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One Bowl Chocolate Cake

A deeply chocolatey, moist layer cake made entirely in a single bowl with no creaming and no stand mixer required. This one bowl chocolate cake takes 10 minutes of prep and bakes in 30 to 35 minutes. Serves 12.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Cake
  • 250 g / 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 400 g / 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 75 g / ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder Dutch-process preferred
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 240 ml / 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 120 ml / ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 240 ml / 1 cup hot coffee or hot water
  • Chocolate Frosting
  • 230 g / 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 65 g / ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
  • 480 g / 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 80 ml / ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Equipment

  • 1 2 × 9-inch rounds

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round pans, line bottoms with parchment, grease parchment.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt for 30 to 45 seconds until completely uniform.
  3. Add buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla to the dry ingredient bowl. Whisk 30 to 40 strokes until just combined. Pour in hot coffee in a slow stream while whisking gently. Batter will be thin.
  4. Divide evenly between prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in pans 15 minutes, invert onto wire racks, cool completely (about 1 hour).
  5. Beat softened butter 2 minutes until pale. Sift in cocoa, beat on low. Add sifted powdered sugar in two additions. Add cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium-high 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
  6. Place one cooled layer on a board. Spread one-third of the frosting over the top. Place second layer on top flat side up. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

  • Use a kitchen scale for the flour — 250g eliminates the most common cause of dry, dense cake.
  • Hot coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee. Hot water is a direct substitute.
  • Both natural and Dutch-process cocoa work in this recipe.
  • All dairy (eggs, buttermilk) must be at room temperature before starting.
  • Cool layers completely before frosting — even slight warmth melts chocolate frosting.
  • Unfrosted layers freeze up to 3 months. Frosted assembled cake freezes up to 2 months.