Homemade Chocolate Cake

Total Time

Prep: 15 min. Bake: 25 min. + cooling

Makes

15 servings

Updated: Jun. 30, 2023
A rich chocolate frosting is the flavorful finishing touch to this moist from-scratch cake that's mixed in one bowl. It always turns out and is quickly gobbled up by friends and family. I'm asked to fix this favorite so often that the recipe card is an absolute mess! —Cindy Miller, Riverside, Iowa

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/3 cup baking cocoa
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups water
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
  • 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/3 cup baking cocoa
  • Dash salt
  • 3 tablespoons 2% milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Add the water, oil, vanilla and vinegar; mix well (batter will be thin).
  2. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
  3. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, salt, milk and vanilla; mix well. Spread over cake. Store in the refrigerator.
Eggs
This recipe does not use eggs.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 413 calories, 17g fat (5g saturated fat), 15mg cholesterol, 385mg sodium, 64g carbohydrate (41g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.