Chocolate Chip Cake is a delightful and straightforward recipe perfect for satisfying your sweet cravings. This recipe provides a wonderfully moist and tender cake studded with melty chocolate chips, making it an ultimate comfort food dessert that’s incredibly easy to whip up.
Key Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cake:
This Chocolate Chip Cake recipe is a dream for busy home bakers. It’s incredibly simple to assemble, delivering a moist, tender crumb bursting with gooey chocolate chips. The preparation time is approximately 15 minutes, with another 40-45 minutes for baking, making it a perfect treat for any occasion. The rich, comforting flavor and satisfying texture are truly unparalleled.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan, or line it with parchment paper. This prevents the cake from sticking and ensures it slides out cleanly after baking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside. Whisking them together ensures the leavening agents are evenly distributed, which is crucial for a consistent rise.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer (or a sturdy whisk and some elbow grease!), cream together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This process incorporates air, which contributes to the cake’s tender texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the two large eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, stir in the vanilla extract for that classic sweet aroma and flavor.
- Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can result in a tough cake. You want to mix until you no longer see streaks of flour.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips using a spatula. Ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter for maximum chocolatey goodness in every bite.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Once baked, let the Chocolate Chip Cake cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Allowing it to cool in the pan initially prevents it from breaking when you turn it out.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Chip Cake:
You’ll adore this Chocolate Chip Cake for its unbelievably moist and tender crumb, dotted generously with pools of melty, decadent semi-sweet chocolate. It’s the ultimate hug in cake form, offering pure comfort without any fuss. Making this cake at home is incredibly cost-effective, saving you money compared to bakery prices while delivering superior freshness and quality. The classic combination of vanilla cake and chocolate chips is timeless, but this recipe elevates it with its perfect texture and distribution of chips, making it a beloved alternative to a simple chocolate chip cookie.
This delightful treat is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, perfect for birthdays, holidays, or just a Tuesday afternoon pick-me-up. Forget complicated dessert recipes; this Chocolate Chip Cake is designed for ease and ultimate satisfaction. Prepare to impress yourself and your loved ones with this simple yet spectacular cake. Give it a try today – your taste buds will thank you!
Storing and Reheating Tips:
- Storing at Room Temperature: Once completely cooled, the Chocolate Chip Cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Ensure it’s properly covered to maintain its moisture.
- Refrigeration: For longer storage, refrigerate the cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The cake may firm up slightly in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: To reheat slices of cake, you can gently warm them in a microwave for 10-20 seconds, or in a low oven (around 300°F/150°C) for a few minutes until warmed through and the chocolate chips are slightly melty again.
- Freezing: This Chocolate Chip Cake freezes beautifully. Wrap individual slices or the entire cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Final Thoughts:
This Chocolate Chip Cake is a testament to simple pleasures, offering a comforting and delicious experience with minimal effort. Gather your ingredients and prepare to bake up a batch of pure joy that everyone will absolutely love. Dig in and enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan, or line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer (or a sturdy whisk and some elbow grease!), cream together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- Beat in the two large eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, stir in the vanilla extract for that classic sweet aroma and flavor.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can result in a tough cake. You want to mix until you no longer see streaks of flour.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
- Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips using a spatula.1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Once baked, let the Chocolate Chip Cake cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.