A Classic Cake
Although our blog often highlights Scandinavian and Danish baking, we also appreciate timeless classics. While we enjoy elaborate pastries like Danish wienerbrød and choux buns, sometimes an easy, reliable cake is exactly what we want. Sheet pan cakes and simple round cakes are staples for those moments. Over the past year we’ve shared approachable recipes such as æblekage (apple cake), drømmekage (dream cake), and honningkage (honey cake). Today we turn to the simplest of classics: chocolate cake.
Our Chocolate Cake
A great chocolate cake should be moist, tender, and full of chocolate flavor. We prefer to emphasize cocoa powder rather than melted chocolate for a lighter crumb, and we boost the chocolate notes by adding coffee. A small amount of cooled coffee or espresso intensifies the cocoa without making the cake taste like coffee, and it helps balance the sweetness. If you don’t have coffee, you can substitute water or milk, but the flavor will be slightly different.
How to Make Chokoladekage
This chocolate cake is straightforward to prepare. Begin by whisking eggs and sugar until the mixture is pale and significantly increased in volume—this gives the cake lift and a light texture. Add vanilla, then gently fold in the dry ingredients: sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Separately mix the oil, cooled coffee or espresso, and milk, and alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to the egg mixture. Pour the batter into a prepared, lined 9-inch round tin and bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before topping with ganache. Serve with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for contrast.
Chokoladekage (Chocolate Cake)
Pin Recipe
IMPORTANT NOTE:
We bake using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and milliliters) and test our recipes in a convection (fan) oven. If you use volume measurements or a conventional oven, expect slight differences in timing and texture.
Ingredients
CAKE
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 120 grams all purpose flour
- 80 grams cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 120 ml vegetable oil
- 60 ml coffee or espresso (or dissolve 1 tsp instant coffee in 60 ml water)
- 60 ml milk
GANACHE
- 113 grams chopped chocolate
- 120 ml heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
CAKE
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
-
Grease a 9-inch round cake tin and line the bottom with parchment paper.
-
In a stand mixer bowl or a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar until the mixture is pale and has increased in volume. A stand mixer with a whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer makes this faster.
-
Add the vanilla extract and mix briefly to combine.
-
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Sifting helps prevent lumps.
-
In another container, combine the vegetable oil, cooled coffee or espresso, and milk.
-
Add the dry and wet ingredients to the egg mixture in alternating additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed or fold gently between additions until just combined.
-
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
-
Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a knife or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Avoid overbaking to keep the cake moist. Remove from the oven and cool completely before adding ganache.
GANACHE
-
Warm the heavy cream until it is just below boiling. Pour it over the chopped chocolate and let sit for a minute, then stir gently until smooth. Stir in a pinch of salt to enhance flavor. Let the ganache cool to thickened but spreadable consistency at room temperature, or chill briefly to set faster.
-
Spread the ganache over the fully cooled cake. Decorate as you like with swirls, grated chocolate, or a light dusting of cocoa powder.
