This dreamy Chocolate Coffee Cake is decadently moist with a rich chocolate flavor and silky smooth fudge frosting! Made in one bowl with simple ingredients, this crowd-pleaser will be ready to bake in just 15 minutes. The best part? It tastes even more incredible when made and frozen ahead, making it the perfect dessert for any occasion.
The concept that makes this Chocolate Coffee Cake recipe AMAZING is nothing new - it’s a technique we’ve learned and borrowed from expert bakers over many years. The secret is to use a simple combination of hot coffee, cocoa, buttermilk, and oil. It’s unbeatable when it comes to making a moist chocolate cake recipe.
If you're a chocolate lover, check out our collection of Dessert Recipes for more inspiration. Our other chocolate favorites are this Perfect Chocolate Bundt Cake with chocolate ganache, these Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes, or this easy Chocolate Kahlua Cake.
Skip to:
- Why this recipe is great
- What does coffee do to a chocolate cake?
- Ingredients for chocolate coffee cake
- Ingredients for chocolate frosting
- Helpful kitchen tools
- How to make chocolate coffee cake
- How to make chocolate frosting
- How to freeze chocolate cake
- FAQs
- Baking tips & tricks
- More dessert recipes
- Recipe
- Comments
Why this recipe is great
- Super moist and tender.
- Rich chocolate flavor (thanks to that hot coffee!)
- You can make it with a stand mixer or hand beaters/electric mixer.
- It’s only two layers, so you don’t need lots of pans or complicated layering.
- DREAMY, fudgy frosting made with real chocolate that isn’t chocolate buttercream (buttercream haters, we got you).
- It’s super simple to make pretty. No fancy tools or skills required.
- It’s actually BETTER if you make it ahead and freeze it. Not kidding.
What does coffee do to a chocolate cake?
Coffee in chocolate cake is a magic ingredient, but even more magical is very hot coffee. The hot liquid blooms the cocoa powder, which means that it draws out and intensifies the chocolate flavor, leaving the coffee taste practically unnoticed.
The heat also helps dissolve the sugar and activates the baking powder and soda, both of which give you an extra fluffy texture and even rise.
Ingredients for chocolate coffee cake
- Flour: All-purpose flour.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar.
- Cocoa powder: I’ve used both regular, dark, and dutch-processed cocoa powder. They all work well, depending on how deep you want the chocolate flavor.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Triple check that they aren’t expired before using.
- Salt: Kosher salt is my preference.
- Eggs: Room temperature is best, but not absolutely necessary.
- Buttermilk: Give it a good shake before using for best results.
- Coffee: You’ll want a fresh, very hot cup of coffee. You can also use 1 cup of very hot water and 2 teaspoon of instant coffee.
- Oil: Use canola or vegetable oil, not olive oil.
- Vanilla: Always go the extra mile to add flavor to your cake.
Ingredients for chocolate frosting
- Chocolate: High quality bittersweet, dark, or semisweet chocolate chips or bars work great. I use Ghirardelli - it’s pricier, but totally worth it.
- Butter: Softened until it easily imprints when you press your finger into it. If it is over-softened it will make the frosting too loose.
- Powdered sugar: What’s frosting without it.
- Cocoa powder: We used dark for extra deep flavor, but regular can be substituted.
- Salt: Kosher is my preference.
- Corn syrup: Light corn syrup gives it an amazing smooth texture.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavor.
- Instant coffee: This is a moist Coffee Chocolate Cake recipe after all.
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make chocolate coffee cake
How to prepare circle cake pans with parchment paper
Start by lining two 9-inch circle pans (affiliate) with parchment paper (here is a simple tutorial). Then spray well with baking spray (make sure flour is one of the ingredients in the spray).
Making the batter
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with hand beaters (affiliate), add the dry ingredients...
Mix together on low to medium speed, just until combined.
Add all the wet ingredients...
Mix on low speed until combined. Divide evenly into your prepared pans.
How to know when the cake is done
Bake at 350°F on the middle rack for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
How to remove from pan
Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then flip them onto a wire rack (affiliate) to finish cooling. The easiest way is just to flip it quickly directly onto the cooling rack, then pull the pan up and off. It should come out easily.
How to trim a layer cake
I don’t find the need to trim the cake layers for this recipe. They aren’t always perfectly even… but by the time you frost it you can’t tell. You can trim the top off carefully if you really want them flat.
How to make chocolate frosting
This frosting is super easy to make in a food processor (affiliate). For a detailed list of instructions, see the recipe card or this Chocolate Fudge Frosting Recipe post.
