Looking for a ridiculously simple recipe for from-scratch chocolate cake? This easy one-bowl recipe will make you wonder why you ever purchased a cake mix in the past!
Do you love rich, chocolate cake that’s light and fluffy and basically melts in your mouth?
Are you tired of the dry store-bought cake mixes that keep getting smaller and smaller?
If so, you’ll love this recipe for chocolate cake from scratch — it’s almost as easy as a boxed mix!
We love from-scratch chocolate cake.
The first time I tried this recipe was for Simon’s 1st birthday, back in 2015… and let’s just say it was a smashing success with my sweet-tooth Simon!
Since then, I’ve made and re-made this recipe dozens of times for birthdays and half birthdays and apparently, we never get tired of it!
It’s so quick and easy to whip up, it uses super simple ingredients I always have in the house, it leaves me with just one bowl to wash, and it turns out amazingly delicious every single time!
Ingredients for Homemade Chocolate Cake
- 2 eggs
- 1 c. milk
- ½ c. melted coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 2 t. vanilla extract
- 2 c. granulated sugar
- 1 t. salt
- 1¾ c. all-purpose flour
- ¾ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ t. baking powder
- 1½ t. baking soda
- 1 c. hot coffee (or water)
How to Make One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Grease your pans and set aside (a 9″ x 13″ or two 9″ rounds)
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.
4. Stir in sugar and salt until well combined.
5. Whisk in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda until just combined.
6. Pour in hot coffee and mix for 30 seconds (or until batter is thin and bubbly)
7. Pour batter into prepared pan(s).
8. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes (or until the center is set)
NOTE: A 9″ x 13″ pan will likely take a bit longer to bake than two 9″ round pans. Start checking the round pans around 27 minutes. Cupcakes should take around 22 minutes.
9. Cool completely on wire racks.
10. Frost as desired.
Our Favorite Frosting
I almost always make this whipped chocolate mousse frosting — it’s very light and not super sweet.
If you’re looking for a chocolate buttercream frosting, this is our favorite.
Nora and I aren’t big cake fans (we prefer cinnamon rolls, donuts, cheesecake, pie, or ice cream cake for our own birthday celebrations) but we both enjoy this delicious chocolate cake for special occasions, and I regularly get compliments on it whenever I make it for a party.
Also, as I mentioned above, box mixes are getting smaller and smaller, so if you intend for this recipe to replace a boxed mix, just know it will make a bigger cake.
For reference, the photo below shows this recipe for chocolate cake in a 9″x13″ pan and a boxed mix vanilla cake in the same pan.
From Scratch Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 c. milk
- ½ c. melted coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 2 t. vanilla extract
- 2 c. granulated sugar
- 1 t. salt
- 1¾ c. all-purpose flour
- ¾ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ t. baking powder
- 1½ t. baking soda
- 1 c. hot coffee (or water)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Grease your pans and set aside (a 9″ x 13″ or two 9″ rounds)
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.
4. Stir in sugar and salt until well combined.
5. Whisk in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda until just combined.
6. Pour in hot coffee and mix for 30 seconds (or until batter is thin and bubbly)
7. Pour into prepared pans.
8. Bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes (or until the center is set).
9. Cool completely on wire racks.
10. Frost as desired.
Notes
NOTE: A 9″ x 13″ pan will likely take a bit longer to bake than two 9″ round pans. Start checking the round pans around 27 minutes. Cupcakes will bake in around 22 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1 sliceAmount Per Serving Calories 322Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 33mgSodium 435mgCarbohydrates 52gFiber 1gSugar 35gProtein 5g
Nutritional information is approximate and does not account for additional ingredients or added toppings.
More Favorite Chocolate Recipes
- Amazing chocolate bundt cake (they’ll never guess it starts with a box mix!)
- Egg-free, dairy-free chocolate cake
- Fudgy cheesecake swirl brownies
- Slow cooker chocolate cake
- Single-serving chocolate cake in a mug
- Double chocolate banana muffins
- Double chocolate zucchini brownies
Are you a from-scratch or boxed cake mix person?
Visit my virtual recipe box for more simple, delicious, family friendly recipes!
