The Best Fluffy One Bowl Chocolate Cake
This one bowl chocolate cake is super light and fluffy and is topped with a decadent chocolate buttercream. It is my favorite go to chocolate cake because it is just SO easy to make and has a rich chocolate flavor. It’s the best cake for any celebration from birthdays to holidays or any special day.
If you are looking for an easy but delicious chocolate cake, look no further! This cake is super easy to make, has a delicate light crumb, and is packed with chocolate flavor. My favorite thing about this cake is that you can make it in one bowl.
All you have to do is combine the dry ingredients, eggs, and then the wet ingredients in one bowl and mix! It seriously could not be easier to make a moist chocolate cake from scratch.
As a trained pastry chef I like to work smarter not harder so this recipe is also the base recipe for some others on my site like my 6 inch chocolate cake, chocolate filled cupcakes, and small batch chocolate cupcakes. They are all super moist and can be topped with almost any kind of frosting recipe!
Top it with a chocolate buttercream that is made with cocoa powder (for ease) and you have the perfect crowd pleasing chocolate cake!
If you have mini marshmallows on hand you can also make this Mississippi Mud Cake! It is the same size as this cake and has mini marshmallows and a decadent brownie frosting on top!
Ingredients you need
- White Sugar – White sugar helps sweeten the inside of the cake and blends in smoothly with the cake batter.
- All Purpose Flour – AP flour makes up the base of the dry ingredients of this cake.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – This is what gives the cake a chocolate flavor and deep brown color.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder – The combination of these two ingredients help the cake rise and give it a fluffy texture while it still stays dense.
- Kosher Salt – Balances the sweetness in the cake.
- Eggs – Eggs help any cake bind together while baking and create the crust on the top and sides.
- Vanilla Extract – The perfect flavor extract that pairs well with any baked chocolate cake.
- Whole Milk Yogurt – Yogurt is responsible for making the cake moist setting it apart from store bought cakes.
- Coffee – Adds a rich decadent flavor that pairs very well with chocolate and gives the cake a little something extra.
- Vegetable Oil – This helps make the batter smooth and rich.
How to make a one bowl chocolate cake
Prepare for baking: Bring all of your baking ingredients to room temperature and preheat the oven to 350° F and spray a 9″ x 13″ rectangular pan or 3, 8″ round cake pans with baking spray.
Combine dry ingredients: In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and tsp kosher salt. Mix by hand or on low speed for 15 seconds.
Add wet ingredients : To the bowl add the eggs, yogurt, vanilla extract, coffee, and vegetable oil. Mix on low medium speed for 2 minutes until combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl.
Pour batter: Pour the batter into the one pan or divide it evenly between one 9×13 pan or three 9″ round cake pans.
Bake: Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes or until the edges start to pull away from the pan and when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Frost: Top or fill and frost the cake with easy chocolate buttercream frosting.
Why add coffee to chocolate cake?
Coffee deepens the chocolate flavor and will bring out some more of its richness. It’s one of my best kept secrets in a lot of my chocolate recipes.
If you’re not a regular coffee drinker, invest in some good quality instant coffee — you can throw it into any number of chocolate baked goods, so don’t worry about wasting your money on an ingredient you’ll never use again.
To make the coffee use 1-2 tbsp coffee with 1 cup of hot water.
Tips for the Making the cake
- The best way to measure ingredients is with a kitchen scale. Otherwise you can accidentally add too much flour into the batter changing its consistency. If you don’t have a scale, spoon your dry ingredients into a measuring cup and then level it off with a knife.
- The cake batter is very liquidy so dont think you messed it up!
- You can make this in a 9×13″ pan or in 3, 8″ round pans. Make sure to check the different baking times below.
- You can leave out the coffee and use warm water instead. The warm water helps bloom the chocolate and bring out the flavor.
How to decorate the cake
To decorate, you can frost the cake using an offset spatula and chocolate buttercream frosting, then top it with fun sprinkles.
Storing and freezing
Storing- Store this cake covered at room temperature for up to 5 days. It does not need to be refrigerated.
Freezing– This cake freezes really well! I recommend freezing it before adding the buttercream. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQ
Do I have to add in the coffee? No you dont have to add in the coffee. You can add warm water instead in the same amount.
