Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›Secret Garden Restaurant›Chocolate Cake Recipe

Chocolate Cake Recipe

Inspired by Secret Garden Restaurant
Time1h 30m
Serves12

Make Chocolate Cake Recipe in just 1h 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Dry Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

For Frosting

Method

Preparing the Cake Batter

  1. 1

    Preheat the Oven

    Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

  2. 2

    Combine Dry Ingredients

    In a large mixing bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.

  3. 3

    Mix Wet Ingredients

    In another bowl, beat the eggs and then add the whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.

  4. 4

    Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

    Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

  5. 5

    Add Boiling Water

    Slowly stir in the boiling water to the batter. The batter will be thin, but this is normal.

Baking the Cake

  1. 6

    Pour Batter into Pans

    Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.

  2. 7

    Bake the Cakes

    Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

  3. 8

    Cool the Cakes

    Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Preparing the Frosting

  1. 9

    Beat the Butter

    In a mixing bowl, beat the unsalted butter until creamy and smooth.

  2. 10

    Add Cocoa and Sugar

    Gradually add the powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder, mixing well to combine.

  3. 11

    Add Cream and Vanilla

    Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla extract, and continue to beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Assembling the Cake

  1. 12

    Frost the First Layer

    Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of frosting on top.

  2. 13

    Add Second Layer

    Place the second cake layer on top of the frosted first layer.

  3. 14

    Frost the Top and Sides

    Spread frosting over the top and sides of the entire cake.

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