• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Contact
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
BlogLovin'
RSS

Valerie's Kitchen

Simple, seasonal home cooking

  • Recipe Box
  • Videos
  • The Cookbook
  • Beyond the Kitchen
Home » Dessert » Cake » One Bowl Chocolate Cake

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

By Valerie · July 27, 2016 · Updated November 8, 2019 116 Comments

S Dessert H Holidays
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

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

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

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!

A slice of One Bowl Chocolate Cake being lifted from the baking dish on a spatula.

The other night after we had finished dinner I had a strong, persistent craving for chocolate cake. I frequently get a sweets craving after a meal, but this time around the craving was specific. Chocolate cake! It had to happen.

For some odd reason, I’ve yet to share my basic chocolate cake recipe with you. This is just craziness considering how often I bake that cake! This recipe is my quick version of that beloved cake and since I needed chocolate cake and I needed it fast, this one had to come first.

A slice of One Bowl Chocolate Cake on a white serving plate with a fork.

It has a seriously no-fuss method that I love. All you’ll need is a large mixing bowl, an electric mixer, and a few minutes on your hands to get it in the oven.

A close up of the cake in a baking dish.

I frosted it with an equally quick and Easy Chocolate Buttermilk Icing but you could go with any frosting you like.

A slice of One Bowl Chocolate Cake on a white serving plate with a fork and a glass of milk.

Watch the quick video below to see how it’s done and scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe.

The dry ingredients in a glass mixing bowl with a whisk.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl – all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

The wet ingredients are added to the dry ingredients in a glass mixing bowl.

Add some buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.

The ingredients are combined with an electric mixer.

Use an electric mixer and mix until combined. You could do this all in the bowl of your stand mixer if you’d like.

Hot water is poured into the cake batter.

Add 1 cup of very hot water and mix again briefly until combined. The batter will be quite thin. Transfer it to a 13″ x 9″ baking dish that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray.

One Bowl Chocolate Cake baking in the oven.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

One Bowl Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttermilk Frosting shot from over the top.

See the recipe below for all the details on how to cook up the satiny, luxurious Easy Chocolate Buttermilk Icing. Sometimes I’ll stir in some chopped pecans. Yum.

One Bowl Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttermilk Icing shot from over the top.

A close up shot of a slice of One Bowl Chocolate Cake on a white serving plate.

I wish I could share this with you all because it’s currently sitting in my kitchen calling out my name…

A piece of chocolate cake is lifted with a spatula from a baking dish.

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

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!
4.03 from 46 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 15
Calories: 460kcal
Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup very hot water

Easy Chocolate Buttermilk Frosting

  • 1/2 cup 1 stick butter
  • 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 6 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 16 ounces 4 cups powdered sugar, or as needed to reach desired consistency
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts optional

Instructions

  • For the Cake:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 13" x 9" baking dish with non-stick 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 batter into prepared baking dish. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan before frosting.
  • For the Frosting:Melt butter in a large saucepan over MEDIUM heat. Whisk in cocoa powder, buttermilk and vanilla. Turn heat to LOW and whisk in powdered sugar until you've reached desired consistency. It should be thick but pourable. Continue whisking vigorously until smooth. Stir in chopped nuts, if using.
  • Immediately pour frosting over cake and use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread it out evenly over the surface. Allow to set for a few minutes before slicing and serving the cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 255IU | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1.8mg
LOVE MY RECIPES? GET THE COOKBOOK!
The Foolproof Family Slow Cooker and Other One-Pot Solutions
One Bowl Chocolate Cake

A two image vertical collage of One Bowl Chocolate Cake with overlay text.

Categories: Cake, Dessert, Holidays, Popular Posts, Recipe, Valentine's Day

< Previous
Next >

You May Also Like...

A spatula lifts a piece of chocolate cake topped with peanuts. Chocolate Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
A piece of strawberry cake is lifted with a spatula. Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake
A slice of chocolate cake. French Chocolate Cake

Reader Interactions

Latest Comments
Skip to Comment Form
  1. Joanmccabe says

    January 11, 2021 at 1:13 pm

    Hi—going to try this recipe now, but unclear on the language in frosting directions about “1/2 stick one cup butter”. Does that mean 1/2 Cup=1 stick, or use 1 stick plus an additional 1/2 stick? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      January 11, 2021 at 1:25 pm

      The frosting calls for 1/2 cup of butter which is 1 stick.

      Reply
      • Joan says

        January 11, 2021 at 8:42 pm

        Thank you. It is delicious!!

        Reply
  2. Jessica says

    May 24, 2020 at 2:47 pm

    5 stars
    Hi there, I really love this cake. When I got married 4 years ago we used this cake in the gift boxes for our guests. Would this cake be suitable for stacking a 2 layer cake with with buttercream in the middle and around?

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      May 26, 2020 at 9:22 am

      Yes, I’ve done this as a layer cake frequently. The batter fits perfectly in 2 9-inch round cake pans. Check on them about 10 minutes before the end of the stated baking time.

      Reply
  3. Wendi says

    May 11, 2020 at 12:53 am

    5 stars
    I made this today and it was so good…I only had about 1/4 of the amount of regular cocoa and had to sub with a dark cocoa. It came out perfect. Deep chocolate flavor and intensely dark. So good, that may be the only way I make this cake going forward…also, no one in my family was willing to wait for the cake to cool enough to frost it. We just dove in. Next time I make this cake, and I will make this cake again, I’ll do it when everyone is at work because I really want to try the frosting recipe. Thanks for sharing the recipe. It was super good

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      May 11, 2020 at 9:25 am

      I hope you try it again with the frosting. SO good! Thanks for your comment, Wendi 🙂

      Reply
  4. Kaytlyn says

    November 8, 2019 at 1:19 pm

    Hi, I made this cake in a 13” x 9” glass baking dish and the middle is sinking. ? Help!

