Chocolate Easter Cake
Chocolate Easter cake made from scratch. Easy recipe for beginner bakers! This rich cake is filled and frosted with delightful chocolate frosting and can be decorated any way you like.
The chocolate cake sponge recipe is simple and requires basic kitchen tools. In fact, an electric mixer is optional. If you don’t have it, use a wooden spatula instead. It works just as well.
This chocolate Easter cake is moist and rich in flavor. It keeps moist for days when stored properly.
The sponge has the right amount of sweetness and paired with chocolate cream cheese frosting it is the perfect chocolate dessert!
Why make this simple Easter cake:
- Easy instructions
- Delicious and easy to make frosting (no butter)
- Simple decorations
- Perfect for any occasion not only Easter
Decorations:
Top this chocolate-flavored cake with anything Easter – chocolate eggs (small, mini, or large), chocolate bunnies and chicks.
Make cute Easter-themed fondant toppings (for inspiration: Easter bunny cupcakes).
Pro tips for making a chocolate cake:
- Before you start frosting, place the cake onto a cake board or serving plate as it will be difficult to move it around once frosted.
- The chocolate sponge can be baked in advance and frosted the next day or Easter chocolate cake can be made a day before serving (without decorations!).
- You can also split the batter into two equal-sized cake pans if you don’t have one that is deep enough to hold all of the mixture (it will rise during cooking). If you do, please remember that baking time will be shorter by about 15-20 minutes, so keep an eye on it.
- Adding boiling water to the cake mixture is important. It enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Decorate with mini eggs right before serving.
- The frosting has only a small amount of sugar. Its quantity can be easily increased if you like it sweeter.
- Remember that baking time can vary. There are many things that can cause this from the oven to the type and size of the cake pan, its position in the oven as well as the temperature of the ingredients. For this reason, it’s good to keep an eye when making the cake for the first time.
Storing leftovers:
If you happen to end up with some leftovers, you can keep them up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
More Easter cake ideas – all these desserts are perfect for any occasion, not only Easter:
- Lemon Tart
- No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Chocolate Banana Cake
- Chocolate Bundt Cake
Chocolate Easter Cake
Chocolate Easter cake made from scratch. Easy recipe for beginner bakers! This rich cake is filled and frosted with delightful chocolate frosting and can be decorated any way you like.
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 572
Ingredients
For chocolate cake:
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (220 grams)
- 1.5 cups superfine sugar , see note 1 (300 grams)
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 eggs (large), at room temperature
- 1 cup milk , at room temperature (250 milliliters)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (120 milliliters)
- ½ cup boiling water (120 milliliters)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa (40 grams)
For chocolate filling/frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese (240 grams)
- 8 ounces mascarpone (240 grams)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (40 grams)
- 4 ounces dark chocolate , 70% cocoa content, see note 2 (120 grams)
For decoration:
- cadbury’s mini chocolate eggs
- chocolate shavings
Instructions
- For chocolate cake: Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit (180 Celsius). In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Add eggs, milk, oil and mix together (with a wooden spoon or electric whisk) until combined. Pour in boiling water in 3 stages, stirring/mixing well after each addition.
- Pour the batter into an 8-inch (20-centimeter) cake pan lined with baking parchment (bottom and sides). See note 4.
- Bake at 350 Fahrenheit (180 Celsius) for about 1 hour or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting (see note 5).
- For chocolate filling/frosting: In a mixing bowl, whisk together cream cheese, mascarpone and sugar until smooth. Pour in cooled melted chocolate in 3 stages, while whisking until you get smooth frosting.
- To assemble chocolate cake: If your cake raised too much and is uneven, cut off some of the top, making it leveled. Now, cut the cake in half. Spread ½ of the frosting over the bottom half. Cover it with the top part and frost the top as well as the sides with the leftover frosting.
- Decorate with chocolate shavings and mini chocolate eggs (see note 6).
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Superfine sugar = fine granulated sugar. It is not powdered sugar.
- Bittersweet/semisweet chocolate will also work.
- Cooking time may vary. This will depend on your oven, type of cake pans, the position of them in the oven,… For that reason, please keep an eye on the cake when making it for the first time.
- You can divide the batter into 2 same-size pans. Just note that cooking time will be shorter, maybe by 15-20 minutes so make sure to keep an eye on the cakes.
- You can bake the chocolate cake in advance and finish it off the following day. Just make sure to cool it completely before wrapping it in plastic wrap.
- If making the whole cake in advance and storing it in the fridge, I recommend decorating with mini eggs right before serving. You can decorate with anything you like – Easter bunnies, chicks, chocolate eggs,…
- There is enough frosting to fill the cake and to frost it. However, using too much to fill the cake will result in having only a little to frost it so don’t over-do it!
- This cake can serve 10-12 people.
- The preparation time consists of making a chocolate cake sponge and assembling it. The time needed to make frosting is not included in the prep time as this can be done while the cake is in the oven. Count with about 10 minutes + about 20 minutes for cooling chocolate.
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Easter Cake
Amount per Serving
Calories
572
% Daily Value*
Fat
36
g
55
%
Saturated Fat
23
g
144
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Cholesterol
88
mg
29
%
Sodium
278
mg
12
%
Potassium
272
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
57
g
19
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
38
g
42
%
Protein
8
g
16
%
Vitamin A
720
IU
14
%
Calcium
127
mg
13
%
Iron
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and rating below or tag me on Instagram @happyfoodstube.
LEAVE A COMMENT
What a beautiful cake. Looks beyond delicious. So festive and perfect for Easter celebration. I will have to make this for my family. Thanks!
Such a beautiful chocolate cake, perfect for Easter! Love the combination of mascarpone and cream cheese in the filling — brilliant!
Thanks, Michelle!
I had never heard of the boiling water trick but it really did bring out the chocolate flavor so much more! What a great baking hack! Thanks for sharing this delicious cake.
You are welcome!
This looks heavenly and perfect for my two chocolate lovers! This will be gone so quick! My hubby and daughter already love this!
So moist and chocolatey! Your decorations are absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you, Michelle!