When it comes to chocolate cake, I do not mess around. If I’m going to indulge in that many calories, it better taste amazing! I have tried numerous recipes for chocolate cake and my all time favorite chocolate cake recipe, Chocolate Bliss, takes a few hours to make from start to finish. It is well-worth the effort, but sometimes I want instant gratification that isn’t so labor intensive. So in my search for a homemade, from scratch, 10 minute chocolate cake recipe I have finally nailed it! I tweaked some existing recipes until it passed my picky palette review. This cake is moist, rich, delicious, and can be whipped up at the very last minute. Speaking of minutes, in all honesty this cake might take more like 20 minutes if you are searching your pantry for the necessary ingredients, stopping to break up an argument between the kids, doing a little dance around the kitchen while you mix, you know…as one does. But I fully trust that if you were in a race and had to get this cake on the table in 10 minutes, it could be done.
The beauty of this recipe is that you bake it in the microwave which is why it only takes 10 minutes total to make. Now before you say “awwwww heck naw”, remember that I am a chocolate cake snob. This is not your typical “cake in a mug” recipe that produces a gross pseudo-cake product. I would NOT pass along a recipe that tasted gross, or had a weird texture, or was otherwise sub-par. Granted, microwave ovens vary significantly in their cooking times, so I advise taking a cautious approach to the recommended baking time. My microwave is 1000 watts and 6 minutes is a perfect amount of time for my cake. (You will typically find the watts of your microwave listed on a sticker inside the door frame.) The very bottom center of my cake looks slightly wet and under-baked in the video but as it cools it always sets and does not taste too moist. If you bake it until the bottom (not top) center appears completely firm, you risk the edges of the cake becoming hard as a rock.
My other secret ingredient is coffee! Substituting coffee for the liquid ingredients in chocolate baked goods has always served me well. The coffee accentuates the chocolate flavor but isn’t detected by non-coffee lovers. They too will enjoy the richness of the cake and won’t notice that it’s coffee.
Take a look at this 1 minute video to see me bake this cake like a boss!
Here is the full recipe for you! Let me know if you try it, or if you have any questions. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 6 ounces (3/4 cup) coffee (cooled a bit)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 stick butter (melted)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- Ganache Ingredients:
- 1 scant cup chocolate chips (scant means not completely full)
- 6 ounces (3/4 cup) heavy cream
Instructions
- Brew 6 ounces of black coffee and set aside. (I just use the setting on my Keurig for a 6 ounce cup.) Melt butter in microwave (usually 1 minute). Place parchment paper circle in bottom of 9 inch glass pyrex pan and grease sides with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Combine all dry ingredients and whisk until well combined. Add eggs, coffee, vanilla, and butter. Make sure the butter and coffee aren’t so hot that they cook the eggs. Mix well. Add chocolate chips and fold into mixture until well combined. Pour the cake mixture into a microwave safe baking pan.
- Bake the cake on high (full power and temp) for 6 minutes (with 1000 watt microwave). Microwave oven temperature and cooking times greatly vary. Test for doneness at 5 minutes and work up until cake is done. Bottom center may be slightly undone which is desirable. Remove cake from microwave and allow to cool in pan for a few minutes.
- For Ganache: Heat 6 ounces of cream in microwave safe bowl until hot (about 1 minute 20 seconds in 1000 watt microwave). Remove from microwave an add chocolate chips to bowl. Allow cream to melt chocolate. Mix together with whisk until fully combined.
- Flip cake onto a cake stand, remove parchment paper, pour ganache over cake and serve.
Notes
Tip: Drizzle the ganache slowly and do not flood edges of cake or it will look very messy. If you have ganache left over, you can either drizzle in zig-zag pattern on white plates before plating cake slices or you can allow ganache to set a bit before pouring the rest on the cake. You can also use extra ganache to dip strawberries to create chocolate-covered strawberry garnish. The ganache will set to a glossy hard finish when left uncovered for 30 minutes or so. This cake can be served immediately with a wet ganache or reserved until ganache is set. Both ways are delicious!
Any replacement for the eggs?
I’ve never tried it with an egg replacement, so I can’t weigh in on how it would turn out.
Beth,
I am going to try this looks so good and LOVE the video to go with it!
~Bobbie
Can I bake this in an oven? If so, how many minutes? MC
I haven’t tried it in the oven, but I would probably put it in a normal cake pan (not a pyrex dish since they tend to trap more heat) and bake at 350* for 40-45 minutes. Again, I’m not positive since I haven’t made this recipe in the oven before.
Chocolate cake in 10 minutes?? I’m so there!
Great Chocolate collection recipe for short time to cook
Thanks
From one chocoholic to another…. YUM! I am totally trying this!
I don’t drink coffee and so have non on hand. What’s a replacement? Looks so yummy!!!
Thanks Ashley! It is yummy! You can use milk as a replacement. It won’t taste quite as rich but works just fine.