Chocolate-Coffee Layer Cake
Most home bakers know about using mayonnaise to make a chocolate cake, and for good reason: it works! Mayonnaise gives this chocolate cake its signature richness and tender, moist crumb, while dark roast coffee deepens the chocolate flavor. Featured in “Dressed” – the Blue Plate 100th Anniversary Cookbook, it’s a favorite served with vanilla ice cream and a robust cup of coffee. Every celebration deserves this fantastic chocolate cake.
Yield:
1 (9-inch) cake
Ingredients
Chocolate-Coffee Layer Cake
- 1 1/3 cups hot dark roast coffee
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 cups Swans Down® Cake Flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 2⁄3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup Blue Plate Mayonnaise
Creamy Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup Blue Plate Mayonnaise, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray and line bottoms with parchment paper.
- Whisk together hot coffee and cocoa powder in a 2-cup glass measuring cup until completely blended. Let stand until cooled.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder; set aside. In another large bowl, combine brown sugar and eggs, and beat with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add mayonnaise, and beat at low speed until well combined. Gradually add flour mixture alternately with coffee mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition.
- Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans onto wire racks, and let cool completely. Level cake layers, if desired; remove and discard parchment.
- Prepare Creamy Chocolate Frosting: (Makes about 5½ cups.) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, mayonnaise, and salt at low speed until smooth.
- In a large bowl, sift together confectioners’ sugar and cocoa. Slowly add sugar mixture, about 1 cup at a time, to butter mixture alternately with cream, about 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Spread Creamy Chocolate Frosting between cake layers and on top and sides of cake as desired.
