This One-Bowl Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Frosting is a moist and rich recipe, which is made with Dutch-process cocoa powder and buttermilk. It’s a straightforward recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, plus cooling time.
One-Bowl Chocolate Cake Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup low-fat buttermilk, room temperature
- ¾ cup hot tap water
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the Chocolate Frosting (Optional):
- 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
- 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
- 3/4 cup creme fraiche
How To Make One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
- Prep Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans and dust them with flour, tapping out any excess.
- Mix the Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, hot water, vanilla, and oil to the bowl. Whisk everything together until the batter is smooth.
- Bake the Cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed.
- Cool the Cakes: Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then, invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
- Make the Frosting: Sift together the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer until smooth. Gradually add the sugar-cocoa mixture and beat until combined. Pour in the melted chocolate in a slow, steady stream, then beat in the crème fraîche until combined.
- Assemble the Cake: Spread about 1 1/2 cups of frosting over the top of one cooled cake layer. Place the second layer on top. Apply a thin “crumb coat” of frosting over the entire cake and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Finally, frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Recipe Tips
- How to get a super moist cake? The combination of buttermilk and oil is the secret to this cake’s incredibly moist and tender crumb. Using hot water also helps to “bloom” the cocoa powder for a richer chocolate flavor.
- Why use room temperature ingredients? Using room temperature eggs and buttermilk helps them emulsify better into the batter, creating a smoother, more uniform texture in the finished cake.
- What is a crumb coat? A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting applied to the cake before the final layer. It traps any loose crumbs, ensuring your final coat of frosting is perfectly smooth and clean.
- Can I make this as a single-layer cake? Yes. You can bake the entire batter in a 9×13-inch pan. You will need to increase the baking time to 35-40 minutes.
What To Serve With Chocolate Cake
This classic cake is a showstopper on its own, but it’s also delicious with:
- A scoop of vanilla bean or coffee ice cream
- A side of fresh raspberries or strawberries
- A tall glass of cold milk
How To Store Chocolate Cake
- Room Temperature/Refrigerate: Due to the cream cheese frosting, it’s best to store this cake in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature for about an hour before serving for the best flavor and texture. It will keep for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: The un-frosted cake layers freeze beautifully. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting.
One-Bowl Chocolate Cake Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 500-600 kcal
- Fat: 30g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Protein: 7g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Yes. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute. For every 1 cup of milk, stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. For this recipe, you would use ¾ cup of milk and ¾ tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle slightly before using.
The most common reason for a dry cake is overbaking. Ovens can vary, so start checking for doneness at the lower end of the recommended baking time. The cake is ready when the top springs back when lightly touched.
Yes! This batter is perfect for cupcakes. Fill lined cupcake tins two-thirds full and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This recipe will make about two dozen cupcakes.
Try More Recipes:
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Icebox Cake Recipe
- Vanilla Sheet Cake With Lemon Cream-Cheese Frosting Recipe
- I Tried Martha Stewart’s Coffee Cake, and I Let the Crumbs Fall Where They May
One-Bowl Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Frosting Recipe
Description
An incredibly moist and easy chocolate cake where the batter comes together in a single bowl, finished with a rich and tangy chocolate cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry cake ingredients.
- Add all the wet cake ingredients to the same bowl and whisk until the batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes.
- Cool the cakes completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually beat in the sifted sugar and cocoa, then the melted chocolate, and finally the creme fraiche.
- Layer and frost the cooled cake, applying a crumb coat first for the neatest finish.
Notes
- The “one-bowl” method for the batter makes this recipe incredibly quick and easy with minimal cleanup.
- Using hot water helps to bloom the cocoa powder, resulting in a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Don’t overmix the batter once the flour is added to ensure a tender crumb.
- Let the cake come to room temperature before serving for the best taste and texture.