How can I make this cake dairy-free? Use a non dairy yogurt for this recipe.
Can I make this cake into cupcakes? Absolutely! This recipe would make close to 50 cupcakes. Cut it in half to make less.
What other frosting can I try? SO many! Try this coffee buttercream frosting, my ultimate cream cheese frosting, or this strawberry cream cheese frosting.
More Chocolate Cakes
The Best Fluffy One Bowl Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3 cups (600 g) granulated sugar
- 3 cups (375 g) all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (129 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon (1.5 teaspoon) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 4 (4) large eggs
- 1 cups (244 g) whole milk yogurt
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup (355.5 g) brewed black coffee
- ½ cup (109 g) vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° F and spray a 9×13” or 3- 8” round pans with baking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the 3 cups sugar, 3 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder, 1 tbsp baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and mix on low till combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating them into the mix before each addition.
- Raise the speed up to medium and in a steady stream add in the 1 cup yogurt and 1 tbsp vanilla.
- Mix until combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides to make sure it is evenly mixed.
- With the mixer running on medium again, add in the 1 1/2 cup coffee and 1/2 cup oil slowly.
- Continue mixing until the batter is evenly mixed, it is a runny batter!
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 mins for the 9×13 or 25-30 minutes for a 8" round. Or bake until the edges of the cake break away from the pan, or a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool. Frost with chocolate buttercream frosting
Hi Sam! Is this the chocolate buttercream recipe you used to frost the cake in the 10 Ways To Make Your Cakes Look More Professional post.
Thank you!
Hi Chesley!! Yes it is!!! Thank you so much for asking, I will add that in!
About how many cupcakes do you think this frosting recipe will top??
Hi Cylina! I think it depends on how you’re doing it, if you are using a piping bag, I would say about 12, but if you are using a knife to spread it on, probably more likely 18!
Amazing. I made for my stepson’s birthday. He took it back to his dorm with him and everyone loved it. I love how moist it was.
Hi Faith!! I am so happy to hear that, thank you so much for your sweet comment, I’m so happy everyone enjoyed!!
Made this for my dad’s birthday and added some oreo crumble ontop and it was delicious! Really easy to make which was a bonus.
Hi Darian! Thank you so much for letting me know! I am so happy you enjoyed the cake! Thanks for your review!!!
This was so easy and super delicious 😋!!!
So glad you enjoyed it Amy!!!
Thanks for the recipe. Can this be made with decaffeinated coffee?
yes of course 🙂 the flavor wont change much!
Sam,
I’m a bit confused! In the first step of the instructions of the recipe you state that 3 8″ pans can be used. However, in the eighth step you state the baking time for 9″ pan. When I was reading the text you talk about how much to divide up the batter into 2 8″ pans.
So, how many pans and for what baking time?
Thanks.
Dee Cortiglio
Hi Dee!! Thanks so much for pointing that out! Sometimes I use those pans interchangeably sorry to confuse you! I updated the recipe- you can either use 1 9×13 inch pan, or 3 8″ round pans for this cake. Hope that helps!
Thank you, Sam for your speedy reply. I really like to do 3-layer cakes so I appreciate you clarifying this for me.
Dee
Sam, I will have to try your recipe. Similar to Texas Sheet Cake which is also 1 bowl, but has coffee and yogurt added to it. Sounds like it would be extra delicious! You are a Master Baker indeed!
Aww Mary you are so sweet! Yes it is similar, the yogurt makes it extra moist and the coffee deepens the flavor. Please let mw know how you like it if you try it!
How many 6 inches pan for this recipe?
3 🙂
What kind of whole milk yogurt?
I use unflavored or vanilla
Hello, I just received the newsletter and set out to make this cake today. I have all my ingredients prepped. In the list from the newsletter it says one and a half cup of milk, but on the website says 1 cup of yogurt. Which one is correct?
Hi Martina, I would use the one thats on the actual website. Hope it worked out, sorry for the confusion. You can substitute milk with yogurt but still the one on the site is the correct one.
By far the best cake I have ever made from scratch! It is so moist and fluffy (the key is to weigh all of the ingredients as instructed). I have gotten so many wonderful compliments. I love this site and look forward to making more recipes from here!
Ahh this just made my day, thank you so much! So glad you loved the cake and I so appreciate the 5 star rating!