Metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are usually four-layer structure consisting of the metal support, the anode, the electrolyte and the cathode. This communication reports a simplified three-layer design without the anode interlayer. The novel design is demonstrated by co-firing yttria-stabilized zirconia electrolytes and 430L stainless steel substrates, where Ni and doped ceria are impregnated to increase the catalytic activity toward electrochemical oxidation. Peak power density as high as 246 mW cm(-2) is obtained at 700 degrees C, and good tolerance to complete redox cycles is also initially demonstrated, suggesting that this design is feasible for high performance metal-supported SOFCs. Copyright (C) 2011, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.