4 Ingredient Chocolate Cake
This simple chocolate cake is perfect for when you're craving dessert but don’t want to fuss with a long ingredient list. Made without eggs, butter or oil, it’s moist, soft, and easy to whip up in just one bowl!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) self-rising flour, see note before starting
- 1/2 cup (48 g) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 cups (155 g) light brown sugar
- 1 1/3 cups (315 ml) whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease an 8-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add self-rising flour, cocoa powder, and brown sugar. Using the wire whisk attachment, mix on low speed until everything is evenly combined. Pour in the milk and mix on medium speed until you have a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly across with a spatula.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool slightly before cutting and serving. Store any uneaten cake in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. I recommend warming up the cake slightly before eating leftovers.
Notes
- Please note that this is a snack cake and won't be as rich or tender as a classic chocolate cake. Because it is made with very little fat, the cake crumb will be a little chewy rather than very tender.
- Self-rising flour note: This recipe was tested with Gold Medal brand self-rising flour (Amazon | Walmart).* There is a varying amount of protein content for different brands of self-rising flour which will affect the texture and outcome of the bread. Gold Medal self-rising flour contains 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup. Please use a brand of self-rising flour with 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup for this cake.
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Homemade self-rising flour: If you don't have self-rising flour you can also make homemade self-rising flour. Make sure your all purpose flour has 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup. Most all purpose flours contain 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup but there are some brands (like King Arthur Flour and Bob's Red Mill) that contain higher or lower protein amounts which will affect the recipe.
- Whisk together 1.5 cups all purpose flour, 2 and 1/4 tsp baking powder and 3/8 tsp salt.
- Optional Ganache Frosting:
- 6 fl oz heavy cream
- 1.5 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- To make ganache frosting, heat heavy cream in microwave or on the stove until almost simmering. Pour over chocolate chips. Gently stir with a spatula until chocolate is fully melted and smooth. If your chocolate is not fully melted, you can also microwave it for about 15-20 seconds and stir again until fully melted.
- You can substitute the brown sugar with white sugar. If you do, I recommend reducing the sugar slightly, using 1 cup instead of 1.25 cups.
- Nutrition estimate does not include optional frosting.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 173kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 192mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 25g, NET CARBS: 37
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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