• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Jo Cooks

Simple - Easy - Comfort

Join my free recipe email club!
Free eBook
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
    • The Big Book of Jo’s Quick and Easy Meals
    • 30-Minute One-Pot Meals
  • ABOUT JO
  • Contact
  • Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Dinner Ideas
  • Instant Pot
  • Slow Cooker
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • One Pot
  • Desserts
  • side view shot of a slice of lemon magic cake on a plate
    Lemon Magic Cake
  • a magic flan cake on a cake platter with some slices cut out of it.
    Magic Flan Cake (Chocoflan)
  • a slice of chocolate cherry sheet cake on a plate
    Chocolate Cherry Cake
  • a delicious triple chocolate cinnamon bundt cake
    Chocolate Cinnamon Cake
  • a slice of pumpkin magic cake on a white plate.
    Pumpkin Magic Cake
Home / Recipes
1 hour 20 minutes
4.49 from 106 votes
296 Comments

Chocolate Magic Cake

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe
  • 6575
  • 927
by: Joanna Cismaru
04.20.13
Updated: 09.03.19

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Chocolate Magic Cake – one simple thin batter, bake it and voila! You end up with a 3 layer chocolate cake, magic cake.

Chocolate Magic Cake – one simple thin batter, bake it and voila! You end up with a 3 layer chocolate cake, magic cake.

Well I finally did it! I finally made the chocolate version of this delightful magic cake. The original version was very popular and a lot of people were asking about different flavors, so I decided to give it a go and see how it turns out. Well I knew it couldn’t be bad, because I loved the original version so chocolate magic cake could only make it better.

I also found out that the origin of this cake is from Romania, and the actual name of the cake is intelligent cake because of how it separates into 3 layers. I made a couple changes to my original recipe, such as add a bit of vinegar to the egg whites and some vanilla extract for additional flavor. The rest of the recipe is exactly the same with the exception of the addition of some cocoa powder.

I baked it for exactly 60 minutes but I think I could have baked it for another 10 min. Some readers were saying that their magic cake was done after 45 minutes or so, so I want to stress again that the baking time can vary drastically based on the oven, each oven is different, so you really have to watch it and when it looks done you remove it from the oven and let it cool. I’ve seen many versions of this cake and it seems like for a lot of people the top layer which is the cake layer ends up being very thin, this layer should be nice and airy, just like a normal cake, not thin and condensed.

So yes, you can have the original version of this cake or this chocolate version and if I had to pick one for a favorite I’d go with this chocolate version just because I love chocolate. You still end up with the 3 layers of the cake, with the middle layer being a custard like layer. It’s absolutely divine.

Chocolate Magic Cake – one simple thin batter, bake it and voila! You end up with a 3 layer chocolate cake, magic cake.

 To see original version click on the image below:

magic-cake

OR
Check out the video for the original magic cake and see how easy it is to make this cake!

 Click the image below for the Butterscotch Magic Cake recipe with step by step photo instructions:

butterscotch-magic-cake-1

For an easy version of a impossible coconut pie, same ingredients, different preparation technique click here or the image below.

impossible-coconut-pie-1-2

If you guys love this recipe, and most importantly make it yourselves, please let us know. Leave a comment below and rate this recipe or take a picture and tag it #jocooks on Instagram so we can see it. I always love to see what you guys come up with!

Looking for more recipes? Follow on... My Newsletter Pinterest Facebook Instagram

close up shot of a piece of chocolate magic cake

Chocolate Magic Cake

4.49 from 106 votes
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 20 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 9
Print Pin Rate
Chocolate Magic Cake – one simple thin batter, bake it and voila! You end up with a 3 layer chocolate cake, magic cake.

