Nut-free chocolate cake
A moist, deeply chocolate cake with glossy ganache — reliably nut-free and ideal for birthdays or teatime.
This is a reliably moist chocolate cake topped with a simple dark ganache — made without any nuts so it’s safe for nut-free celebrations. It’s forgiving, quick to assemble and keeps well for a couple of days.
The trick is boiling water in the batter: it intensifies the cocoa and makes the crumb astonishingly tender. Finish with a quick ganache for a glossy, grown-up finish that’s fuss-free but impressive.
Ingredients
- 200 g plain flour
- 60 g cocoa powder — unsweetened
- 300 g caster sugar
- 10 ml baking powder
- 5 ml bicarbonate of soda
- 5 ml salt
- 2 eggs — large
- 150 ml whole milk
- 120 ml sunflower oil
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 150 ml boiling water
- 150 g dark chocolate — 70% cocoa recommended
- 150 ml double cream
Equipment
- 20 cm round loose-based cake tin
- wire cooling rack
- electric whisk or hand whisk
- small saucepan
- heatproof bowl
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional. Line the base of a 20 cm round loose-based cake tin with baking parchment and grease the sides lightly.
Sift the plain flour and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the caster sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, then whisk together to combine evenly.
In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, whole milk, sunflower oil and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and whisk briefly until just combined — the batter will be thick at this stage.
Carefully whisk in the boiling water in two additions — the batter will become quite thin. Scrape down the bowl and give a final quick stir so everything is incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin, give the tin a gentle tap on the work surface to remove large air bubbles and level the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
Leave the cake on the wire rack to cool completely for about 120 minutes before glazing.
To make the ganache, chop the dark chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Heat the double cream in a small saucepan until it just reaches a simmer (do not boil), then pour over the chocolate. Leave for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and glossy.
Pour the ganache over the cooled cake, use a palette knife to spread and let it drip naturally down the sides. Leave the ganache to set at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing.
Slice with a sharp knife wiped between cuts for neat slices. Serve at room temperature.
Tips
- Line the tin with a circle of baking parchment cut to fit the base — this makes turning out the cake foolproof.
- If you don’t have an electric whisk, beat the wet ingredients well and fold into the dry with a sturdy spoon; the final batter will still be thin after the boiling water.
- Always allow the cake to cool completely before pouring ganache — warm cake melts the glaze and ruins the finish.
- Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 48 hours; if you chill it, bring to room temperature before serving for best flavour.
- If your ganache is too thick to pour, warm it gently over a pan of simmering water, stirring until spreadable — do not overheat.
Substitutions
sunflower oil → melted mild vegetable oil or light olive oil, same quantity
Stays closewhole milk → semi-skimmed milk, same quantity
Stays closedouble cream → single cream for a looser ganache (use 150 ml), or 100 ml double cream + 50 g butter for extra sheen
Noticeably differentdark chocolate → milk chocolate for a sweeter ganache (use 150 g), flavour will be sweeter and less intense
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 610
- Calories
- 8 g
- Protein
- 66 g
- Carbs
- 35 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 40 g
- Sugar
- 180 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this cake in advance?
Yes — bake and cool the cake, then keep it wrapped at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Add the ganache on the day you plan to serve for the freshest finish.
How do I know when it’s baked?
A skewer inserted into the centre should come out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter. If it comes out very wet, return to the oven and check every 3–5 minutes.
Can I freeze the cake?
Yes — freeze the unfrosted sponge wrapped tightly for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, bring to room temperature and then spread ganache.
Is this recipe nut-free?
Yes — all ingredients here are nut-free as written. Always check labels on chocolate and other packaged goods to confirm they’re made in a nut-free facility if cross-contamination is a concern.
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