Coffee and chocolate are a match made in heaven with this coffee chocolate cake! This is a super simple two-layer chocolate cake that is covered in my favorite coffee buttercream. Plus, you don't even need a mixer to make the cake!
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I've already got mocha cupcakes and coffee cupcakes, so clearly I needed to make a cake version! I'm using my absolutely favorite chocolate cake recipe that I used in my viral Matilda's chocolate cake, chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and my chocolate walnut cake. Uhm, can you tell I love chocolate recipes??
The coffee buttercream uses espresso powder which seriously packs a punch! Paired with my fave American buttercream (which by the way is super light and fluffy), it is actual heaven. As someone who has been baking for over 20 years, let me tell you, this chocolate coffee cake is on my list of top 10 cake recipes ever!
I also love that the cake itself is really easy to make since it's an oil-based cake, which means the cake is super soft and you don't need to use a mixer. It's seriously a win for me when I don't have to drag out my stand mixer or wash a bunch of extra bowls!
Want even more layer cakes? Try my chocolate cake with chocolate ganache or triple chocolate layer cake!
Why I love making this cake!
- Simple Ingredients: You only need 14 simple ingredients, seriously nothing fancy here!
- Chocolate + Coffee: You get tons of chocolate flavor from the cake, but a serious coffee kick from the espresso frosting.
- Easy Recipe: I've developed this recipe so it's really easy to make, a beginner baker could definitely make this coffee chocolate cake!
Grab your ingredients
- Cocoa Powder: make sure to use dutch processed cocoa powder here and not natural unsweetened cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa powder reacts differently with leaveners than natural cocoa powder, so you can't just swap it out!
- Oil: I've developed this cake to be an oil-based cake, which means it uses oil instead of butter. Not only does this mean we don't have to drag out the stand mixer (win!) but it also means the cake is super soft and moist. Use a neutral oil like vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Espresso Powder: make sure to use the super fine espresso powder, not the gritty kind!
- Buttermilk: I love using buttermilk in my cake recipes to keep them super soft. You can swap it out for Greek yogurt or sour cream in a pinch.
How to make a coffee chocolate cake
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, whisk all of the dry ingredients together.
- Step 2: In a large jug, whisk all of the wet ingredients together (see, I told you this was easy!)
- Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour in the hot water and mix once more.
- Step 4: Pour the cake batter into two 8-inch greased and lined cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Step 5: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar together on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until super light and fluffy. Add the salt, espresso powder and vanilla extract.
- Step 6: Beat until combined. If your frosting isn't as spreadable as you would like, add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until it is your desired consistency. Frost your cooled cake and enjoy!
Ella's Baking Tips
- Kitchen Scale: I always recommend using a kitchen scale, it only costs a few bucks but makes a HUGE difference to your baking! It's so easy to add too much cocoa powder or flour to your chocolate cake which is going to make it super dry and dense.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: it's super important to use room temperature ingredients. It's going to be much easier to combine the cake batter and the frosting if your butter, eggs, and buttermilk are all at room temperature.
- Espresso Powder: make sure you're using fine espresso powder and not coffee granules for the frosting! Using granules is just going to make your frosting gritty.
Storage & Make Ahead
Keep the frosted cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. I recommend letting it come to room temperature before enjoying it! It makes all the difference. To freeze, place in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let thaw in the fridge before enjoying.
You can make this cake ahead of time. Wrap the (cooled) cake layers in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 2-3 days. Store the frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Bring the frosting to room temperature when you want to frost the cake, and you may need to rewhip it with a handheld mixer or a stand mixer before frosting your cake.
Top Tip
If you don't have a big enough container for the cake, I recommend placing pieces of parchment paper on the exposed cake slices. This is going to help it not dry out!
Make these chocolate recipes next!
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Thank you!
Ella
Recipe
Coffee Chocolate Cake
Equipment
- 2 8" round cake pans
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- ¾ cup (65 grams) cocoa powder dutch processed
- 1 ¾ cups (350 grams) granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) kosher salt
- 2 (2) eggs room temperature
- 2 cups (220 grams) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon (2 teaspoons) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) baking powder
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240 ml) very hot water
Espresso Buttercream
- 2 sticks (226 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups (339 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
Make Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C. Butter or grease two 8-inch cake pans and line it with parchment paper.
- Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl with a whisk.¾ cup (65 grams) cocoa powder, 1 ¾ cups (350 grams) granulated sugar, 2 cups (220 grams) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoon (2 teaspoons) baking soda, 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) baking powder, ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) kosher salt
- In a large jug, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) vanilla extract, 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil, 2 eggs
- Slowly pour in the ingredients from the large jug and mix until just combined.
- Slowly add the hot water and mix. Your batter will be very thin and it makes a lot of cake batter!1 cup (240 ml) very hot water
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted
- Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans. Let them cool completely on a cooling rack.
Make Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar together on low speed until well combined.2 sticks (226 grams) unsalted butter, 3 cups (339 grams) confectioners' sugar
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes until it becomes very thick.
- Stop the mixer and add the salt, vanilla, and espresso into the bowl. Beat on medium-high speed for another 2 minutes.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- Turn the mixer to your lowest speed and pour in the heavy cream. Beat until it becomes very creamy and spreadable.¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- Assemble your cake and enjoy!
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Gitaben kumar says
I can we make eggless cake what do I replace with 2egg.
Ella says
Hi! I haven't tested this with any egg substitutions, but my friend Gabby at The Cookie Dough Diaries does some egg-free recipes so I recommend checking her out!
Barb says
Hi can you substitute 1/2 cup butter melted for the vegetable oil? Thank you.
Ella says
Hi Barb! I haven't tested it, but you probably could. Just note that it would change the texture of the cake quite a lot. It wouldn't be as soft or as moist!