The one-bowl chocolate cake is a busy baker's workhorse, and a concept that's been riffed on in countless ways by just about every cookbook, food magazine, and professional domestic goddess over the past few decades. And for good reason-who doesn't love being minutes away from homemade chocolate cake, no complicated machinery required? My version is naturally sweetened with maple syrup, which also makes it unbeatably moist.
- I like honey here, too. It creates a noticeably different flavor profile when combined with cocoa, which makes this recipe great for mixing and matching with a variety of frostings and toppings.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes two 9-inch cake layers, one 9 x 13-inch sheet cake, or about 1 1/2 dozen cupcakes
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
1. Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2
2. Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch rectangular baking pan or two 9-inch round pans (and line them with parchment paper), or line 18 wells of two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
Step 3
3. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Step 4
4. In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the syrup, yogurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract.
Step 5
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Using a whisk, energetically blend the batter by hand until smooth and thick, about 1 minute. Spread the batter into the prepared pan or pans. (For fill the cups no more than two-thirds full—you should get 18 cupcakes.)
Step 6
6. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched, 30 to 35 minutes for sheet and/or layer cakes, or 20 minutes for cupcakes. Cool completely in the pans on a wire rack before inverting and frosting.
