Moist & Fudgy Chocolate Cake (One-Bowl) Recipe
This Moist & Fudgy Chocolate Cake is an easy one-bowl recipe that produces a rich, deeply chocolatey dessert with a perfect balance of fudgy and tender crumb textures. Enhanced by hot coffee to intensify the chocolate flavor, it bakes up beautifully in a 9×13 pan and is perfect for frosting with chocolate ganache buttercream or any frosting you prefer.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Total Time: 45-50 minutes
- Yield: 12-16 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder (Dutch processed or natural unsweetened)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup full-fat sour cream
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot coffee
Frosting
- Chocolate Ganache Buttercream Frosting (or other frosting of your choosing)
Instructions
- Make the cake batter. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a 9×13 metal baking pan with parchment paper and set it aside to prepare for the cake batter.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt until fully combined and aerated.
- Add wet ingredients except coffee. To the dry mixture, add the whole milk, vegetable oil, full-fat sour cream, lightly beaten eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir gently until well combined; the batter will be thick, similar to brownie batter texture.
- Add hot coffee. Carefully stir in the hot coffee using a whisk until the batter becomes thin and smooth, ensuring all ingredients are well blended to develop the fudgy texture and enhance chocolate flavor.
- Pour and bake. Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared 9×13 inch pan, smoothing the top as needed. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.
- Test for doneness. Check the cake by gently poking the top; it should spring back. Insert a cake tester or toothpick into the center—if it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, the cake is done.
- Cool and frost. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before applying your choice of frosting, such as chocolate ganache buttercream, to achieve the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- For round cake layers or cupcakes, adjust baking time accordingly: round cake layers may require about 25-30 minutes, cupcakes 18-22 minutes.
- Using hot coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor but can be substituted with hot water if preferred.
- Let the cake cool fully before frosting to prevent melting and sliding of frosting.
- Vegetable oil helps keep the cake moist and tender; do not substitute with butter for this particular recipe.
Keywords: moist chocolate cake, fudgy chocolate cake, one bowl chocolate cake, easy chocolate cake, chocolate cake with coffee, chocolate ganache frosting
