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+ servings

Chocolate Coffee Cake

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword Chocolate Coffee Cake
Servings 10
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:

  • 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.