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One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

If you’re in the mood for chocolate cupcakes, but you’re out of milk, eggs, and butter, here’s a quick and easy vegan recipe that will do the trick. Or you can use the same batter to make an equally quick and easy cake!

One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcake photo!

Makes 24 Cupcakes

Here’s What You Need

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 cups water
  • ¾ cup vegetable or olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Here’s What You Do

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

12-cup muffin pans with paper liners

Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. If you’re making a cake, grease the pan.

Photo of kids pouring ingredients into a bowl.

Stir the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a large bowl.

Photo of kids pouring ingredients into a bowl.

Add the water, vegetable oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix it up with a spoon until nice and smooth.

Child pouring cupcake batter into a muffin pan.

Pour the batter into the muffin pans until they are two-thirds full. Bake for 25 minutes (longer for a cake), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Baking Times

  • Two 8- or 9-inch round or square pans – 30 minutes
  • One 13- by 9- by 2-inch pan – 40 minutes
  • Two 12-cup muffin pans – 25 minutes

Excerpted and adapted from Baking Class © Deanna F. Cook.


Deanna F. Cook

Deanna F. Cook

About the Author

Deanna F. Cook is the award-winning author of cookbooks for kids, including the best-selling Cooking Class, Baking ClassCooking Class Global Feast!, and Kids Cook Dinner. She served as the creative development director at FamilyFun magazine and has been an editor at Scholastic, Disney, and Kidstir.com. She lives in western Massachusetts and can be found online at deannafcook.com.

Learn more about this author

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