Zero Recipe

Prepare and Preheat

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper; lightly grease the paper.

Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and break up any clumps.

Cream Butter and Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with the vegetable oil until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Combine Wet and Dry

Add half of the dry ingredient mixture to the butter-egg mixture and mix on low until just combined. Pour in the whole milk and continue mixing until smooth. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined; do not overmix.

Add Hot Water

Slowly stir in the hot water until the batter is smooth and slightly thin. The hot water blooms the cocoa for a glossy, moist crumb.

Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no raw batter.

Cool

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, invert onto the rack, remove the parchment, then invert again so the top is up. Cool completely before glazing (about 1 hour).

Heat Cream

Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan and heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges (do not boil). Remove from heat.

Make Glaze

Place semisweet chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 1–2 minutes to soften. Add light corn syrup and unsalted butter, then gently stir from the center outward until smooth and glossy.

Glaze the Cake

Place the cooled cake on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch drips. Pour the warm glaze over the center of the cake, using a spatula to coax it toward the edges so it drips down the sides evenly. If needed, spoon additional glaze over any bare spots. Let set at room temperature for 30–60 minutes until the glaze is set.

Optional Garnish

Once the glaze is set but still slightly tacky, sprinkle sea salt flakes evenly over the top and dust lightly with cocoa powder if desired.

Slice and serve: Transfer the cake to a serving plate and slice with a hot, clean knife for neat slices. Store any leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.