Say hello to the BEST quick and easy chocolate cake from scratch recipe! Made in a sheet pan, this single layer cake is fluffy, moist and completely delicious – AND it only takes 35 minutes to prep and bake! Topped with a simple chocolate icing and colourful sprinkles, it is the perfect celebration cake for birthday parties and special occasions.
As a self-confessed chocoholic, I feel like chocolate cake is the answer to just about any situation! From my chocolate mud cake and chocolate fingers cake to my decadent 3-ingredient flourless chocolate cake, you will find a chocolate cake recipe to suit every mood and occasion!
And when you need a super easy chocolate cake from scratch and don't have all day to bake and assemble, this is hands-down the fastest and simplest recipe to make. It’s an old-fashioned favourite that has probably made an appearance in a birthday party or two from your childhood!
This ultra-fluffy cake has a fantastically rich chocolate taste, and you won't believe how quick and easy it is to put together! The batter can be whipped up in just one bowl, and then the cake is piled high with an old-fashioned chocolate icing that couldn’t be simpler to make!
It is incredible served as a simple cake, but also doubles as a dessert served with a big scoop of your favourite ice cream too!
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy – you won’t believe how easy this cake is! A handful of basic pantry ingredients is all you need and the batter all comes together in one bowl.
- Single layer cake – a sheet pan cake with no need for assembly or fancy decorating. Just a thin layer of chocolate icing and sprinkles (of course!)
- Rich chocolate flavour – everyone loves chocolate cake from scratch! And this one is an old-fashioned, nostalgic cake that has been adored by kids and adults alike for years!
- Versatile – keep it low-key with a simple icing and sprinkles, or dress it up with some whipped cream, fresh berries or any of your favourite toppings.
- Perfect for any occasion – serve it for morning or afternoon tea, birthday parties, picnics, barbeques, school fairs or just because!
What You Need
Nothing fancy here, just a handful of simple baking ingredients (that you probably already have in your pantry) are all you need!
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
For The Cake
- Cocoa powder – use regular, unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Self-raising flour – forms the structure of the cake and also gives the cake its lift. Self raising flour is a blend of plain flour and a rising agent. If you don’t have any, you can make your own by adding 2 teaspoons of baking powder for every 1 cup of plain flour.
- Caster sugar - also known as superfine sugar.
- Milk – full fat, whole milk is recommended for the best flavour and texture.
- Eggs – use room temperature eggs for best results. If they are straight from the fridge, you can simply place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Vanilla extract
- Butter – for best results, I recommend using real butter, rather than margarine or butter substitutes.
For The Icing
- Icing sugar – icing sugar mixture or pure icing sugar can be used. Icing sugar mixture will make a softer icing, whereas pure icing sugar sets the icing hard. You can also adjust the quantities to make the icing thinner or thicker, if preferred.
- Cocoa powder
- Hot water
- Sprinkles - optional but highly recommmended!
Step By Step Instructions
I just LOVE how easy it is to make this super easy chocolate cake from scratch.
Just a few simple steps and one bowl is all you need!
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
Step 1 - Mix The Cake Batter
Sift the self-raising flour and cocoa powder together in a bowl. Add the caster sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla extract and melted butter. Beat with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
Step 2 - Bake
Spread the mixture into a prepared sheet pan (square baking tin) and bake at 170 degrees celsius for 25-30 minutes.
The cake will be ready when a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, with a few crumbs.
Cool the cake in the tin before transferring to a wire rack.
Step 3 - Make The Chocolate Icing
Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder together in a bowl.
Add the hot water and stir until smooth and combined.
**This icing is completely forgiving, so if it's too thin, simply add a little more icing sugar, if it's too thick, add a little more hot water until you have the desired consistency.
Spread the icing over the cooled cake and top with sprinkles. Slice, and serve!
Expert Tips & FAQs
Follow these helpful tips for the BEST chocolate cake EVER!
The cake will be ready when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the icing. Otherwise, it will melt and slide off the cake.
I always recommend sifting icing sugar so that you don't get lumps through it.
