Authentic Italian Chocolate Cake (Torta al Cioccolato)
This Authentic Italian Chocolate Cake (Torta al Cioccolato) is easy to make and irresistible, with a rich chocolate flavor and moist, tender crumb. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, it’s a one-bowl recipe you’ll love. Serve with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or ice cream for a delicious treat!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 279kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 Tablespoons Dutch processed cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt or use Greek yogurt, or unsweetened dairy-free yogurt of your choice
- ¼ cup milk I used unsweetened almond milk
- ½ cup coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ cup bittersweet baking chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips melted until smooth and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Confectioner sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Heat oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prep pan: Spray 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray (or if you prefer, butter the bottom of each pan and line the bottoms with parchment paper and butter the parchment paper).
- If you use the butter/parchment paper method, dust the pans after adding the butter to the parchment paper with cocoa powder. Shake out the excess and set the pans aside while you prep the batter.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a small bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- Cream eggs + sugar: Separately, with a stand or hand mixer (or with a whisk) cream the sugar and eggs.
- Mix wet ingredients: Mix in the yogurt, oil, melted chocolate, and vanilla extract into the creamed sugar and eggs, stopping to scrape sides of bowl and combine all the melted chocolate.
- Combine: Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, in 3 sections, and stir gently to combine.
- Bake cake: Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 40-45 minutes (mine was ready at about 43 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes.
- Make frosting: (Optional)While the cake is cooling, you can prep whichever frosting you are using, or use my marshmallow frosting recipe.
- Serve: Or do what I did and simply dust with confectioner's sugar. Slice and ENJOY!
Notes
- Chocolate chips: Use dark, bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips. You could stir in a handful into batter or sprinkle on top of the cake before baking, in addition to what you melt to stir in batter.
- Cocoa Powder: Use either Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa or regular unsweetened cocoa powder. Usually I go with Dutch-process as it has such a rich flavor and deep color. If all you have on hand is unsweetened cocoa powder, go ahead and use that.
- Frosting: You could add a chocolate glaze or make an easy marshmallow frosting to top once it has cooled down.
- Espresso: For a touch of coffee flavor and to intensify the chocolate flavor, whisk in a teaspoon of espresso powder to the flour mixture.
- Nuts: Stir in some ½ cup of toasted and chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, or pecans into the cake batter.
Nutrition
Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 34IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 1mg