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Freshly baked chocolate cake in a round silver cake pan, resting on a cooling rack

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

A rich, moist, and deeply chocolatey cake made in just one bowl. No mixer needed. Perfect for any occasion and easy enough for beginners.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 649
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake batter
  • 1.75 cups all-purpose flour Sifted
  • 0.75 cups unsweetened cocoa powder For rich chocolate flavor
  • 1.5 teaspoons baking powder For leavening
  • 1.5 teaspoons baking soda For leavening
  • 2 cups white sugar Balances cocoa's bitterness
  • 1 teaspoon salt Enhances flavor
For the wet ingredients
  • 2 large eggs Room temperature
  • 1 cup milk Whole or low-fat, room temperature
  • 0.5 cups vegetable oil Can substitute with canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Enhances the flavor
  • 1 cup boiling water Helps bloom the cocoa

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). If using a fan oven, reduce the heat to 160°C. Grease two 22 cm (9 inch) round cake pans with butter and line with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Whisk until evenly mixed.
Mixing
  1. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Whisk until the batter is smooth with no dry patches.
  2. Carefully pour in the boiling water while whisking. The batter will be thin; this is expected.
Baking
  1. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  2. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Notes

For serving, pair with chocolate buttercream, ganache, or cream cheese frosting. Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.