You can use either a soft icing sugar mixture or a pure icing sugar. Using the soft icing mixture will make a softer icing, whereas pure icing sugar sets much harder (sometimes better in lunchboxes!)
If you add the hot water and the consistency is too thin, just add more sifted icing sugar, and if the consistency is too thin, add a little more hot water until you get the consistency that you want.
This cake is best eaten in the first day or two, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Sure, the un-iced cake can be frozen (whole, or cut into pieces) for up to 3 months. Before freezing, allow the cake to cool completely. Then, wrap it well and place it into an airtight container in the freezer. To thaw, leave the cake in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature for around 2 hours before serving. You can freeze it once iced too, but it is so easy to make the icing that I recommend freshly icing and decorating the thawed cake when ready to serve.
Related Recipes
Chocoholics, rejoice! Here you'll find a chocolate cake for simply every occasion!
Super Easy Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 2 tbs cocoa powder
- 150 g (1 cup) self-raising flour
- 225 g (1 cup) caster sugar
- 125 g (½ cup) milk
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 30 g (2 tbs) butter melted
For the icing
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) icing sugar
- 1 tbs cocoa powder
- 1-2 tbs hot water
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Grease and line a 20cm sheet pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
- Sift the cocoa powder and self-raising flour into a bowl.
- Add the caster sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla extract and melted butter. Beat for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out with a few crumbs on it. Set aside to cool before turning out onto a wire rack.
- To prepare the icing, sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add the hot water and mix until smooth and slightly runny. If your icing is too thick, add a little more water.
- Working quickly, spread the icing over the cake (use a hot knife to help spread the icing).
- Decorate with sprinkles (optional).
Thermomix Method
- Grease and line a 20cm sheet pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
- Melt the butter for 2 minutes, Speed 1, 100 degrees.
- Add the cocoa powder, self-raising flour, caster sugar, milk, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix fo 10 seconds, Speed 4 (MC removed).
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for a further 20 seconds, Speed 4 (MC removed).
- Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out with a few crumbs on it. Set aside to cool before turning out onto a wire rack.
- To prepare the icing, place the icing sugar and cocoa powder into the TM bowl. Press Turbo 5-10 times to sift.
- Add the hot water and mix on Speed 6 until smooth and slightly runny (you'll need to scrape down the sides of the bowl partway through mixing). If your icing is too thick, add a little more water. Working quickly, spread the icing over the cake (use a hot knife to help spread the icing).
- Decorate with sprinkles (optional).
Notes
- Baking tips - the cake will be ready when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the icing, otherwise, it will melt and drip down the sides of the cake.
- Icing sugar - I recommend you sift the icing sugar to avoid lumps. You can use either soft icing sugar mixture or pure icing sugar, however 'soft icing mixture' will result in a softer icing, 'pure icing sugar' sets harder.
- Consistency of icing - you want the icing to be spreadable but not so thin that it runs off the cake. If the icing mixture is too thin, just add a little more sifted icing sugar. If too thick, carefully add a little more hot water.
- Storing - this cake is best eaten in the first day or two, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Freezing - the un-iced cake can be frozen (whole, or cut into pieces) for up to 3 months. Before freezing, allow it to cool completely. Then, wrap the cake well and place it into an airtight container in the freezer. To thaw, leave the cake in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature for around 2 hours before serving. The iced cake can be frozen too, but the icing is so easy to make that I recommend freshly icing and decorating the thawed cake when ready to serve.
Brigitte Dheurle says
Can I use oil instead of butter?
Lucy says
Hi Brigitte, unfortunately this recipe does require butter.
Julie-Anne Cassimatis says
I loved it!
Ange says
Hi, we've made this cake a few times and love it! My son's birthday is coming up and he wants the soccer ball from the women's weekly cake book, it's baked in a pudding steamer, which I have. Would I be able to use this recipe and just cook for a little longer?
Lucy says
Hi Ange, ooh good question! I haven't tried that sorry!
Debbie says
could buttermilk or greek yoghurt be used instead of the milk?
Lucy says
Hi Debbie, you could use buttermilk if you prefer!