Easy and Moist Chocolate Cake 

How to Make a Classic Chocolate Cake from Scratch

There's nothing quite like a homemade vanilla cake—soft, fluffy, and full of rich vanilla flavor. Whether you're baking for a birthday, celebration, or just because, this classic recipe is simple to follow and guaranteed to impress. Let’s dive into how you can make the perfect vanilla cake from scratch.

Tools Needed

• stand or hand mixer

• rubber spatula

• cake pans

• wire rack for cooling

• parchment paper

The first thing you want to do it to preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease your two 6-inch (23cm) round cake pans and line them with parchment paper for easy removal. The earlier in the process you preheat the oven, the more accurate the temperature will be when you bake your cakes. This is also when I like to make my pudding (I like to keep it simple with a store bought pudding mix). If you are going to make pudding ahead of time you will want to have it chilled and ready to go before you need it, late in the recipe.

In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. You want to beat this mixture until it has lightened in color, almost white.

Then, add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Make sure to periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is getting fully incorporated. Once the eggs have been mixed in, add in the baking powder and the flour. I like to add half the flour and then give it a little mix before I add the other half of the flour. This makes it easier for the mixture to take in the dry ingredients. If you are worried about the flour getting all over the counter (or you) you can pulse the mixer. To pulse the mixture you turn it on the slowest setting for about 1 second and then quickly turn it off. Repeat this a couple times until the flour starts to mix in and then you can turn the speed up.

This is the part you really want to be careful to not over mix. As soon as you don't see any flour or cocoa stop mixing. If you continue to mix once the flour has been added you are going to develop gluten and that will lead to a dense and tough cake. Then, you are going to add in the pudding. If you want to use the mixer, only put it on the lowest speed and mix until combined. I like to hand mix in the pudding to make sure I am getting all sides of the bowl incorporated and that again, I don't over work the batter

Now you just need to evenly pour the batter into your 2 pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked into the center of the cake. Once they are fully baked, take then out of the oven, take them out of the pans, and cool on a wire rack.

From here you can frost with my favorite buttercream, or use in other recipes; the opportunities are endless!

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 2 eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup cocoa

• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 cup chocolate pudding

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Pans

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 6-inch (23cm) round cake pans or line them with parchment paper for easy removal.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 3: Add Eggs and Vanilla

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then, mix in the vanilla extract.

Step 4: Add in Dry Ingredients

Add the baking powder and half the flour. Mix until the flour is mostly mixed in and then add in the other half of the flour and the cocoa. Mix just until combined—do not overmix, as this can make the cake dense.

Step 5: Add the Pudding

Add in the pudding and mix on the lowest speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated correctly.

Step 6: Bake the Cake

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 7: Cool the Cakes

Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips for Success:

• Use room temperature ingredients for a smooth batter.

• Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake light and fluffy.

• Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.

Enjoy your homemade vanilla cake! Whether served as is or with a touch of fruit or sprinkles, this cake is sure to delight everyone.