, yes it goes in with the other dry ingredients. After the cocoa and buttermilk.
Will the batter work for cupcakes? We made the Vanilla Cake last time and it was amazing.
Yes, you can use this cake mix (or any for that matter) for cupcakes, their just small cakes, so adjust the time of baking. I think it’ll make about 8 maybe 10 cupcakes is my guess, let me know how many it makes if you do it.
I made this cake, it was easy to make. Thanks so much for all your great recipes.
Tried this today. This was my first baking experience and it turned out beautifully. Thanks for the simple recipe.
Can I use flavourless oil instead of butter? If yes, then how much?
I haven’t used oil instead of butter in this recipe but you can certainly give it a try. I’d suggest using 1/4 cup oil (maybe a 1/3 cup of you feel the batter is dry) I’d love to hear how it goes.
Are you sure this is for 8-inch?!?! It seems more like a 6 INCH. I made the recipe exactly as I was told, in an EIGHT INCH PAN, and the cake barely rose at all. It ended up being like 1 inch tall.
The pan I use is definitely an 8″ pan. I make this cake often, and it rises to the top of the 2-inch high pan when baking and then settles a little, it’s over 1″ when it’s done, about 1 and 3/4 inch thick. If your cake didn’t rise, it could be the egg wasn’t mixed well enough, or that you forgot an item, left it out or altered the ingredients. If you think you missed an item or changed an item let me know, if you didn’t and made the recipe exactly as written let me know. I made three of these cakes this week, the recipes works, I’ve also had others make this recipe before it was posted so it works.
I made this only had a deep 8 inch tin and didn’t rise to much, can this reciepe be double and put into an 8 inch round tin that is 3 inch deep?
This cake recipe rises to fill an 8” round by 2” high cake pan. It will settle some after cooling. If you double the batter, it will be too much for an 8×3 pan, you can use a 10” round or 9×13.
What does “wrap with a wet baking strip to bake cake evenly” mean? I’ve never heard of that (& i don’t see it explained in the instructions). Thank you. Anxious to try this recipe, only using gluten free 1-to-1 flour.
Hi Connie, to ensure a level cake I use baking strips around the outside of the 8″ round baking pan, they work great and produce level cake every time. Here is a link https://amzn.to/3wFzjVW to them. I used to use strips of towels, you wet either one, wrap and secure it around the outer edge of the pan to prevent the cake from baking a rounded dome shape, it’ll bake a nice even cake.
Would this be suitable for an 8×3 inch pan? Thanks
An 8×3 ROUND pan will work, the cake will not be 3″ high, but will bake the cake nicely.
This cake was so amazing!!! My family loved it.
I’ve made this cake as is. Was fantastic, loved the whipped topping!! Could I make this with a strawberry puree? Add extra powdered milk?
do you mean strawberry in the frosting? (or cake) I’m thinking you mean frosting, puree might be too heavy in a whipped cream frosting, but you could use strawberry extract. I have lots of strawberry frosting options here https://www.createdby-diane.com/2020/06/strawberry-frosting-recipes.html
hope that helps, let me know 🙂
Cake is absolutely fabulous!
I made a totally different recipe had to throw it out, then I found your recipe and it’s amazing, light and airy, great texture. I’m definitely saving this one!
I added a tsp of cinnamon since it pops the chocolate yet that’s just me. I knew to mix wet ingredients then add dry, add boiling water last.