Pin it
This chocolate coffee cake transforms your everyday dessert into something extraordinary. The perfect balance of deep chocolate and rich coffee flavors creates a bakery-worthy cake that will impress even the most discerning dessert lovers without requiring professional baking skills.
I first made this for my coffee-obsessed best friend's birthday party. The look on her face when she took that first bite convinced me this recipe needed to become my signature celebration cake. Three years later, it still gets requested for every major milestone in our family.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour: Creates the perfect structure for this tender cake
- Dutch process cocoa powder: Provides a deeper, richer chocolate flavor than regular cocoa
- Instant espresso powder: Intensifies the coffee notes throughout the cake
- Sour cream: Adds incredible moisture and a subtle tangy balance to the sweetness
- Brewed coffee: In both cake and syrup doubles down on authentic flavor
- Butter and oil combination: Gives the best of both worlds perfect texture and rich flavor
- Heavy cream: In the buttercream ensures a silky smooth frosting that spreads beautifully
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep and Combine Dry Ingredients:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare two 8inch cake pans with parchment paper rounds. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder and salt until thoroughly combined. This step ensures even distribution of leavening agents for a perfectly risen cake.
- Create the Wet Mixture:
- In a separate bowl, combine oil, melted butter, both sugars, eggs, sour cream, milk and vanilla. Whisk until completely smooth. The room temperature ingredients here are crucial they allow for proper emulsification creating a velvety batter that bakes evenly.
- Combine and Bake:
- Alternately add dry ingredients and warm coffee to the wet mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. This method prevents overmixing while ensuring the liquid is properly incorporated. Pour the batter evenly between pans and bake for 33 to 38 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Prepare Coffee Syrup:
- While cakes cool, make the chocolate coffee syrup by combining water, coffee, sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. This reduction concentrates the flavors for maximum impact on the cake.
- Soak Cake Layers:
- Level cake layers if desired using a serrated knife. Brush each layer generously with 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooled coffee syrup. The warm syrup absorbs best but avoid applying while too hot or it will make your cake soggy rather than moist. Refrigerate the layers to set.
- Make Coffee Buttercream:
- Beat softened butter until smooth before adding vanilla, salt, espresso and heavy cream. Gradually incorporate sifted powdered sugar until you reach a spreadable consistency. The slow addition prevents lumps and creates the silkiest frosting possible.
- Assemble the Cake:
- Apply a dab of frosting to secure the cake to your serving plate. Layer cake and frosting, creating a crumb coat first. Chill to set before applying the final layer of frosting in decorative swirls. Finish with a dramatic drizzle of remaining coffee syrup for a professional bakery appearance.
Pin it
The chocolate coffee syrup is truly the secret weapon in this recipe. I discovered its transformative power by accident when I had leftover syrup and decided to brush it on rather than discard it. Now I sometimes make extra just to serve alongside each slice for those who want an even more pronounced coffee experience.
Perfect Coffee Flavor
The triple dose of coffee in this recipe creates layers of flavor rather than an overwhelming coffee taste. The espresso powder in the cake batter provides a baseline note while the brewed coffee adds moisture and depth. The coffee syrup then intensifies these flavors while ensuring the cake stays incredibly moist for days. Even those who typically avoid coffee desserts often enjoy this cake because the chocolate balances the coffee perfectly.
Storage Tips
This cake maintains its moisture beautifully when stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The coffee syrup acts as a preserving agent keeping the cake fresh for up to five days. For the best flavor and texture always bring refrigerated slices to room temperature before serving. The buttercream will soften perfectly and the flavors will become more pronounced after about 30 minutes on the counter.
Customization Options
This versatile recipe can be easily adapted to suit various preferences. For a mocha version increase the cocoa powder in the frosting. To create an adult dessert add a tablespoon of coffee liqueur to the syrup. For those who prefer less sweetness reduce the sugar in the buttercream by up to a cup without affecting the texture. The cake layers themselves can also be wrapped tightly in plastic and frozen for up to a month making this a great recipe to prepare components ahead of time.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → How do I ensure the cake stays moist?
Brush each layer of the cooled cake with the coffee syrup before frosting to lock in moisture.
- → Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes, store the assembled cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature before serving.
- → What can I substitute for espresso powder?
You can use finely ground instant coffee or brewed espresso for a similar flavor.
- → How do I make the frosting extra smooth?
Beat the buttercream at medium-high speed for 30-60 seconds after incorporating all the powdered sugar for a fluffy, smooth texture.
- → Can this be made into cupcakes?
Yes, this batter yields about 24 cupcakes. Bake them at 350°F (177°C) for 18-22 minutes.