One Bowl Chocolate Cake

There are a million chocolate cake recipes out there. I know because I’ve made most of them — trendy ones, classic ones, box hacks, over-the-top layered ones with ingredients I had to Google first. But this one? This is the cake I keep coming back to.

It’s soft, rich, not too sweet, and comes together without a mixer and without making your kitchen look like a baking tornado touched down. Just one bowl, a whisk, and a little love. (Okay fine, technically I used two bowls because I like to weigh my ingredients. But you don’t have to. I won’t tell.)

This is the kind of cake you make when someone’s having a bad day. Or a really good one. Or when it’s Tuesday and you need something chocolatey and comforting. It’s reliable, easy, and honestly better than most of the complicated ones I’ve tried.

I call it my Butter + Bliss One Bowl Chocolate Cake. And if you’re the kind of person who licks the spatula before the cake even goes in the oven... you’re in the right place.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup sugar

• ½ cup cocoa powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 egg

• ½ cup oil

• 1 cup water

• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line your cake pan.

2. In one bowl, whisk all dry ingredients.

3. Add wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

4. Pour into pan and bake for 30–35 minutes.

5. Let cool before frosting.

Notes

• Hot water or coffee: Hot liquid helps bloom the cocoa powder and makes the cake extra moist. Use hot coffee to deepen the chocolate flavor, or stick with hot water for a classic taste.

• Buttermilk substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes before using.

• Oil over butter: Oil keeps the crumb soft and moist. Butter adds flavor but can make the cake drier. I recommend oil for best results.

• Cocoa powder: Use Dutch-process or natural cocoa. Both work, but Dutch gives a darker color and smoother flavor.