Easy Chocolate Cake (5 Ingredients)

This Easy Chocolate Cake is a delicious and simple recipe made with only 5 super-basic wholesome ingredients for a soft and light dough ready in 40 minutes.

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I like to make cakes, and nothing really beats a simple chocolate cake. I’ve made Eggless Chocolate Cake, Crazy Chocolate Cake, or Chocolate Peppermint Cake but sometimes, I want a simpler, faster recipe. This easy chocolate cake can’t get any easier. Ready in 40 minutes with only 5 ingredients!

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need 5 ingredients to make this easy cake.

• Self-Rising Flour – If you don’t have self-rising flour, mix all-purpose flour with baking powder (1½ teaspoons per cup). For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or combine 75% gluten-free flour with 25% almond flour for better structure.
• Sugar – Any granulated sugar works. For a refined sugar-free option, use coconut sugar or light muscovado sugar for a deeper flavor.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Stick with unsweetened cocoa powder for the best chocolate flavor. Dutch-processed cocoa will yield a richer taste, while natural cocoa will be lighter and slightly acidic.
• Light Olive Oil – Use any neutral oil such as grapeseed, canola, or sunflower oil. Avoid coconut oil unless melted and the milk is at room temperature to prevent lumps.
• Almond Milk or Water – Use unsweetened plant-based milk for a richer cake, or water for a lighter texture. Other options like soy or oat milk work just as well.

How to Make Easy Chocolate Cake

This is a super simple recipe, essentially combine the ingredients and bake them. Here are photos of key steps.

Pour all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Stir with a silicone spatula until just combined.

Pour the batter into a greased 8-inch springform pan.

Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes at 350°F (180°C) with an 8-inch pan or  40-45 minutes in a 6-inch pan.

Cake Decoration Options

This cake is even better if you decorate it a bit. There are many ways to make it super pretty.

• Chocolate Ganache – This is ganache is perfect for topping the cake with even more chocolate.
• Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting – This is a classic frosting but dairy-free!
• Vegan Vanilla Frosting – This vanilla frosting is the vanilla version of my chocolate frosting and it’s made with just 4 ingredients.
• 3-Ingredient Vegan Coconut Cream Frosting – This frosting is even simpler than my classic vanilla frosting as it’s made with just 3 ingredients.
• Cashew Frosting – This healthier frosting is made without cashews for a delicious twist.
• Vegan Royal Icing – My royal icing is a great option for a slightly thicker decoration.

Carine’s Baking Tips

Here are a few more tips to make the best cake.

1. Even Baking – For an even rise, tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles before baking.
2. Cake Size Options – For cupcakes, bake them at 350°F (180°C) for 18-20 minutes.
3. Enhance Flavor – Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or a pinch of espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor.
4. Moisture Boost – Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of applesauce or mashed banana to make the cake extra moist.
5. Layer Cake Tips – If making a layered cake, freeze the layers for 30 minutes before assembling to prevent crumbs.
6. Keep it Fresh – Store the cooled cake in plastic wrap or an airtight container to maintain moisture.
7. Flavor Variations – Add chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit into the batter for texture.
8. Gluten-Free Version – Increase the baking time slightly if using gluten-free flour, as it might take longer to set.

More Cake Recipes

Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Chocolate Yogurt Cake

Pumpkin Banana Cake

Easy Coconut Cake

Easy Chocolate Cake

This Easy Chocolate Cake is a delicious and simple recipe made with only 5 super-basic wholesome ingredients for a soft and light dough ready in 40 minutes.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 slices

Calories: 165.9 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 1 ½ cup Self-Rising Flour - note 1
• ▢ ¾ cup Sugar - note 2
• ▢ ⅓ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ▢ ⅓ cup Light Olive Oil - note 3
• ▢ 1 cup Almond Milk - or water (note 4)

Optional

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease an 8-inch or 6-inch cake pan for a thicker cake.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk the dry ingredients: self-rising flour, cocoa powder, and salt if used.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add light olive oil, and almond milk.
• Whisk until the batter is smooth and consistent.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• For 6-inch pan, bake for 40-45 minutes. For an 8-inch version, bake for 25-30 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and top of the cake is set and dry.
• Let the cake cool down for 5 minutes in the cake pan, then on a cooling rack for a few hours, or until it reaches room temperature.
• You can use this cake for layer cakes, frost the cooled cake with my dairy-free chocolate frosting recipe.

Notes

Note 1: 1 1/2 cup of self-rising flour can be made with 1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and 2 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder. Gluten-Free: I didn’t try the recipe with gluten-free all-purpose flour. A quality 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend might work. Making a blend of 75% all-purpose gluten-free flour with 25% almond flour works best.

Note 2: Refined sugar-free sugar like coconut sugar or light muscovado sugar works.

Note 3: Any light flavor oil works but you should avoid coconut oil as it solidifies when in contact with cold liquids and form lumps.

Note 4: Pick a light dairy-free milk like almond milk or simply use water to keep the cake light.

Storage: You can store the cake in the fridge in an airtight container up to 4 days or freeze up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 165.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.2g | Protein: 2.4g | Fat: 6.9g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.6g | Sodium: 76.6mg | Potassium: 52.3mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 12.6g | Vitamin A: 0.3IU | Calcium: 30.6mg | Iron: 0.5mg | Magnesium: 15.8mg | Phosphorus: 32.7mg | Zinc: 0.3mg