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs at room temperature and separated
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 8 tbsp butter unsalted and melted
  • 6.5 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 6 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2 cups milk warmed up
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vinegar
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Grease and flour an 8x8 inch baking pan.
  • Separate the eggs and add the egg yolks to the bowl of a mixer. Add a tbsp of water to the egg yolks and add the sugar. Beat this at high until eggs are light and creamy.
  • Add melted butter, vanilla extract and salt to mixer and continue beating until butter is fully incorporated and mixture is light and fluffy.
  • You can mix the cocoa and flour together and add to the mixing bowl in batches, 3 times should be enough. After each addition mix thoroughly.
  • Once flour and cocoa powder has been mixed in, add the milk a bit at a time and mix. The milk should be warm so not to cool the butter. Make sure the milk has been mixed in thoroughly, the mixture should be pretty liquidy, so don't get scared.
  • Clean the mixing bowl and whisk attachment and make sure you dry it out. Add egg whites to mixing bowl and the vinegar and mix until egg whites are stiff.
  • Add a bit of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and gently fold in. Next you're going to reverse and add a bit of the chocolate mixture to the egg whites. This way it will be easier to mix everything together. Repeat until everything is well mixed and the mixture should be thin like a pancake batter.
  • Pour the batter in the prepared baking dish and bake for roughly 60 minutes or until done. The cake will still jiggle in the middle when you take it out, so that's normal. Let it cool completely then cut into squares and serve.

Recipe Notes

Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1pieceCalories: 245kcal (12%)Carbohydrates: 26g (9%)Protein: 6g (12%)Fat: 14g (22%)Saturated Fat: 8g (50%)Cholesterol: 105mg (35%)Sodium: 86mg (4%)Potassium: 159mg (5%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 20g (22%)Vitamin A: 509IU (10%)Calcium: 80mg (8%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Course:cake, Dessert
Cuisine:Romanian
Keyword:chocolate magic cake, magic cake
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!

Click the image below for the Nutella Magic Cake recipe:

Nutella Magic Cake

Chocolate Magic Cake – one simple thin batter, bake it and voila! You end up with a 3 layer chocolate cake, magic cake.

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

30 recipes from around the world cover.

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

sliced mushroom filled pork loin on a plate
Previous Post
Mushroom Filled Pork Tenderloin
shrimp and crab dip stuffed tomatoes garnished with chopped parsley on a plate
Next Post
Shrimp and Crab Dip Stuffed Tomatoes

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rate Recipe Cancel reply

Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Deena Dolgoy says

    December 12, 2020 at 6:53 pm

    I just found your site. Lucky me! Your magic cake recipes and impossible pie looks wonderful. I plan to try them very soon. What I would like to know before I make them is can one substitute a good quality oil instead of using butter? Perhaps Avocado or Organic Canola oil? Also could I use 2% milk instead of full fat for these recipes be it the chocolate or other versions of the magic cakes as well as the impossible pies. Just curious if these substitutes would suffice. Some other similar recipes state to fully bake the cakes and yet yours states it should be a tad jiggly in the centre. Not sure why the differences. When time permits I would love to hear from you. So glad I found your website. With thanks! Deena

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      December 12, 2020 at 7:44 pm

      Hi Deena! I haven’t tried to substitute different oil instead of the butter, so I can’t really advise you one way or the other, though in theory it should be fine. As far as the milk goes, yes you can use 2%, I’ve even made this with lactose free milk so you should be fine.

      Reply
  2. Kara says

    December 11, 2020 at 5:39 pm

    5 stars
    This was soooo good! This was my first time making anything like this, so I didn’t think it would come out right. I was wrong! It came out great! The layers were obvious, though the bottom layer was pretty thin compared to the cake and custard layers. The chocolate flavor was perfect. So delicious! My kids (10 and 4) didn’t care for the texture of the custard, but that meant more for me. They loved the other 2 layers, though. (It was interesting to watch them deconstruct it.) My husband enjoyed it as well. I would definitely make this again, but I’d make the day before and refrigerate, so the custard is cold – but that’s my personal preference. I’ll try the other flavors, too!
    FYI, I made this in an 8.5 × 8.5 Pyrex pan (all I had close to 8in) and I baked it for the full 60 minutes and it came out great. Hope this helps someone! Thanks Jo, for the great recipe!

