Extra Rich One Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe

Chocolate lovers, this one’s for you! The best-ever One-Bowl Chocolate Cake with a secret ingredient for an extra rich, no-fuss, luscious chocolate dessert! It couldn’t be easier!

It’s okay to say “nay” to a sink full of dishes and “yay” to the convenience of a moist homemade cake full of rich chocolate flavor.

What is the deal with one-bowl cakes?

Clever no mixer, one-bowl cake recipes are the baking world’s answer to those days when you feel like cake but don’t want to deal with the hassle of cleanup and being in the kitchen.

This shortcut chocolate cake recipe will save the day and sometimes your sanity and definitely fix a cake craving! Just toss everything in a bowl, whisk it together, and bake. It’s just as moist, tender, and amazingly delicious as any cake from scratch.

This One Bowl Easy Cake Recipe Is Fantastic

When I am craving a rich homemade chocolate cake, this one has my name all over it. Plus, my secret ingredient not only makes this one-bowl cake sublime but this recipe’s got a lot more going for it!

• Simple pantry staples
• Rich chocolate flavor
• Homemade quality 
• Easy cleanup
• Less time in the kitchen

Ingredients Needed

You’ll love this homemade one-bowl chocolate cake made with that extra “something” friends can’t identify. Ready for it? Adding coffee to chocolate cake is sooooo good! You won’t miss your boxed cake mix, promise!

• Dry Ingredients: all-purpose flour, sugar, baking cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt.
• Wet Ingredients: eggs, canola oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, hot coffee, and hot water.
• Frosting: Baker’s choice: Try Easy Chocolate Buttercream, Peanut Butter Frosting, or Fresh Strawberry Buttercream.
• Colored Sprinkles, if desired

For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

How To Measure Flour Properly

Did you know THE WAY you measure flour matters? The most precise way to measure your flour is by weight using a digital kitchen scale. 1 cup of flour weighs 120 grams. If you don’t have a scale measure your flour by scooping flour with a spoon into the cup. Don’t use your measuring cup as a scoop, as it packs the flour down and gives a different measure.

How To Make Quick One Bowl Chocolate Cake With Coffee

When I see a no-mixer, no-fuss, one-bowl cake recipe, I’m all over it! Four easy steps (details in the recipe card below), and in under an hour, I have a delicious chocolate cake cooling in my kitchen.

1. Whisk the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 
2. Mix in the eggs, oil, buttermilk, and extract.
3. Stir in hot coffee and water.
4. Bake in a prepared pan for 35-40 minutes.
5. Cool completely (2-3 hours) in the pan on a wire rack. Frost and decorate with sprinkles for a little added sass!

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Recipe Notes For Success

• I prefer to go ahead and lightly beat my toom temp eggs beforehand. This helps avoid over-mixing for a tender and moist crumb.
• Adding coffee to a chocolate cake recipe enhances its richness and depth but won’t taste like coffee. 
• If you don’t want to add the coffee, you can use one cup of hot water. But try it! You’ll like it! 
• Don’t panic when the batter appears thinner than your usual cake mix. Adding hot liquid to a one-bowl cake recipe makes it thin.
• Check that the cake is done by sticking a toothpick in the center;  it should come out clean.

TIP: You can test your baking powder for freshness. Simply, pour a little baking powder into hot water — if it fizzes, it’s still good to use!

How Long Does A One-Bowl Chocolate Cake Stay Fresh?

This chocolate cake recipe can live its short life on the counter* for up to four days as long as you keep it covered properly.

As far as refrigeration, buttercream withstands refrigeration quite well, but it comes down to what type of frosting you choose for your quick one-bowl cake.

• Icings containing dairy, like Cream Cheese Frosting or Chocolate Ganache, should be stored in the fridge and should last three days, maybe longer.
• A frosted buttercream cake with butter and powdered sugar base (no dairy) will stay fresh for 3-4 days at room temp.

*If it is sweltering and humid in your kitchen, I’d opt for the fridge to slow spoilage.

Can you make and freeze this cake recipe ahead?

No problem, you can freeze a completely cooled, well-wrapped chocolate one-bowl cake. Just be sure to use it within 3 months for the best quality, and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then frost.

What about freezing leftover and already frosted cake?

Pretty much the same process, but you want to solidify the icing before wrapping:

• Stabilize the frosted cake on a flat baking sheet while it freezes, 4-6 hours so it’s solid.
• To keep your frozen cake from absorbing freezer “smells,” wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil.  
• Label and store your wrapped creation in an airtight container or freezer bag for extra protection.
• To thaw, put the one-bowl chocolate cake in the fridge overnight with the plastic wrap still on, and viola! No soggy frosting.

A delicious One-Bowl Chocolate Cake is the perfect solution for chocolate cravings, weeknight desserts, or last-minute get-togethers, and definitely just because you deserve cake (because, let’s be real, you always do!).

Like This Recipe?

I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a review below and let me know how you liked the recipe!

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One-Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe

Yield: 15 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Bake up the best-ever One-Bowl Chocolate Cake with a secret ingredient—coffee! It enhances the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee, for a rich and luscious no-mixer, no-fuss dessert.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup hot coffee
• ½ cup hot water
• Frosting of your choice
• Colored sprinkles, if desired

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in eggs, oil, buttermilk and extract. Add water and coffee; stir until combined.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely (2-3 hours) in pan on a wire rack.
4. Frost cake. If desired, decorate with sprinkles.

Notes

We like to use our Easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. But feel free to use your favorite frosting or store-bought.

The coffee enhances the chocolate. It will not taste like coffee. But if you really don’t want to use coffee, just use 1 cup of hot water.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 15
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 323
Total Fat: 16g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 14g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 317mg
Carbohydrates: 42g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 29g
Protein: 3g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.