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Three slices of one bowl chocolate cake on a white plate, and dusted with icing sugar and cocoa powder. On the back of the plate is a tray with chocolate cake in it.

One Bowl Chocolate Cake | Easiest Chocolate Cake

This one bowl chocolate cake is the easiest cake ever. Just mix everything in one bowl, pour in a baking pan and cake. Plus the crumb is so tender and soft, that it doesn't even need a frosting. Cut into slices, and serve on its own or if you are feeling decadent with a dollop of cream or ice cream.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Cake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 12 people
Calories 250 kcal

Ingredients

  • Oil or butter for greasing the pans

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cups cocoa powder plus more for dusting the pans
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda (soda bicarb or meetha soda)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk See note 1 for substitution
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 1 cup hot coffee See note 2

To serve

  • Powdered Sugar or Icing Sugar To garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan forced). Grease one 13-inch by 9-inch rectangular cake pan with butter or oil. Line with parchment paper, then butter and dust the pan using cocoa powder. See note 3 for pan substitutions.

  2. Place the sugar in a large bowl. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the same bowl. Use a fork or a whisk to mix all the dry ingredients together thoroughly.

  3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add all the wet ingredients. Use a spatula or a spoon to just barely mix the dry and the wet ingredient. This is so that the flour doesn't start flying around when you start the electric whisk.

  4. Beat for two minutes, using a spatula to scrape the bowl as needed. Please note that the batter will not be thick as regular cake batters, but will be a bit liquid.

  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

  6. Dust with powdered icing sugar or cocoa powder, and serve. Can also be served with a dollop of cream or ice-cream. You can also frost with your favourite buttercream frosting or chocolate ganache.

Recipe Notes

  1. Buttermilk substitution: Substitute with 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Leave for 10 minutes till it looks like the milk has split, and looks a bit curdled. 
  2. Coffee substitution: Dissolve 2 teaspoon instant coffee in one cup of boiling hot water.  
  3. Cake pan substitutions: The same cake can be made in two 9-inch round baking pans or three 8-inch round caking pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
  4. Cupcakes: The same cake can also be used to make cupcakes. Line muffin cups with paper liners, and fill about 2/3 full with batter. Bake for about 22 - 25 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. This quantity of batter will make about 30 cupcakes.