    Reply
  3. Sydni Cass says

    October 27, 2020 at 1:42 pm

    I haven’t made any of the magic cakes yet but was curious if it is possible to use coconut flour instead of regular ap flour sure to diet restrictions?

    Reply
    • Jo Cooks Team says

      October 27, 2020 at 3:05 pm

      Unfortunately, unless you want a baked pudding with no volume, you cannot substitute coconut flour for all purpose flour!

      Reply
  4. Lisa Jensen says

    October 7, 2020 at 4:32 pm

    I cooked this cake for 60 minutes and the bottom layered was not done

    Reply
    • jo says

      October 7, 2020 at 6:16 pm

      Then you need to bake it a bit longer, every oven is different, I’ve had some ovens take 70 minutes and some take 40 minutes.

      Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Joanna Cismaru

Hey there!

I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More…
cover for the big book of jo's quick and easy meals.

My Cookbook

Pre-Order Now: Amazon | Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound | Books-A-Million

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

Sign me up

Dinner Recipes

a wooden spoon lifting a salisbury steak out of the skillet

Salisbury Steak

closeup of beef stew in a dutch oven with a ladle inside.

Beef Stew

overhead shot of zucchini lasagna in a baking dish

Zucchini Lasagna

a white bowl full with american goulash and a fork inside stacked on top of an empty bowl

American Goulash (Chop Suey)

two plate with sloppy joes and buns next to a greens salad

Sloppy Joes

beef barley soup in a white bowl with a spoon inside.

Beef Barley Soup

overhead shot of chicken broccoli and rice casserole in a pot

One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

creamy chicken lazone in a skillet garnished with parsley.

Chicken Lazone

Popular Now

a hand dipping a chicken tender in ranch dressing

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

a fork stabbing a garlic butter steak bite in a skillet full of them

Garlic Butter Steak Bites

a prime rib roast sliced on a plate

Prime Rib Roast

side view shot of a cinnamon bun with a bite taken out of it on a plate

Cinnabons Cinnamon Rolls

side view shot of a hand dipping a piece of naan bread into the bowl of chicken tikka masala

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

close up of the layers on the homemade croissant

Homemade Croissants

overhead shot of crusty bread loaf

No Knead Bread

side view shot of two halves of a chicken salad sandwich stacked on a plate exposing the centers

The Best Chicken Salad

Jo Cooks...

Flavors from around the world

No matter what household we have all grown up in, there is something that has brought us all together here and that is a love and appreciation of food. Food that is from cultures and cuisines across the world has always been a staple of the blog. I'm excited to bring you all a taste of each corner of the earth, every last bite seasoned to perfection and served up with love - from my kitchen to yours.
moo shu pork in a white bowl with a pair of tongs.

Asian

italian meatballs with sauce in a white bowl.

Italian

chimichangas on a serving platter on a bed of lettuce garnished with salsa and sour cream.

Mexican

sweet cheese buns stacked on top of each other with the top one broken in half.

Romanian

sideview shot of butter chicken on a plate over white rice garnished with parsley

Indian

red lentil hummus in a big black bowl garnished with a bit of smoked paprika.

Middle Eastern

Trending Now

overhead shot of oven baked chicken breasts in a baking dish

Baked Chicken Breast

overhead shot of oven baked chicken thighs in a pan

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

a whole roast chicken surrounded by potatoes

Roast Chicken

a prime rib roast sliced on a plate

Prime Rib Roast

Browse All
  • Easy Dinners
  • Instant Pot
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Chicken Recipes
  • Desserts
  • Recipe Index

Featured On

today logo.
huffpost logo.
the washington post logo.
jezebel logo.
countryliving logo.
good housekeeping logo.
lifehack logo.
buzzfeed logo.
mashable logo.
woman's day logo.
health logo.
better homes & gardens logo.
delish logo.
healthline logo.
nbc news logo.
blogloving logo.
university of washington logo.
shape logo.
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
  • About Jo
  • Contact
  • visit my other site: Craving Home Cooked
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
© 2021 · All Rights Reserved · Back to Top
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Subscribe and get a free dinner recipes ebook!

54701shares
  • 6575
  • 927