one bowl chocolate cake with easy chocolate buttercream

I don’t HATE it. I just don’t see what all the fuss is about. When I was a kid and everyone was fighting over the buttercream roses at a birthday party, I was flipping my piece of cake on its side and scraping away the frosting. Simply put, here are my two main beefs: 1. Frosting is often WAAAAAAY too sweet and 2. We rely too heavily on it.

So if you haven’t already clicked away from this page in abject disgust and anger, then hear me out. I’m not suggesting we quit frosting – after all it does lend obvious visual appeal, and not so obvious moisture retention to any cake. I just think the whole situation deserves a little more thought.

Firstly, the cake should not just be a vehicle for mounds of sugary frosting. It should really be the main event. This one bowl chocolate cake situation is meant to mimic the ones from my youth, but with some slight improvements. It’s rich yet not too intense, sweet but not cloying, and best of all – it’s all made in one bowl. Is it good with frosting? heck yes! But does it absolutely need it to be so delicious you’ll find yourself tearing off chunks straight from the refrigerator at midnight? Definitely not.

Secondly, frosting’s primary flavor should not just be sweet. I think this is probably why I favor things like cream cheese frosting so much. The tang adds depth and nuance that a lot of standard frostings lack. Also the more balanced it is, the more I can eat – a big plus in my book. But even plain old buttercream (that admittedly has a ton of sugar in it) can still be more than just one note. Try adding a little salt to tame the sweetness, or something just a touch bitter like coffee or dark chocolate to soften the sugary edges, or go a little out of the box with fruity additions or different types of flavorings like almond or mint.

Look, I realize that my opinions may skew towards the unpopular, but this is my truth. When you’re baking in your house you’re the boss, so you do whatever makes you happy. But frosting or no, sickly sweet or with a slight tang, this one bowl chocolate cake is not to be missed. And I’ve also included a simple chocolate buttercream recipe at the bottom, because I’m not a G-D monster.

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

This cake is moist, rich, and just sweet enough. If you don’t have coffee lying around, feel free to use the same quantity of milk. It won’t be quite as chocolatey, but it’ll still get the job done. I like to melt my chocolate in the microwave, but if you want to do it over a pot of simmering water (double-boiler style) that’s totes fine.

By: Jo

May 22, 2018
12
50 min
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Ingredients

½ C semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
⅓ C canola or vegetable oil
½ C plain yogurt (I used whole milk)
¾ C strong brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature
⅔ C brown sugar
½ C granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ C all purpose flour
⅓ C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda

Directions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350° F
Step 2: Line a 9X13 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on each side (this gives you handles to lift the cake out after it’s been baked and cooled) and spray with nonstick spray. Alternatively, butter and flour the baking dish thoroughly.
Step 3: In a large bowl, microwave the chocolate in 20 second bursts, stirring between each interval, until mostly melted.
Step 4: Add oil, yogurt, coffee, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to the chocolate. Whisk to combine.
Step 5: Sift in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix until no dry spots remain, but do not overmix.
Step 6: Pour into the prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 40 minutes. Start checking for doneness at 30 minutes though, as ovens will vary. It’s done when a toothpick comes out mostly clean, save for a couple of moist crumbs and if you press gently on the top of the cake with your fingers it should spring back.
Step 7: Let cool completely in the pan.
Step 8: Remove cake using the parchment paper sling, or invert onto a cooling rack, and then flip back over onto another cooling rack.
Step 9: Frost with Simple Chocolate Buttercream (recipe below), or any frosting of your choice – including none at all!

Simple Chocolate Buttercream

This recipe is heavy on the butter and lighter on the sugar. It’s a very soft frosting, so if you want to firm it up, just pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes. If you forget to bring your butter to room temperature, put it in a bowl on top of the stove while your cake bakes, this usually does the trick. This makes enough frosting for one 9X13 inch cake or 12 cupcakes.

By: Jo

May 22, 2018
15 min
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Ingredients

½ C chocolate (chips, or chopped are both fine)
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 T water or coffee
⅛ salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ C powdered sugar

Directions

Step 1: In a small bowl microwave the chocolate in 20 second bursts, stirring in between, until mostly melted.
Step 2: Add cocoa powder, vanilla, water, and salt. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
Step 3: In a stand mixer, or using a hand held mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy – about 2 minutes.
Step 4: Add powdered sugar gradually (about two tablespoons at a time), beating thoroughly between each addition.
Step 5: When all the sugar has been incorporated, beat the frosting at high speed until thick and fluffy, about 3 – 5 minutes.
Step 6: Add the chocolate mixture and beat for another 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl when necessary.