Chocolate Coffee Cake
This Chocolate Coffee Cake is moist, bold, and layered with coffee buttercream and chocolate syrup — a perfect treat for chocolate lovers!
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake Layers:
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons cake flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot coffee
- ¾ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
For the Chocolate Coffee Buttercream:
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons brewed coffee cooled
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
For the Chocolate Coffee Syrup:
- ⅛ cup cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
Step 1: Prep the Oven & Pans
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides.
Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients
- In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together the cake flour, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.
Step 3: Blend in Butter & Creamy Ingredients
- Add the cubed room-temperature butter and mix on low for about 3 minutes, until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the sour cream and oil, then mix for another minute until a thick paste forms.
Step 4: Add Wet Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla. In another small bowl, whisk together the hot coffee and cocoa powder.
- With the mixer on low, slowly stream in the egg mixture until combined, then follow with the coffee-cocoa mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure the batter is fully blended.
Step 5: Bake
- Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans, about 725 grams per pan. Bake for 33–36 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pans on a rack for 20 minutes, then carefully release and allow to cool completely.