Chocolate Cake – Back to Basics
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This classic chocolate cake is a traditional, fail-proof sponge based on a classic Victoria-style ratio, where a portion of flour is replaced with premium cocoa powder. Prep takes 10 minutes, it bakes in 28 to 32 minutes, and it is filled with a silky, stable chocolate buttercream frosting.
Understanding the back to basics Chocolate Sponge
This recipe is essentially a chocolate version of a traditional Victoria sponge. It operates on the golden rule of equal proportions: equal weights of fat, sugar, eggs, and dry ingredients. To transform it into a chocolate masterpiece, simply remove a small portion of the self-raising flour and replace it with high-quality cocoa powder.
Because the ingredient list is so beautifully minimal, the quality of your cocoa powder is paramount. Always use a premium, 100% cocoa powder rather than a drinking chocolate mix. This ensures your sponge achieves a rich, deep mahogany colour and a punchy chocolate flavour without adding unnecessary sweetness.
Making basic but beautiful buttercream
For the chocolate buttercream, it’s quite a simple one. You MUST use ACTUAL UNSALTED BUTTER. I mean the kind you find in foil, and that when its fridge cold, is solid. You can use a spread for the cake, but NOT for the buttercream. I might get a few smart arse comments about this as to ‘why not’ but if you want a stable buttercream, that will last no matter the heat outside, use actual unsalted butter.
If its peak summer, and there is a heatwave, you won’t need to add any liquid to the buttercream. Technically, you don’t have to at all if you really do beat your buttercream well enough, but I actually like mine a smidge softer so its easier to pipe, so I usually add between one and two tablespoons of boiling water to smooth it out. But, if the weather is so hot you don’t even want the oven on, this won’t be necessary.
Changes and flavour swaps
This hardcore classic serves as an exceptional blank canvas for customisation. Here are a few ways you can easily adapt the recipe:
Fondant decorating: Because this sponge is structurally stable and reliable, it serves as the perfect sturdy base for carving or covering in heavy fondant for novelty celebration cakes.
The sugar choice: I love using light brown sugar in the sponge because it adds a subtle caramel undertone and extra moisture, but caster sugar or golden caster sugar work perfectly fine.
Flavour extracts: You can instantly change the profile by adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of peppermint or orange extract to the batter or frosting to create a mint chocolate or chocolate orange twist.
More chocolate: If you want an even softer, more modern fudgey chocolate cake, you can use dark chocolate in place of the cocoa powder if you wish – use 100g for the sponge, and 100g for the buttercream.
FAQs
Chocolate cakes can dry out quickly because cocoa powder is highly absorbent. The two most common culprits are over baking and over mixing. Check your cakes with a skewer at the 25-minute mark; as soon as it comes out clean, remove them from the oven. Also, ensure you only beat the batter until the ingredients are just combined, over mixing develops the gluten, resulting in a dense, dry sponge.
This usually happens if the oven door is opened too early during baking (never open it before the 25-minute mark!), or if too much air was whipped into the eggs during mixing, causing the structure to over-inflate and then collapse.
If your buttercream feels too firm or gritty, your block butter was likely too cold when you started mixing, or the icing sugar wasn’t beaten in well enough. To fix it, keep beating the mixture on high speed and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of boiling water. The heat from the water will slightly soften the butter fat, dissolving the sugar crystals and creating an ultra-smooth, glossy frosting.
Absolutely! This batter makes fantastic cupcakes. Line a muffin tin with 18 to 24 cupcake cases and fill them about two-thirds full. Bake at the same temperature (180°c / 160°c Fan) for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the tops spring back when gently pressed.
Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 300 g unsalted butter
- 300 g caster sugar/light brown sugar
- 245 g self raising flour
- 55 g cocoa powder
- 6 medium eggs
Chocolate Buttercream
- 200 g unsalted butter (not baking spread)
- 400 g icing sugar
- 50 g cocoa powder
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 180ºc/160ºc fan, and line two 8" cake tins with parchment paper.
- Beat together your butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the flour, cocoa powder and eggs, and beat again until combined.
- Split evenly between the two tins, and bake in the oven for 28-32 minutes. Sometimes it can take a little longer – don’t open before 25 minutes, and be as quick as you can checking with a skewer.
- Once baked, leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
For the Chocolate Buttercream
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature. Don't use a baking spread or margarine.
- Beat your butter on its own for about a minute, to loosen it up.
- Add in the icing sugar gradually, beating in during or in 1/3 at a time. Don't add it all in at once.
- Also, add in the cocoa powder, beating in fully.
- If it’s really very stiff, add in ONE tablespoon of boiling water at a time, beating fully each time, until it becomes smooth and lovely.
To Decorate
- Place your first sponge on a plate/cake board, and pipe/spread on half of the buttercream frosting. Add on the second cake, and pipe/spread on the rest of the buttercream.
- Add on anything you fancy as decoration, I used sprinkles. Enjoy!
