Written by Kate Tietje and updated by Sarena-Rae Santos in June of 2022. 

We love chocolate cake with vanilla frosting.  I make chocolate cake or brownies a lot, at least compared to the other treats I make.  But this one was better than most — rich but not overpowering, sweet but not too sweet, and moist and yummy.  Everyone liked it.

For a real “treat,” use unbleached white flour (I’ve used it recently because I keep forgetting to sprout some wheat…must get on that).  For a healthier treat, use sprouted.  It changes the texture only slightly.  Top it with whipped cream, chocolate hazelnut sauce, real buttercream (which uses no powdered sugar!), or fresh fruit.

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups maple syrup
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups unbleached flour or sprouted flour
• 1 cup milk

Directions:

Step 1: Add the butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and eggs to your bowl.  Stir this together.

Step 2: Add your cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.

Step 3: Stir together well.  A hand mixer is very helpful to get it to mix smoothly.

Step 4: Add half the flour, then milk, then the other half of the flour.  Beat well.

Step 5: Pour the cake into two 8″ round or 8 x 8″ square pans.  A 9 x 13 would work, or it should make 18-24 cupcakes.

Step 6: Bake at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes (test for doneness by sticking a toothpick in the center — if it comes out clean, it’s done).

Step 7: After the cake cools, frost or top as desired and serve!

In the original version of this recipe (in 2012), I had my then 4-year-old daughter, Rebekah, help me make it.  She’s a little more independent in her baking now!  (She made the cupcakes and used to update the images herself.)  I couldn’t help but keep one image of her helping me back then; it was too cute!

Chocolate Cake

Outstanding, moist, sweet but not too sweet chocolate cake recipe made with real food ingredients.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup butter softened
• 1 1/2 cups maple syrup
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups unbleached or sprouted flour
• 1 cup milk

Instructions

 

• Add the butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and eggs to your bowl.  Stir this together.
• Add your cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.
• Stir together well. A hand mixer is very helpful to get it to mix smoothly.
• Add half the flour, then milk, then the other half of the flour. Beat well.
• Pour the cake into two 8" round or 8 x 8" square pans. A 9 x 13 would work, or it should make 18-24 cupcakes.
• Bake at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes (test for doneness by sticking a toothpick in the center -- if it comes out clean, it's done).
• After the cake cools, frost or top as desired and serve!

How do you top your chocolate cake?

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