You’ll progressively add the ingredients to the food processor, ending with corn syrup and melted chocolate.
Combine until lusciously smooth and practically irresistible 😉
How to frost a layer cake
I suggest frosting the cake the day of serving, then leaving it out at a cool room temperature (it will melt in the heat). If you put it in the fridge, it will firm up and take many hours at a warm room temperature to soften.
- Place one cake layer onto a serving platter. Add about ¼ of the chocolate frosting into the middle and spread it evenly using a large offset spatula (affiliate).
- Place the second cake layer on top. Press it down gently, ensuring it is as even as possible.
- Use the offset spatula to apply a thin layer of frosting all the way around the sides of the cake.
- Go back, adding more frosting to the cake and swirling it gently with the spatula to make it pretty. I like to do the sides of my cake and then finish with the top.
- I like to keep it simple, but you can always add chocolate curls, candies, coffee beans, or sprinkles to the top of the cake.
How to freeze chocolate cake
This cake is undeniably better if you freeze it ahead. Bake and cool the cakes completely, then wrap each layer in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped layers on a cookie sheet and pop them in the freezer - this ensures they stay flat.
Once thoroughly frozen, wrap the cakes in a tight layer of foil. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw on the counter at room temperature, then make the frosting fresh and assemble.
FAQs
No, you can’t taste the coffee. The coffee actually intensifies the chocolate flavor, so it just tastes like a rich chocolate cake.
In this recipe you can brew strong coffee, or you can use espresso powder or instant coffee with hot water. Espresso powder is more concentrated and will give you a deeper coffee flavor, so you won’t need as much to accomplish the same goal.
Yes, you can use decaf coffee in chocolate cake with coffee.
Store leftovers in a cake plate with a lid, a portable cake carrier (affiliate), or an airtight container. This cake will last well for 2-3 days at room temperature or in the fridge.
Line the bottom of the pans with parchment, then give your pans a good layer of baking spray (affiliate). It’s the BEST for baking - better than regular non-stick spray - because it has flour incorporated to keep baked goods from sticking.
When making a chocolate cake from scratch, be very careful not to overbake. Even just a few minutes overdone can lead to a dry cake. Second, I highly recommend freezing the cake ahead. It always makes the cake extra moist!
Baking tips & tricks
- Be very careful not to overbake. Remove it as soon as a toothpick comes out clean or with just a very few small, moist crumbs.
- I highly recommend freezing the cake layers ahead. They come out superiorly moist!
- Use very hot coffee for best results.
- Frost the cake the day of serving and leave it out at a cool room temperature for the best frosting texture.
Recipe
Incredible Chocolate Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9-cup food processor or larger
Ingredients
Chocolate Coffee Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup cocoa powder regular or dutch-processed
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk shaken
- 1 cup very hot coffee or 1 cup very hot water and 2 teaspoon of instant coffee or 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate Frosting
- 8 oz quality chocolate bittersweet, dark, or semisweet bars or quality chips. We like Ghirardelli.
- 2½ sticks butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup dark cocoa powder regular can be substituted
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Chocolate Coffee Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 9-inch circle pans with a layer of parchment, then spray well with baking spray. For a parchment tutorial, see the link in the post above.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with hand beaters, combine all the dry ingredients on low until evenly mixed. Use a rubber spatula to help as needed.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup cocoa powder, 2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add all the wet ingredients. Mix on low until combined, scraping the sides and bottom well.3 eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup very hot coffee, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Tap the pans on the counter a few times to release excess air bubbles.
- Bake on the middle rack for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean or with only a few small, moist crumbs.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 30 second increments, stirring in between until it is fully melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.8 oz quality chocolate
- In a food processor, add butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, instant coffee, and salt. Pulse until smooth, thick, and creamy. Scrape with a rubber spatula.2½ sticks butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, ¾ cup dark cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon instant coffee, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add corn syrup and vanilla. Pulse until just combined, then scrape the bowl.½ cup light corn syrup, 2 teaspoon vanilla
- Add the cooled melted chocolate. Pulse until just combined.
Notes
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- Be very careful not to overbake. Remove it as soon as a toothpick comes out clean or with just a very few small, moist crumbs.
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- I highly recommend freezing the cake layers ahead. They come out superiorly moist!
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- Use very hot coffee for best results.
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- Frost the cake the day of serving and leave it out at a cool room temperature for the best frosting texture.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Julie Goodpasture says
How long is bake time for cupcakes? Thank you!
Misty says
Hi Julie, likely between 18-20 minutes. I suggest checking them a bit earlier in case your oven runs hot, and remove as soon as a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few small moist crumbs. Enjoy!