Notes
- This cake will last at room temperature (not in the fridge as it will go hard) for three days.
- This cake can freeze for 3+ months
- I use these 8″ cake tins in this recipe
Storage and freezing
The beauty of this back to basics cake it that it will last at room temperature (not in the fridge as it will go hard) for three days. I use a cake tin or an air tight cake box to store it. You can freeze this cake before decorating for up to three months, thaw out thoroughly before finishing off with the buttercream icing.
Other “back to basics” recipes
The first in my series of ‘back to basics’ was my no-bake vanilla cheesecake. I had over SIXTY cheesecake recipes on my blog by the time I posted a delicious, but basic, vanilla cheesecake. It was something that is technically in all of the recipes already on my blog, but the number of people that had been searching for one of my blog every day astounded me.
The second in my series of ‘back to basics’, was my triple chocolate brownies. Similarly to my cheesecakes, but not to the same quantity, I had basically used the same recipe quite a few times, but always put extras in such as Biscoff, or Terry’s chocolate orange. The reactions to both of these recipes were really quite astounding! I genuinely never thought they’d be so popular, but they still are now after months of posting.
So, for the third instalment in the series, I thought I would cover one of the most delicious treats that have ever existed, the chocolate cake. Some of you may think “but you already have a chocolate cake recipe”, and I do… with my chocolate fudge cake, but that’s more an American style recipe and its super gooey, and utterly scrumptious, but definitely requires more ingredients and effort.
Could I replace the 55g of cocoa powder with 100g of milk chocolate instead of 100g dark chococolate?
Hey – you can, but sometimes using melted chocolate changes the texture slightly of the sponge! x
Hi Jane, Love your recipes, just a quick question. How deep are your 8” cake tins please
Hey! Ahh thank you! They’re all at least 3″ deep – the sponges don’t rise up to that, but I don’t tend to use thinner tins in general!
Hi I want to use this recipe but turn it into a drip tier cake how much do I use for 3-4 tiers x
The easiest thing would be to look at my drip cakes, as they’re already 3/4 tiers and most are chocolate cakes with the same style recipe! X
Hi Jane, with this recipe do you not add the eggs one at a time? It suggests that you just put all dry ingredients and eggs at the same time, but I’ve never done it like that. Thanks
I do it always as mentioned – for cakes, I cream the butter and sugar, and then add in all the eggs and flour at the same time! x
Hi I only have large eggs I was just wondering how many should I use and should I adjust anything else?
For this cake you can just swap to 5 large eggs, instead of 6 medium!
Hi Jane, just in the process of baking this cake. The top of the sponges have split whilst cooking, any idea why? It doesnt ultimately matter for this one as I’m covering with buttercream anyway but it has frustrated me and will doing me another for my daughters birthday friday.
This can be down to how it’s mixed, or even your oven and so on – there are a few reasons it can happen, but trimming off the top isn’t a bad thing! Offcuts are always tasty!
Thank you Jane for sharing this recipe. It was easy and delicious. I’m not a baker by any stretch but used this as the basis for my son’s 4th birthday cake. We all loved it. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Hey Jayne I have just discovered your website and your recipes look great. I’m going to attempt to make your chocolate cake for y son’s 18th birthday on Thursday. I only have one deep inch cake. How long do you suggest I bake the cake for if the recipe is in the one tin. Would I have to reduce the oven temperature to?
Hey! I would lower the temp to 140C for a fan oven, and bake for 105-120 minutes! It sounds like a long time, but it does take a good while and it’s worth it!
Hi Jane, Love your Recipes ! Just wondering as I have no self raising flour whether it would be possible to use plain flour and baking soda for this recipe ? X
You need baking powder, (various names across the world, but just not bicarbonate of soda) – and you mix in two level teaspoons per 150g of plain flour – whisked in well before using! x
Hi Jane. I’m struggling with adapting recipes to make 6inch cakes. I have three deep 6inch tins, I want to make quite a tall cake so would you say this same amount split between the three tins would be ok? Thanks xx
Hey! Yes I would bake the same mix between 3x 6″ tins!! x
Hi,
This is probably a stupid question but my son has requested a chocolate cake for his birthday. If I was to make this would it hold up well to being covered in fondant/ready to roll icing or is there another chocolate cake recipe you would suggest instead?
Love all your recipes, they always get great feedback!
Thanks!
Hey! Yes I think this would work well – it would be best to fill it, and crumb coat the cake and then put it in the fridge for a while before cover – this firms it up nicely before covering so makes it easier!! x
Great, thanks. That’s what I was planning so hopefully it turns out ok! Thanks!
Hi Jane, I’m planning on making this cake next week for my boyfriend. I don’t have a good track record with chocolate cake, so hoping this goes better. What cocoa powder would you recommend using? Thank you!
Shopbought I like green and blacks and tescos own – bit I actually buy large 1kg bags from amazon (cacao barry) and it’s my favourite!