Delia Smith All In One Chocolate Cake Recipe

This light all-in-one chocolate cake is made with self-raising flour, cocoa powder, soft butter, caster sugar and eggs whisked together in one bowl. The chocolate sponge bakes in 35 minutes and is sandwiched with a simple chocolate buttercream. It serves eight and takes about 50 minutes from start to finish.

I have been making this for birthdays for years because it never lets me down. There is barely any washing up and it always rises as long as the butter is properly soft.

All-in-One Chocolate Cake Ingredients

For the Sponge:

• 175g self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 rounded teaspoon baking powder
• 40g cocoa powder, sifted
• 175g butter, very soft at room temperature
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

For the Chocolate Buttercream:

• 75g butter, softened
• 175g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, sifted
• 1-2 drops vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon warm water (if needed to loosen)

How to Make All-in-One Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat the oven: Set to 170°C (150°C Fan / Gas Mark 3). Grease two 20cm sandwich tins with butter and line the bases with baking parchment.
2. Combine the dry ingredients: Sift the self-raising flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl. Hold the sieve high to aerate the flour. Add the softened butter, caster sugar and eggs on top.
3. Mix the batter: Using an electric hand whisk, beat on medium speed for about one minute until smooth and creamy. The mixture should drop easily from the spoon. Do not overmix or the sponge will turn out tough.
4. Bake the sponges: Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and smooth the tops. Bake on the centre shelf for 30 to 35 minutes until well-risen and springing back when pressed lightly.
5. Cool the cakes: Leave in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment and cool completely before icing.
6. Make the buttercream: Beat the softened butter until creamy, then gradually whisk in the sifted icing sugar and cocoa powder. Add a drop of vanilla extract and a teaspoon of warm water if needed to loosen.
7. Assemble the cake: Place one sponge upside down on a serving plate and spread half the buttercream over it. Place the second sponge on top and spread the remaining icing over the top.

What Are the Best Tips for All-in-One Chocolate Cake?

• Soften the butter properly: The entire success depends on the butter being very soft. If it is hard you will have to overbeat the batter, which makes the sponge heavy. Cut cold butter into cubes and leave somewhere warm for 20 minutes.
• Sift the cocoa powder: Cocoa forms hard little lumps that will not break down during mixing. If you skip this step you will find pockets of bitter dry powder in the finished cake.
• Use the lower temperature: Delia bakes this at 170°C, which is lower than most cakes. The lower heat lets the cocoa-heavy batter rise without drying out at the edges. Stick to 20cm tins for the best result.
• Try a ganache instead of buttercream: For a richer finish, melt 150g dark chocolate with 150ml double cream over a bain-marie. Let it cool until spreadable, then use it exactly as you would the buttercream. This pairs well with Delia’s chocolate torte style.
• Make cupcakes with the same batter: This quantity fills about 12 cupcake cases. Bake at 170°C for 15 to 18 minutes. Top each one with a swirl of the chocolate buttercream. If you prefer something denser, try Delia’s chocolate brownies instead.

What Should You Serve on the Side?

This is a rich sponge so it works well with a simple cup of Earl Grey tea, which cuts through the chocolate. For a dessert course, a pouring of fresh single cream or a handful of raspberries adds a tart contrast to the buttercream.

If you are serving it after dinner, a small bowl of chocolate mousse on the side makes it feel like a proper occasion. For birthdays, the cake looks good on its own with just a light dusting of icing sugar on top.

How Long Does This Keep?

Store the finished cake in an airtight tin or under a cake dome at room temperature. It will stay fresh and moist for up to three days.

If your kitchen is warm, pop it in the fridge to stop the buttercream softening. Bring it back to room temperature before serving so the sponge relaxes.

The un-iced sponges freeze well. Wrap them individually in cling film then foil and freeze for up to three months. Defrost fully at room temperature before icing.

What Are the Most Common Mistakes with All-in-One Chocolate Cake?

• Butter too cold: This is the number one cause of a heavy, flat sponge. The butter must be soft enough to squash easily between your fingers. Microwave it in 5 second bursts if you are short on time, but do not melt it.
• Overmixing the batter: One minute with an electric whisk is enough. If you keep beating beyond that, the gluten in the flour develops and the sponge turns tough and rubbery instead of light.
• Opening the oven too early: If you open the door before 25 minutes, the cold air causes the sponge to collapse in the middle. Wait until at least 25 minutes before checking.
• Wrong tin size: Smaller tins make the batter too deep, so the outside overcooks while the middle stays raw. Larger tins spread it too thin, giving you a flat, dry result. Stick to 20cm tins.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 450 kcal
• Fat: 24g
• Carbohydrates: 55g
• Protein: 6g

Nutrition information is estimated per slice based on 8 servings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the all-in-one method for cakes? It means putting all the ingredients into one bowl and whisking them together at the same time, skipping the traditional creaming step. The key is using very soft butter so everything combines smoothly in under a minute.

How does Delia’s all-in-one chocolate cake compare to Mary Berry’s? Mary Berry blooms her cocoa in boiling water first, which gives a deeper chocolate flavour. Delia sifts hers in dry with the flour, which is faster and gives a lighter sponge.

Can I use plain flour instead of self-raising? Yes, add two level teaspoons of baking powder instead of one. Sift it together with the flour and cocoa to distribute it evenly.

Can I add coffee to this chocolate cake? Yes, replace the warm water in the buttercream with a teaspoon of cooled espresso. You can also dissolve a teaspoon of instant coffee in hot water and fold it into the batter before baking.

Can I bake this in one tin instead of two? Yes, use a single deep 20cm tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes at the same temperature. Once cool, check with a skewer, slice horizontally and fill with buttercream.

Try More Recipes:

• Delia Smith Chocolate Torte Recipe
• Delia Smith Chocolate Roulade Recipe
• Delia Smith Squidgy Chocolate Cake Recipe