Easy Quarantine Chocolate Cake

Hey friends! I’ve got the perfect “stay-at-home” recipe for all you chocolate lovers out there. This scrumptious, one-bowl Quarantine Chocolate Cake is made entirely from basic pantry staples! That’s right: no eggs or butter. And while yes, it’s technically a vegan cake, it’s also so moist and chocolatey good!

How are you holding up during this crazy time? Here in California, we’re doing our part by staying home. But I have to be honest with you. While I obviously have a lot more time on my hands, I’m finding it hard to concentrate on work and I haven’t been feeling very creative. Ugh. Anyone else feeling the same way?

Quarantine Chocolate Cake

Thank goodness for this chocolate cake! This no-fuss recipe, which I’ve adapted from one by Margaux Laskey from NY Times Cooking, is truly a no brainer! It takes about as much effort to make as a box cake from the store, takes only about 30 minutes to make (including baking) and comes out super moist and with a great chocolate flavor that’s not too sweet.

Tips on Making Quarantine Chocolate Cake

The only change I’ve made to the original recipe is that I made the batter in a bowl instead of in the pan, as the original recipe suggested. I did this mostly because I was afraid I’d make a huge mess if I made the cake in the pan. But this also allowed me to grease and line my pan, which made it a snap to remove from the pan.

I also scattered on both semisweet chocolate chips and some white chocolate chips before baking. Because why not?

One last note: if you’re looking for something to do with your kids while you’re all at home, this cake would make a fun cooking project!

Looking for more easy cakes? Try this one-bowl vanilla bundt cake with chocolate drizzle or these 5-ingredient chocolate pudding cakes.

One-Bowl Quarantine Chocolate Cake

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• Yield: 9–12 1x

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Description

This one-bowl, super moist chocolate cake is made entirely with basic pantry staples.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon white or or apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons semisweet (or vegan) chocolate chips, optional
• Confectioners’ sugar, optional

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8×8-inch cake pan with butter or a baking oil spray (I use coconut oil), and then line with parchment paper, and then spray parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add water, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. Stir by hand until incorporated and the mixture becomes smooth.
4. Pour batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly in one layer with a spatula, and then sprinkle with chocolate chips, if desired.
5. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 28 minutes. 
6. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
7. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. 
8. Cut into squares and serve.