Chocolate Cake With Mocha Frosting

Chocolate Cake with Mocha Frosting is the perfect Sunday Dinner Dessert, a moist chocolate cake with a creamy rich Mocha Frosting. Two layers makes it even better.

I always wanted to share this cake that my Mom would make almost every Sunday and that we all loved. Her delicious moist Chocolate Cake recipe with Mocha Frosting! I also included a simple chocolate buttercream frosting if you prefer.

Recipe Ingredients

• Cocoa – unsweetened dutch processed
• Water – boiling water
• Butter – softened butter, I used salted if you use unsalted butter then add a bit more salt
• Sugar – granulated
• Egg – large room temperature egg
• Flour – cake or pastry flour
• Salt
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Sour milk – you can make your own with either vinegar or lemon juice

Mocha Frosting

• Butter – softened
• Sugar – also know as icing, powdered or confectioners’ sugar
• Cocoa – unsweetened dutch processed
• Coffee – strong coffee

What is the best cocoa to use

The best cocoa to use is Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder, in order to produce cocoa powder it starts with washing the cocoa beans in an alkaline solution of potassium carbonate. This wash neutralizes the acidity in the beans. Therefore making dutch processed cocoa powder neutral, alkalizing cocoa makes it darker in colour, more mellow in flavour, and helps it to dissolve easily into liquids.

How to make Cake/Pastry Flour

For every cup of all purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. Be sure to sift the flour and cornstarch together a couple of times, this way it is sure to be properly combined and lump free. Cake flour in cakes will give you a very tender texture and fine crumb, it will also help the cake to rise.

Why use room temperature ingredients?

With cakes and other baking, it’s always better to use room temperature ingredients. So, take any cold ingredients out of the refrigerator an hour ahead of time or sooner if it’s cool in your kitchen. Room temperature ingredients blend easier, creating a silky batter or dough, which will help to create a light tender baked good.

How to make a Classic Chocolate Cake

In a small bowl mix together the cocoa and boiling water until completely combined. Let sit 5 minutes.

In a large bowl or stand mixer cream the butter, sugar and egg until fluffy approximately 5 minutes on medium speed.

Add the cocoa mixture to the butter mixture and beat to combine.

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and soda into a medium bowl.

Alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour milk to the creamed mixture. Pour into the prepared cake pans and bake for approximately 20-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean or a few crumbs attached.

Let sit 10-15 minutes in the pans, then move to a wire rack to cool complete before frosting. 

Mocha Frosting

Cream butter, add sifted cocoa, then add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beat in the coffee one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired constituency. Frost the completely cooled cake. Decorate if desired. I decorated mine with mini chocolate chips.

Why does my cake fall?

• There are a lot a reasons a cake may fall, but the most common ones are, your oven temperature is off, you can always check it with an oven  thermometer to check this.
• You open the oven door too early. Never open the oven door before 25-30 minutes of baking.
• Once the batter is mixed it should be baked, letting a cake batter sit too long can cause it to fall. The baking powder or baking soda usually start acting immediately and will only last for a very short period of time, therefore if the cake batter is left to stand before baking then there is always a risk that the baking powder or soda will have expired by the time that the cake goes into the oven.
• Your baking powder or soda has expired and is no long active.
• Use room temperature ingredients.
• The pan size might not be the correct size.

Different ways to frost the cake

If you prefer you can frost the cake with a buttery Swiss Meringue Frosting, a simple Chocolate Ganache or a Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

What is a chocolate ganache?

A chocolate ganache is thinner and creamier than a frosting, it is drizzled over the cake. The ingredients in a ganache are semi sweet chocolate, cream and butter.

How to store a Homemade cake

As long as the cake is unfrosted it should be kept at room temperature. Keep it in a cake container or well wrapped. It will keep for up to 3 days. If you store it in the fridge, wrap tightly to keep it from drying out. It will keep for up to 5-6 days in the fridge.

How to freeze a cake

Be sure to cool the cake completely then wrap it tightly in either plastic wrap or foil, place it in a freezer safe bag. The cake will keep for  up to 2 months in the freezer. When ready to thaw place the wrapped cake in the refrigerator to thaw completely before serving.

I always and still do consider this the best chocolate cake recipe I have ever tasted, especially with the mocha frosting! I hope you like it as much as I do. Enjoy!

More Delicious Chocolate Cake Recipes

• Easy Strawberry Chocolate Cake
• Double Chocolate Mousse Cake
• One Pan Chocolate Pudding Cake
• Chocolate Pear Cake

Updated from February 7, 2018.