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      November 8, 2019 at 5:37 pm

      I’m sorry to hear this, Kaytlyn. There are several things that can cause a cake to sink. It could be it wasn’t baked through but one of the most common causes is overbeating the batter. It’s okay to really go at it when you are beating the wet ingredients together but once the dry ingredients are added, you just want to mix it until combined. I’m betting the cake will still taste wonderful 🙂

      Reply
      • aurelia says

        January 10, 2020 at 7:56 pm

        2 cups of sugar??? really!!! cut in half would be healthier

        Reply
        • Valerie says

          January 12, 2020 at 10:19 am

          Hi Aurelia. This is a common ratio of flour to sugar for a cake recipe. I don’t think the result would be very tasty if you cut in in half.

          Reply
  5. Joz says

    July 21, 2019 at 12:49 am

    5 stars
    This was the first cake I’ve ever made not from a box. Everything came out perfect! Sooo delicious.

    Reply
    • Asmaa says

      December 11, 2020 at 2:17 am

      5 stars
      Ome me too

      Reply
  6. Andrea says

    May 9, 2019 at 9:31 am

    5 stars
    This is the most amazing chocolate cake recipe ever! And the frosting is like a dessert all in itself! My mom recommended it after trying it herself and loving it. I’ve made it now 5 times, it’s such a hit! My husband likes things a little less sweet than most people, so when I made this for his birthday I added an extra tablespoon of cocoa powder to the frosting, since the icing sugar amount is still needed for consistency. It was fantastic, I might just do that again next time. When my mother in law heard I was making this cake again for an event, she was so excited for it again. That’s a win in my books!
    I use a hand mixer to mix the frosting, it gets deliciously thick as it cooks, but I hurt my neck whisking it so hard the first time. But it’s so delicious that I found a way to make it work to make it again!

    I usually bake it in a metal pan because my glass pan is usually in the freezer with a ready to go casserole in it. I’ve found that a little less heat is best for the metal pan, but I always forget and end up keeping it at 350 for the first 20 minutes, then I remember about the pan difference and turn down the heat to 325 for the remainder. Sometimes it needs a few more minutes, sometimes it doesn’t. But it STILL turns out delicious even with my wonky style of haphazard baking!

    Reply
  7. Brandy says

    April 27, 2019 at 10:20 am

    This is the BEST chocolate cake EVER! My family requests this once a week. Extended family and coworkers say it is a must to bring for special occasions. Super easy to make but be careful, you might not stop eating at just once piece!! Try it…you will LOVE it.

    Reply
  8. Karen A. says

    January 15, 2019 at 10:48 am

    Sounds very yummy! Any idea on how long to bake if I want to make cupcakes for my grandkids?

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      January 15, 2019 at 5:26 pm

      Hi Karen. Cook at the same temp and check after 15 minutes. I’m betting they’ll take between 15 to 20 minutes.

      Reply
  9. Shelby says

    November 17, 2018 at 6:32 am

    5 stars
    Hi There!! Love this cake!! I am just curious if the 460 calories is per serving (one slice) or for the entire cake!

    Much thanks,

    Shelby.

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      November 17, 2018 at 1:09 pm

      Where there is butter and sugar there are calories! That’s just for one slice, Shelby. Gosh darn it.

      Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




Stay Connected with Valerie’s Kitchen

Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
BlogLovin'
RSS

Stay updated!

Subscribe by Email

Get the latest straight from my kitchen to your email inbox. You can choose to receive an email every time a new recipe is published or a weekly summary.

Click to Subscribe

Primary Sidebar

Browse the Recipes

by Category
CP Slow Cooker OP One Pot 30 30 Minute Meals SD Side Dish S Dessert H Holidays A Appetizers MD Main Dish
Valerie Brunmeier, founder and author of Valerie's Kitchen

MeetValerie Brunmeier

Hello and welcome to my online kitchen! My focus here is to provide simple, seasonal meal solutions for busy households. I hope you find some inspiration while you’re here and visit again soon!

...
More About Me

Looking for something?

Archives

Categories

Soups and Stews

A ladle scoops up beef stew from a pot.
Broccoli Cheese Soup in a round bread bowl topped with shredded cheddar cheese.
A close up, over the top image of Hamburger Stew in a Dutch oven.
A ladle scoops some beef stew from an Instant Pot.
A mug filled with ham and bean soup.

Holiday Favorites

A bowl of fruit salad with whipped cream.
Slices of ham and a small bowl of pineapple sauce on a white platter.
A tray of cheese, meats, nuts, and bacon jam in a small glass container.
Mashed potatoes in a white bowl topped with butter and chives
A sliced bundt cake on a cake plate.
A white bowl filed with crab dip with a spoon.

Reader Favorites

A white serving dish filled with shredded beef, carrots, and potatoes.
A white bowl filed with crab dip with a spoon.
A spatula scoops up a zucchini boat from a casserole dish.
Blackened Mahi Mahi
A close up of a cheesesteak sandwich with peppers and onions.
Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravey
As Featured On
Back to Top
  • Home
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Collaborate
  • Contact
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
BlogLovin'
RSS
Valerie's Kitchen
Copyright © 2011–2021 · Valerie's Kitchen

Valerie's Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.