Sara D Lineberry says
I made this for a friend’s birthday. Since he had throat cancer chocolate is the only flavor that stands out to him. He loved it! I just poured a simple chocolate ganache over it. His family loved it too. Instead of the hot water I added hot coffee. It really brings out the chocolate flavor. I love making from scratch cakes and prefer over boxed but I will use a box mix when I’m too tired to bother with from scratch! This is definitely a keeper for me! Love simple recipes!
Andrea says
yay — thanks so much for letting me know, Sara!
I’m actually making this recipe today for James’ half birthday — it was his requested “half cake” of choice!
Cindy lingo says
I made cupcakes with this recipe and oh boy what a mess i have, what did i do
Andrea says
Sorry Cindy, I have no idea 🙁
I just made this exact recipe earlier this week and it turned out just fine.
Heather Ratliff says
Always from scratch and that’s my recipe, too! Such a moist cake!
Andrea says
yes! Everyone gobbled it up!
Stephanie says
Is this a recipe you made after viewing a couple recipes? If not, can I have the original source? It is only proper to give credit where credit is due. 🙂
Thanks!
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup says
That cake is adorable, Andrea!
I don’t blame you for not wanting to head to the store with 2 kids for one cake mix. I do like boxed mixes, but I like homemade because of the simple, real ingredients.
Thanks for sharing this. We have 2 birthdays this month so this is perfect!
Lea says
From scratch – though I have used cake mixes on occasion. I had to laugh when you said you find from scratch too dry usually because that’s usually my opinion of mixes. I guess I’ve always made the cakes in one bowl (maybe that’s just the set of recipes I have?) so I’ve never found it to be much of a hassle.
Thanks for sharing your recipe,
Lea
Kristen @ Joyfully Thriving says
Ha! I’m not really a cake fan myself (unless it’s cheesecake!) but made a from-scratch cake for Nathan’s first birthday. It was fine. Nothing spectacular – and my husband requested that I only make cake from the box again!
Andrea says
haha yes! We also usually prefer boxed cake (and brownie) mixes versus from-scratch recipes 🙂
Becca says
I usually only make from – scratch cakes BECAUSE they’re so simple!! (and taste much better, in my opinion. :)) Yours looks delicious!! You did a fabulous job decorating it, too….that’s where I always run into trouble. Did you make the frosting, too? If you need one, this is an amazing and super simple recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/313083/quick-chocolate-frosting
Andrea says
Thanks Becca! I did make the frosting — not really using a recipe, just powdered sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, and food coloring. I just kept adding a little more of this and that until it was the right consistency 🙂
Calliope says
Always from scratch! It is so easy and the alternative sooo loaded with E and artificials.
Jules says
Yes! This is the Hershey’s cocoa recipe and probably my favorite chocolate cake recipe because it is *not* dry – that’s an issue I have had with all chocolate cake, from a box and otherwise, made at home, ordered from a restaurant, etc.
Ann is 100% right; the cake is actually better the next day, but it rarely is around that long. Glad you came across the recipe, is perfect for your simple – but delicious – cooking and baking styles
Ann says
Andrea, This recipe is the Hershey’s Chocolate Cake recipe & it is DELICIOUS! It gets more moist each day…if there’s any left! Love your blog!
Lee Cockrum says
I have to admit, I’m a total cake snob! I only do from scratch. Growing up I did not even know that you could make a cake from a box till I was 13 or 14. The cake you made above looks similar to a recipe that I use from the side of the Hershey’s dark cocoa tin. It is the BEST chocolate cake ever. I get raves every time I make it. I also make a hot milk sponge cake, with many variations. It can be made plain for a yellow cake, with yummy spices for spice cake, with ground black walnuts for black walnut cake, with apples and cinnamon for apple cake.
Although I never use box cakes, I do admit to almost always using a bundt pan rather than dealing with multiple layers!
Andrea says
we almost ALWAYS make bundt cakes too — I just needed a rectangle cake for the birthday cake 🙂
Amber Woods says
Lee,
Do you mind sharing your hot milk sponge cake recipe and how you do the variations. Sounds like something handy to know.