Love homemade chocolate cake but hate washing dishes?  Then this One Bowl Chocolate Cake is for you!

So, I have a horrible confession: I hate meal planning.  I mean, really, really hate it.  Which is saying something, since I like to blog about food in my free time.

While I like preparing food, writing about food, and most definitely eating food, coming up with weeknight menus does not top my list of favorite things to do.  It’s such a chore, and just one more added thing to have to do in my busy days.  I mean, between a full-time job, karate, summer baseball {with the Tall Boy coaching}, and just everyday life, it’s a straight-up miracle I can get dinner on the table, let alone do any sort of elaborate meal planning.

So I was super excited to get my hands on this fabulous new cookbook: A Year with Six Sisters’ Stuff: 52 Menu Plans, Recipes, and Ideas to Bring Families Together

It’s seriously awesome.

And that’s saying a lot from someone who is actually planning a kitchen remodel around extra storage space for all of her cookbooks. 😉

I’ve followed Six Sisters’ Stuff forever, and I’ve had the opportunity to meet some of the sisters in person {I had a phenomenal time in February at their Build Your Blog conference – if you’re a blogger, you need to attend this event next year!} – these gals are the real deal.  They are kind and genuine, family-focused, and cook up some pretty darn good stuff.  But the best part of this cookbook is that it does my meal planning for me.

There are 52 menu ideas included: over 150 total recipes, including main courses, side dishes, and desserts.  Another thing I love about this cookbook is that it uses basic ingredients – ones that you already have in your kitchen.  Some of the sample menus include:

Slow Cooker Creamy Spaghetti with Cheesy Artichoke Bread and Almond Joy Cookies

Honey Baked Ham with Homemade Scalloped Potatoes and Cherry Pie Bars

Slow Cooker BBQ Ranch Ribs with Slow Cooker Baked Beans and Cheesy Ranch Potatoes

and

Oven Baked Tacos with Zesty Guacamole and One Bowl Chocolate Cake

Okay, so I realize a One Bowl Chocolate Cake doesn’t make for a healthy dinner – but it’s definitely a fun dessert for a special meal.

At my house, we try to take extra time at dinner on Sunday evenings – we typically have more time, and aren’t so rushed for prep time {or eating time!}.  We spend quite a bit of time around the table on Sunday nights: talking about our weekend, our plans for the upcoming week, and playing board games.  It’s fun to finish off the meal with dessert – and who doesn’t like a good chocolate cake?

Especially one that can be made in one bowl!

If you’re pressed for time, you can use store-bought chocolate frosting to top your cake, but I’ve included my favorite chocolate frosting recipe below.  It takes only 5 minutes to whip up, and is the perfect finishing touch to this homemade cake!

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

 

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Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup hot water
• chocolate frosting, pre-prepared, or make your own (see below)
• sprinkles

Chocolate Frosting:

• ½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix in the oil, buttermilk, and eggs. Once the eggs are fully incorporated, pour in the hot water and mix well. The batter will be runny - don't worry!
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 33 to 38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool, and then frost and add sprinkles.

To make the frosting:

1. Cream butter, cocoa powder and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, adding in the milk a bit at a time if the frosting gets too thick. Once you've added in 4 cups of powdered sugar, add the remaining milk and beat until the frosting is smooth and creamy. For a stiffer frosting, add in more powdered sugar, ¼ cup at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting becomes too stiff, add in more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Notes

*if you don't have buttermilk, just take 1 tablespoon vinegar (or lemon juice) and enough milk to make 1 cup. Stir and let sit about 5 minutes.

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