This One Bowl Chocolate Cake is nearly as easy to make as a boxed mix. This simple, classic recipe results in a perfect chocolate cake every time!
For another easy, homemade chocolate treat, try my recipe for Classic Fudge Walnut Brownies—they’re simple to make and packed with rich, fudgy goodness.
This is my go-to easy chocolate cake recipe that I’ve made countless times over the years for birthdays, summer parties, and pretty much any other excuse I can think of. Most recently, it was a much needed comforting dessert that we delivered to my my son and daughter-in-law after they welcomed our new baby grandson into the family.
If you know me well, you’ve had this cake.
In addition to being our family’s favorite chocolate cake, this One Bowl Chocolate Cake recipe has a seriously no-fuss method that I love. All you’ll need is a large bowl, an electric mixer, and a few minutes on your hands to get it in the oven.
The fudgy chocolate icing is made quickly on the stove and seals the deal in the most delicious way.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Wet ingredients: Eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, pure vanilla extract, and some very hot water.
- Chocolate icing: Butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and a little additional buttermilk and pure vanilla extract. From time to time, I will add some finely chopped pecans or walnuts. Nuts are totally optional.
Variation
For something a little different, try using hot brewed coffee in place of the hot water. Coffee naturally intensifies the richness of cocoa, making the chocolate taste deeper and more complex. It enhances the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee.
How to Make One Bowl Chocolate Cake
This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You’ll find detailed instructions and a video in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Then, add the wet ingredients and mix with an electric hand mixer until combined. You could do this all in the bowl of your stand mixer if you’d like.
- Add the very hot water and mix again briefly until combined. The cake batter will be quite thin.
- Transfer the batter to a 9- x 13-inch baking pan (glass or metal) that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
If you’re making this cake to deliver to a friend or family member, bake it in a 9- x 13-inch disposable aluminum foil cake pan with a lid. Or be like me and divide it between two 8-inch foil pans so you can give one away and keep one for yourself! The baking time can differ slightly when you use foil pans so just watch it carefully towards the end of the baking time.
The Fudgy Chocolate Icing
- In a large saucepan, whisk melted butter with the cocoa powder, buttermilk and vanilla.
- Reduce the heat and whisk in powdered sugar, using as much as you need until you’ve reached the desired consistency. It should be thick but pourable.
- Continue whisking vigorously until smooth. This is where you would stir in chopped nuts, if you want a nutty frosting, or reserve them to use as a garnish on top.
- Immediately pour the icing over the cake and use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread it out evenly over the surface. Allow the icing to set for a few minutes before slicing and serving the cake.
Alternate Layer Cake and Cupcake Instructions
I nearly always use a 9- x 13-inch pan for this recipe but it works well as round layer cake too.
- Divide the batter between two greased 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
I frost my round cakes with a sturdier, buttercream-style frosting which works better for a layer cake than a thinner icing. I’ve even been known to buy a tub of chocolate fudge frosting from the store (gasp!) to make it super easy. No one will ever know!
Want to make cupcakes? No problem!
- Grease or line your cupcake pan with liners, and fill each cup about two-thirds full with cake batter.
- Bake your cupcakes at 350 degrees F for about 18 to 22 minutes. Allow them to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
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One Bowl Chocolate Cake
Video
Ingredients
One Bowl Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup very hot (boiling) water, or hot brewed coffee
Fudgy Chocolate Icing
- ½ cup butter
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 16 ounces powdered sugar, or up to 4 cups, as needed to reach desired consistency
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Using an electric hand or stand mixer, beat in eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Add hot water and mix until combined. Batter will be quite thin.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan before frosting.
For the Icing
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over MEDIUM heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder, buttermilk and vanilla. Turn the heat to LOW and whisk in the powdered sugar, using as much as you need until you've reached the desired consistency. It should be thick but pourable. Continue whisking vigorously until smooth. Stir in chopped nuts, if using, or reserve them to use as a garnish on top.
- Immediately pour the icing over the cake and use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread it out evenly over the surface. Garnish with nuts, if desired. Allow to set for a few minutes before slicing and serving the cake.
Notes
- Divide the batter between two greased 9-inch round cake pans. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Grease or line your cupcake pan with liners, and fill each cup about two-thirds full with cake batter.
- Bake your cupcakes at 350 degrees F for about 18 to 22 minutes. Allow them to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
More Easy Cake Recipes
This post was originally published on July 27, 2016. It has been updated with new text and images.
Can you substitute almond flour for all purpose flour?
I’ve never tried this recipe with anything but all-purpose flour so I can’t say how it might affect the texture.
I made this cake over the weekend and the recipe was very easy to follow
Ihave no skills baking although I am a pretty decent cook. The taste of the cake and icing is delicious for all the chocolate lovers but my cake seemed to be “thick” for lack of a better word. It had moisture but just seemed like it was heavy to taste. I went by the recipe 100% so if you have any suggestions as to the reason for what I decribed please share your thoughts. I am going to try it again once i hear from you, Valerie.
Hi Gwenda. It’s so hard to know from your description of the cake tasting “thick”. I’m not sure if you’re referring to the density of the cake or that the flavor was too rich (“heavy”). If it was too thick and dense in texture, you may not have measured the flour properly. I recommending spooning the flour into the measuring cup and using a knife to level it off. If it was a flavor issue, maybe you used too much cocoa powder, although I’ve made this cake more times than I can count and have never felt it was too rich. I hope this was helpful and you have better luck on your next attempt.
Made this for a friend of mine, who had a birthday two days ago and everyone at work loved it!! It was amazing!! I had someone ask me if I could make this into cupcakes. Is that possible?
Hi Petra. So happy you’re loving the cake! You can absolutely make cupcakes with this recipe. Just line cupcake tins with paper liners and fill them 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake them at 350 degrees F for about 17 to 20 minutes. You should get 24 to 36 standard cupcakes with this recipe. Hope this helps!
If I wanted to make a double layer cake, would I need to make 2 batches ? Such a delicious cake! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Christine. You can make a 2-layer round cake from this recipe without doubling it. Just divide the batter between two 9- or 10-inch round cake pans and bake for about 26 to 32 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Can this cake be baked the day before it will be served? If so, should it be iced then or before serving?
Hi E.B. Yes, the cake keeps very well if made a day in advance. You can add the icing as soon as the cake has completely cooled or add it the next day. Hope you love it!
Hi, could I make this in a small bundt pan? Thank you.
Yes, I think it would work fine in a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan.
I ended up just using a glass 13 x 9 pan. I wanted to get it made quickly. I added a hefty teaspoon of instant coffee to the very hot water too, cannot wait to finish this cake off with the icing and enjoy it later.
Oh yum! I love the addition of coffee. Enjoy and please come back to let me know how it worked out for you!
I made it for my best friend last year for her birthday who was very impressed. She even took the recipe. I’m going to make it this week for my partners family birthday party
Beautifully quick and easy! And cuts in half perfectly for a smaller version. I live alone, so having a really good, easy recipe that uses one bowl and one 8” cake pan is perfect.