Everyday Chocolate Cake
Easy and simple chocolate butter cake with a tender crumb, perfect for any occasion.
Servings 1 8 or 9 inch cake
Ingredients
- 113g or ½ cup butter unsalted (cold is fine)
- 65g or ⅓ cup canola or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- 200g or 1 cup sugar granulated
- 3 large eggs at room temperature* (temperature is very important)
- 195g or 1 ½ cup cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 50g or ½ cup dutch cocoa powder
- 60g or ¼ cup boiling hot water
- 120g or ½ cup kefir or buttermilk
- granulated sugar for topping (organic will give you bigger granules but fine is ok too)
Instructions
- Set the eggs in a bowl of hot tap water. This will bring them to room temperature: essential to getting the batter to emulsify.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and line an 8 or 9 inch pan with parchment paper.
- Melt the butter and add it to a large bowl. Stir in the oil, salt and vanilla. Add the sugar and whisk well, until the sugar begins to dissolve and the mixture is thick.
- Add one of the eggs and whisk for a good 30 seconds. Add another and whisk again, for another 30 seconds. Add the last egg and whisk very well: the mixture will be thick, shiny and creamy.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa and baking powder. Over it, add the hot boiling water and the buttermilk. Whisk until no dry flour or cocoa bits remain. It’s ok if it’s lumpy.
- Pour into the prepared pan, smooth into an even layer and sprinkle the top with the sugar.
- Bake the cake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes (an 8x8 pan will take a bit longer than a 9x9 inch).