The Best Chocolate Coffee Cake You’ll Ever Bake
Let me tell you, if you’re anything like me and you love the perfect combination of chocolate and a hint of espresso, this Chocolate Coffee Cake will blow you away. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve baked this, and each time it gets better! It’s incredibly moist, with just the right amount of coffee to enhance that deep chocolate flavor.
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 450kcal
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 ½ cups 315g all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup 75g unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably high-quality cocoa)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 230g unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups 400g granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup 240ml whole milk, at room temperature
- ½ cup 120ml sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 cup 240ml hot brewed coffee (or hot water for a milder flavor)
For the Mocha Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 ½ cups 340g unsalted butter, softened
- 3 ½ cups 420g powdered sugar, sifted
- ¾ cup 75g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder or adjust to taste
- ½ cup 120ml heavy cream (adjust for consistency)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease your cake pans.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until everything is evenly combined.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Then, add the eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition, and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Next, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk/sour cream mixture, mixing gently until smooth.
- The hot brewed coffee is added last, it will thin out the batter, but that’s exactly what you want for a moist texture.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While they cool, make the frosting by beating the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and espresso powder until smooth.
- Gradually add the heavy cream and vanilla to get your desired frosting consistency.
- Once the cakes have fully cooled, frost them by layering a generous amount of frosting between each layer and on the top.
- Allow the cake to rest for about 15 minutes to set, and then it’s ready to serve! Enjoy!
Notes
- If you find that your cakes tend to dry out, sour cream or yogurt is your best friend! These ingredients add moisture, making the cake incredibly soft and tender.
- You can mix in some chocolate chips or chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans. Just toss them lightly in flour before adding to the batter to keep them from sinking to the bottom.
- I know it’s tempting to dive right in once your cake is out of the oven, but give it time to cool before frosting.