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vanilla cake with blueberries and chocolate cake with raspberries - two easy recipes for cakes

Grandmother's Easiest One-Bowl Cake (Vanilla or Chocolate)

Markus and Bianca Kuchar
A wholesome, unfussy recipe using whole wheat flour and unrefined sugar. This "dump and mix" method means you can have a delicious everyday cake ready for the oven in just 10 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 8 servings each cake

Equipment

stainless steel mixing bowl with flour
mixing bowl
Lord Eagle Hand Mixer Electric 400W, 5-Speed with Storage Case and 5 Attachments
hand mixer

Ingredients
  

Master Base Batter:

  • 2 cups Self-rising flour (whole wheat recommended)
  • ½ cup Sugar brown non-refined is the best
  • ½ cup Sunflower oil (or other neutral oil)
  • 1 cup Milk of your choice (plus an extra splash if needed—see tips)

Choose Your Variation (Add to base):

For Vanilla Classic:

  • 1 pack (25g) Vanilla sugar OR 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract

For Rich Chocolate:

  • 3 tablespoon Cacao unsweetened powder.
  • 1 tablespoon instant or ground coffee (Optional Mocha Twist)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your fan-forced oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add all the Master Base Batter ingredients.
  • Add the ingredients for your chosen variation (either Vanilla OR Chocolate) directly into the same bowl.
  • Using a hand-held electric mixer on low speed, mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
  • Because whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid, the batter will be thick. If it seems too stiff, add a splash more milk until you reach a workable batter consistency.
  • Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40–50 minutes.
  • Start checking after 40 minutes by inserting a bamboo skewer into the center. The cake is done when the skewer comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Chef's Tips:
The Parchment Hack:
To line a round pan easily, wet your sheet of parchment paper under the tap, scrunch it tightly into a ball, then unravel it. It will be soft, malleable, and mold perfectly to the pan corners.
Baking Two at Once:
If baking both vanilla and chocolate cakes simultaneously on different oven racks, rotate the pans and swap shelves halfway through baking for even cooking.

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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