16 One-Bowl Cake Recipes That Make Dessert a Breeze

These satisfy your cake craving, without a sink full of dishes.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published August 30, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
slice of devil's food cake on a plate

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Most of the time I find baking a cake relaxing—I gather and weigh out the ingredients, then mix the batter, one bowl for creaming butter, another for dry ingredients, and another for liquid. Then I line the pans, bake, let cool briefly, frost (another bowl!), and dig in. But that's unfortunately where the relaxation ends, thanks to the large pile of dishes now gathered in the sink. And that's where these easy, one-bowl cake recipes come in.

Whether you're an avid home baker like me or a home cook who rarely bakes, you're going to love this collection of recipes for every sweet tooth out there, from a chocolate layer cake, blueberry-studded sheet cake, and Italian ricotta cake, to an easy carrot loaf. So find your next bake or save some favorites for later, and don't worry about the dishes—with these one-bowl recipes, they'll barely be a bother!

  • One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

    Slice of One-Bowl Double-Layer Chocolate Cake on a Small Plate with a Maraschino Cherry

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "The best thing about this cake is that takes about 10 minutes to get the batter together, and you can do it without an electric mixer."—Sara Bir, Former Senior Editor

  • Peach Skillet Cake

    A slice of skillet peach cake on a white plate with a fork

    Simply Recipes / Molly Allen

    "Fresh peaches are best for this skillet cake. Frozen peaches, even when thawed, have a higher water content and will change the texture of the finished cake."—Molly Allen, Recipe Developer

  • Easy One-Bowl Carrot Cake

    Slice of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting on a plate, fork holding a small bite of cake.

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "This one-bowl carrot cake isn’t just easy, it’s also versatile. While I usually prefer the ease of a sheet cake, if it’s for a fancier party, I use the same batter for a stunning two-layer cake or plenty of cupcakes."—Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

  • Mississippi Mud Cake

    Closeup side view of a slice of Mississippi Mud Cake on a white surface and light blue background

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

    "Take care to line and grease all sides of the baking pan as the marshmallows get sticky when they are melted slightly."—Kayla Hoang, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 16 below

  • Do Nothing Cake

    Angled view of a glass baking dish of pineapple coconut cake next to two small plates with slices

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh

    "Don’t drain the crushed pineapple. The liquid helps to keep the cake moist."—Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • One-Bowl Blueberry Sheet Cake

    Blueberry sheet cake cut into pieces in a baking dish

    Simply Recipes / Molly Allen

    "No fresh blueberries available? Use frozen berries instead. Just be sure to use them straight out of the freezer without letting them thaw."—Molly Allen, Recipe Developer

  • Chocolate Stout Loaf Cake

    Chocolate stout loaf cake on a wooden board, with a few slices cut

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "Stout is great in chili and hearty braises, but where it really shines is in a decadent chocolate cake. I’ve been making a version of this chocolate stout loaf cake for years. It mixes up quickly by hand in one bowl and is topped with a Baileys glaze that improves the texture of the cake as it sits."—Molly Adams, Recipe Developer

  • 4-Ingredient Condensed Milk Cake

    Pieces of condensed milk cake arranged on white paper

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "The beauty of this cake lies in its simplicity. It needs minimal ingredients—just four main ingredients to bake it!—and it’s ready in under an hour. You might be tempted to add melted butter, oil, or margarine into the batter, but don’t do it! A can of sweetened condensed milk does all the work in this cake and is the star of the recipe."—Annika Panikker, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 16 below

  • War Cake

    war cake cut into slices on a cake platter

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "For a nuttier flavor, try replacing half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat or dark rye flour. Many versions of this cake called for barley flour or other grains to conserve the use of wheat."—Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

  • Lazy Daisy Cake

    Lazy daisy cake slice on a spatula in a pan with more cake

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "If you like the sticky-sweet, coconut-webbed frosting on a German chocolate cake, then lazy daisy cake is totally up your alley. While the cake bakes, you mix up brown sugar, cream, coconut, and melted butter. Then you spread it on the hot cake and slip it under the broiler to melt the sugar and get the coconut a little toasty. When the cake cools, you have a brittle layer on top that’s almost like candy."—Sara Bir, Former Senior Editor

  • Omaha Cake

    omaha cake

    Simply Recipes / Stephanie Ganz

    "Get creative with the pie filling. You can use any store-bought pie filling you like, or you can make your own from scratch. You can even turn preserves into pie filling by adding a little water and cornstarch until you get the desired consistency."—Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • Migliaccio (Italian Ricotta and Semolina Cake)

    Migliaccio (Italian Ricotta and Semolina Cake)

    SImply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "Migliaccio is a ricotta and semolina cake from Campania in southern Italy. It’s typically indulged in for Carnavale, a celebration leading up to Lent. Flavored with lemon zest and a pinch of cinnamon, it’s richer and denser than a regular cake but lighter and creamier than a traditional cheesecake."—Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 13 of 16 below

  • Sad Cake

    Parchment Paper Lined Plate With Sad Cake Slices Next to a Mug and a Blue and White Table Napkin

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "If you really really dislike coconut (or just plain don’t have it), you can omit it." —Sara Bir, Former Senior Editor

  • Flourless Chocolate Cake

    Slices of Flourless Chocolate Cake Served on a Small Plate with Fresh Raspberries and Whipped Cream

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Gordon

    "Use a bittersweet chocolate with about 60% cacao for a cake that's neither too sweet nor too bitter."—Kayla Hoang, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Carrot Cake Loaf

    carrot cake loaf on a platter with some sliced pieces splayed onto the platter

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "If you plan on frosting the cake, take the butter and cream cheese out of the fridge when you put the cake in the oven. They should be softened enough to make the frosting when the cake is done and cool."—Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Devil's Food Cake

    slice of devil's food cake on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "Devil's food cake is an extra rich, extra chocolatey chocolate cake. With a large amount of cocoa, the cake is richer, darker, and fudgier than your standard chocolate cake."—Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

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