Recipe

Light Easy Chocolate Cake

A fluffy, not too heavy chocolate cake with a tangy cocoa flavor and a quick sweet glaze. One bowl, simple ingredients, big payoff.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A single slice of light chocolate cake on a plate with glossy chocolate glaze and a few fresh berries

Jump to Recipe

Some chocolate cakes are all drama. Three bowls, a mixer, and that sinking feeling when the center dips like a sad trampoline. This is not that cake.

This light, easy chocolate cake is the one I make when I want chocolate without the brick-like aftermath. It is tender, fluffy, and super chocolatey, with a little tang that makes the cocoa taste brighter and deeper. Think: the difference between a flat soda and one with a squeeze of lime.

The best part is you likely have everything already. We lean on buttermilk or yogurt for that tangy-sweet vibe, and a simple glaze that sets up shiny and sliceable. No perfection required. Just taste as you go and trust your nose when the cake smells like it is ready.

A glass mixing bowl with chocolate cake batter being whisked by hand on a kitchen counter

Why It Works

Light crumb, not dense: Oil keeps it moist and fluffy, even the next day.
Tangy and sweet balance: Buttermilk or yogurt adds gentle acidity that makes cocoa taste more chocolatey.
No-fuss method: A whisk and a bowl gets you there. No mixer needed.
Forgiving bake: This batter stays tender because we avoid overmixing and use the right leavening combo.
Quick finish: A simple cocoa glaze gives you that bakery look with weeknight effort.

Pairs Well With

Vanilla whipped cream
Fresh raspberries or strawberries
Hot coffee or cold brew
Vanilla ice cream

Storage Tips

How to Store This Cake

Room temperature: Store covered for up to 2 days. If your kitchen runs warm, keep it in the coolest spot you have.
Refrigerator: Up to 5 days in an airtight container. The fridge can dry cake out, so keep it tightly sealed.
Freezer: Freeze slices for up to 2 months. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temp for about 1 hour.
Glaze tip: If you plan to freeze, you can freeze the cake unglazed and add glaze after thawing for the freshest finish.

Individual slices of chocolate cake stored in an airtight container

Common Questions

What makes it “tangy”?

The tang comes from buttermilk or yogurt. That acidity wakes up cocoa flavor and reacts with baking soda for extra lift.

Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?

Yes. For a quick swap, add 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup, then fill with milk to 1/2 cup. Let it sit 5 minutes, then use it.

Will the coffee make it taste like coffee?

Not really. Coffee mostly makes the chocolate taste deeper and more “grown up.” If you are coffee-avoidant, use hot water instead and you will still get a great cake.

Can I make this into cupcakes?

Totally. Line a muffin pan and fill each cup about 2/3 full. Bake at 350°F for 14 to 18 minutes, and start checking early since this batter is on the thinner side. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs.

Why does the recipe use both baking powder and baking soda?

Baking soda needs acid (hello, buttermilk) and helps with browning and tenderness. Baking powder gives reliable lift too. Together they keep the cake light.

How do I know it is done without drying it out?

Start checking early. The cake is done when the center springs back lightly, the edges look set and pull slightly from the pan, and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Can I make it dairy free?

You can try using an unsweetened plant milk soured with lemon juice, and a dairy free yogurt if you have it. The texture stays surprisingly good, though the tang is a little milder.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

8 inch or 9 inch round cake pan, or an 8 inch square pan
Mixing bowl
Whisk and rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Fine mesh sieve (optional for cocoa and powdered sugar)
Wire rack for cooling

I started making this cake for those nights when you want something sweet but you do not want a sink full of bowls. The first time, I was aiming for “light chocolate snack cake,” and I accidentally fell in love with the tang from buttermilk. It made the cocoa taste sharper and richer, like it had something to say.

Now it is my go-to when someone texts, “Can you bring dessert?” and I still want to enjoy my own evening. It is the kind of cake that looks humble, then you take a bite and immediately go back for a second forkful.

Light Easy Chocolate Cake

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 28 minutes

Total Time 43 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 large egg, room temperature
1/3 cup (75 g) neutral oil (canola, avocado, or vegetable)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120 g) buttermilk (or plain yogurt thinned with a splash of milk)
1/2 cup (120 g) hot coffee or hot water

Tangy Sweet Cocoa Glaze

1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons (10 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 to 3 tablespoons buttermilk or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt

Instructions

Prep the pan and oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 inch or 9 inch round pan (or 8 inch square). Line the bottom with parchment if you want zero stress when unmolding.
Pan note: A 9 inch pan bakes a bit faster since the cake is thinner. Start checking around 22 to 24 minutes.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. If your cocoa is lumpy, sift it in.
Add the wet ingredients (except the hot liquid). Whisk in the egg, oil, vanilla, and buttermilk until smooth. Stop once the dry streaks disappear. Overmixing is how you lose the light crumb.
Add the hot coffee. Pour in hot (not boiling) coffee or hot water and whisk until the batter is glossy and loose. It will be thinner than brownie batter, but it should not be watery.
Bake. Pour batter into the pan. Bake 26 to 32 minutes (less for a 9 inch pan), until the center springs back lightly, the edges look set and pull slightly from the pan, and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Cool. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack (or leave in the pan if serving it as a snack cake). Let it cool completely before glazing.
Make the glaze. Whisk powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons buttermilk or milk. Add a tiny splash more as needed until it pours slowly off a spoon. You want it thick enough to cling.
Glaze and serve. Drizzle over the cooled cake. Let it set for 10 to 15 minutes, then slice. If you want extra tang, serve with berries or a spoonful of yogurt on the side.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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