This extra moist chocolate cake is fool proof and so delicious! It’s made in one bowl and frosted with a super fudgy chocolate buttercream. Garnish with fresh fruit if you like. Regardless of how you serve it, others will fall in love with one bite. It is one of my most requested recipes. Especially for birthdays or large events.
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Why you will love this recipe
- The batter comes together in one bowl
- It is an extra moist, light and fluffy chocolate cake
- Topped with easy and delicious homemade chocolate frosting
- Can be made in 4 different ways: two tier, cupcakes, a 9×13 pan or sheet pan.
Ingredient notes
Flour: Use a good quality all purpose unbleached flour like Wheat Montana White Flour or King Arthur Organic All Purpose Flour. I always bake with unbleached flour because it doesn’t contain the chemicals used in bleached flour to whiten it. Instead the flour is milled to oxidize on its own overtime. Read this article by King Arthur, Bleached vs. Unbleached to decide what flour is best for you. I always choose the quality ingredient. Not only for nutrients but because it provides the most flavor and taste is everything. Especially with baking.
Coco Powder: I like using an all natural cocoa powder in this cake recipe. It really gives the cake and frosting a deep chocolate taste. You can use an unsweetened, dark cocoa powder. Just not black cocoa powder.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes this cake extra moist and rich. Do not skip on it. However I barley ever purchase buttermilk. Here’s a hack to make your own at home. Add a cup of milk of choice to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Then add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to the milk. Stir and let it sit for 10 minutes or until curdled like buttermilk. Then use in the recipe as directed.
Oil: If you don’t want to taste the oil in the cake use avocado oil. However you can use olive oil, coconut oil or even unsweetened apple sauce too.
Espresso: I like using hot espresso in the batter because coffee enhances the chocolate flavor but you can use plain, boiling water too. Either way the cake will be so tasty.
Recipe variations
For Cupcakes: Make the batter as directed but instead of pouring it into a 9×13 pan, line two muffin tins with parchment paper cupcake liners. Enough for 24 cupcakes. Place about a 1/4 cup of batter in each liner and bake the cupcakes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 18-22 minutes just until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs. Cool the cupcakes completely and then frost.
For a two tiered cake: Pour the batter equally into two 8 or 9 in cake pans that have been lined with parchment paper and have been greased and floured. Bake the cakes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs. Let the cakes cool completely before removing from the pans and assembling on a cake stand with frosting. Add a little frosting to the cake stand, then the first cake layer and add about 1/2 cup of frosting to that. Spread the frosting using an offset spatula. Next add the second layer of cake on top and begin to frost the top and the sides of the whole cake. Place the cake in the refrigerator if you need the frosting to set before serving. The frosting can melt if the room is too warm.
For a Sheet Pan Cake: Make the batter as instructed and pour into a 18×13 baking sheet pan that has been greased and floured. Bake the cake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 22-35 minutes or until a toothpick has been inserted and comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs. Let the cake cool completely and the frost using an offset spatula. Enjoy!
- Refer to the Recipe card below for full instructions on how to make and prepare the cake.
Perfect One Bowl Chocolate Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cup all purpose unbleached organic flour
- 2 cup organic cane sugar
- ¾ cup organic cocoa powder natural or dark
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup room temperature buttermilk or kefir
- 1 cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil and or unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot espresso or boiling water
Fudge Frosting
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ⅔ cup organic cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup heavy cream or milk of choice
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Garnish
- 8-10 oz Freshly washed and diced organic strawberries optional
Instructions
Cake
- Start by preheating the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Then grease and flour a 9×13 pan and set aside.
- Now, in a large mixing bowl add dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Next add buttermilk, eggs, avocado oil and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and mix together using a whisk until just combined.
- Pour 1 cup of hot espresso or boiling water into the cake batter and mix slow but fast until the batter is smooth and silky to avoid scrambling any eggs.
- Transfer the cake batter to the greased 9×13 pan and place into the preheated oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 to 40 minutes or until the center is cooked and a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean with only a few crumbs.
- Cool the baked cake before frosting.
Frosting
- Once the cake has cooled prepare the frosting by adding the butter to a medium sized sauce pan and melt over medium heat and then add the melted butter into a large mixing bowl.
- Begin to sift in the cocoa powder into the butter and then mix in using a hand mixer on low until combined.
- Now add in the vanilla extract a splash of the cream and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Mix until smooth.
- Continue to add in another cup of powdered sugar and another splash of cream and mix until smooth. Do this one more time until all the powdered sugar and cream have been used and the frosting is a spreading consistency.
- Frost the cake, cut a slice and and a scoop of freshly chopped strawberries to enjoy.
Hello, I have a question what flour can I use instead of the regular flour, I have gluten intolerance. Thank you
I have never used an gluten free flour for this recipe only because I don’t have a gluten allergy but my mother has had great success using King Arthurs Cup for Cup Gluten Free Flour in baked goods for my nephews and sister in law who are gluten intolerant too. I hope this helps. Let me know how it turns out or if you have any other questions. Happy Baking!
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