One Bowl Moist Chocolate Cake (2024)

Published: Nov 15, 2020 · Modified: Mar 17, 2023 by Chloe · 96 Comments

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Every recipe box needs a staple chocolate cake recipe! This chocolate cake recipe is my go-to for a rich, dense, moist cake that is perfect on it's own or slathered in frosting!

As with a lot of my favourite cakes, this one is super simple and takes very little time to prepare. All the ingredients are whisked together in one bowl (no electric mixer required!).

Wet Ingredients

Milk + Vinegar: milk and vinegar can be combined to create a faux buttermilk which helps make the cake moist. The acidic vinegar will slightly curdle the milk and the mixture will become a little bit thicker.
- Any variety of mildly flavoured vinegar will work (apple cider, malt) or even lemon or lime juice.
- Instead of combining milk and vinegar, you can use 1 cup of buttermilk.
Canola oil: using oil instead of butter keeps the cake fresher and moister for longer. You can use any flavourless vegetable oil or cooking oil (safflower, rice bran, sunflower etc.). Don't use olive oil or coconut oil as they will change the flavour of the cake.
Eggs

Dry Ingredients

Brown sugar + caster sugar (superfine sugar): This combination of sugars will both give the cake structure (with caster sugar) and make it rich and moist (with brown sugar). Light or dark brown sugar will work.
- Can I replace the brown sugar with more caster sugar? Yes however this will make the cake less moist and more fluffy and 'cakey.'
- Can I use all brown sugar? I don't recommend using all brown sugar or the cake may sink and have a denser texture.
Plain flour (all-purpose flour)
Unsweetened cocoa powder: I use Hershey's (US) or Nestle (AUS/UK) brand. Do NOT use hot cocoa powder or raw 'cacao powder.'
Baking powder (NOT baking soda): make sure it is in-date! Expired baking powder is one of the most common causes of sunken cakes.
Salt
Boiling coffee OR boiling water: coffee enhances the chocolate flavour in the cake. The cake will NOT taste like coffee. Make sure you use fresh, strongly brewed black coffee: I like to combine ½ teaspoon of instant coffee granules with ½ cup of boiling water, but you can make the coffee using your preferred method (French press, drip coffee, pods, coffee bags etc.).
- If you're using a coffee machine or pod machine, select the "long black" option.

How to Make Moist Chocolate Cake

1. Whisk together the milk and vinegar and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until the mixture is slightly curdled and thickened.
2. Add the oil, eggs, and sugars.
3. Whisk until the mixture is well combined (there should be minimal 'strands' of eggs).
4. Sift over flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

5. Whisk together until well combined.
6. The batter will still be quite thick at this point.
7. Pour in the strongly brewed black coffee.
8. Whisk in well. The batter will be much thinner now!

9. Grease and line a 20 cm (8 inch) circular cake tin. TIP! If you are using a springform pan, make sure it is VERY secure as the batter is thin and will leak through any cracks!
10. Bake for 55-60 minutes. Don't open the oven door earlier than the 45 minute mark or the cake may sink in the middle. Check if the cake is cooked by inserting a clean skewer in the centre of the cake-- if it is cooked, there will be just a few moist crumbs (no wet batter). Allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and let the cake cool completely (or as long as you can resist!!).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my chocolate cake dry and crumbly?
- You are measuring your dry ingredients incorrectly. to measure dry goods such as flour, you should spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it is piled up high, then level off the pile with the back of a flat-bladed butter knife.
- You have overcooked the cake. make sure you oven is at the correct temperature (you should regularly check your oven's temperature accuracy with an oven thermometer). If the cake still hasn't baked in the 55-60 minute timeframe, you should be checking again every 5 minutes. If the cake is burning around the edges, cover the top of the cake tin with foil and continue to bake until cooked through.
Why is my chocolate cake dense and/or sinking in the middle?
- You over-whisked the batter. over-whisking the batter will cause the gluten strands to over-develop and give you a dense, tough cake. It can also add too much air into the batter which causes it to collapse in the oven. The batter for this cake is very thin and forgiving. Once you add the dry ingredients, however, you should make sure to only whisk as much as necessary to combine the ingredients well.
- Your rising agent (baking powder) is expired. Always double check whether your rising agent (in this case, baking powder) is within the best-before date. If the cake cannot rise effectively, it will be flatter and denser, or may sink in the middle.
- You opened the oven door too early. Make sure not to open the oven door until at least the 45 minute mark. Opening the oven while the cake is quite undercooked can destabilise the oven temperature and cause the centre of the cake to sink or cave in.

Testing if chocolate cake is done

Insert a clean skewer into the centre of the chocolate cake. When you remove it, it should be mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. If there is wet batter on the skewer, the cake is not cooked through yet.

How long can I keep my chocolate cake for?

You can keep this cake stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. It may become a bit dry after the third day.
To freeze the cake: wrap the cake in a layer of cling wrap and then in a layer of foil. Keep frozen for up to 6 months. Defrost at room temperature for 6 hours or overnight before serving.

Have you made this recipe?

If you have made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Leave a review below or share your photo on Instagram and tag me @bakingenvy

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