Dark Chocolate Cake with Mocha Frosting

Dark chocolate cake is rich and decadent on its own, but top it with layers of mocha frosting and it’s a game changer. This cake is super easy to make and is a showstopper at any gathering

I haven’t made a cake in months — rare for me. I don’t know exactly why either, but it was high time I made something decadent and delicious for dessert. I didn’t have a celebration for this cake, I just wanted to make something delicious and beautiful. 
This is the first one I made. It’s a rich layer with dark chocolate pieces, topped with an amazing mocha frosting. Both the cake and the frosting have coffee in them which I forgot about as we let the kids have a slice of this last night before bed. Lucky for us they still fell asleep!

To make four layers I baked two and cut them in half with a long, serrated bread knife.

There are special tools that help you cut cake layers evenly, but if you have a steady hand just put the cake layer on the counter, place the blade of the knife half-way down the side of the cake and saw it in half with back and forth motions of the knife. I go slow and adjust the knife if I realize that I’m cutting it wobbly. Wobbly, that’s a scientific baking term. With this cake it doesn’t really have to be exact.

I love the rough edges and purposely frosted it so that the icing would ooze (another baking term) out the sides.

Chocolate Mocha Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 10 people

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Ingredients

  

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Cake

• ▢ 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups sugar
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1 cup sour cream
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 cup hot brewed coffee
• ▢ 1 cup dark chocolate chopped into small pieces (or use chocolate chips)

Icing

• ▢ 2 sticks butter room temperature
• ▢ 4-5 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1/4 cocoa powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 cup brewed coffee room temperature

Instructions

Cake

• Preheat oven to 350
• Grease two 8 inch round baking pans
• Sift cocoa into bowl to remove clumps. Add the dry ingredients: flour baking soda, salt and sugar until combined
• Add eggs and sour cream, and vanilla and mix
• Add hot coffee and chocolate pieces. Mix. If using mixer, it's best to stir this last part by hand.
• Pour batter evenly into the 2 pans and bake for 25-32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out dry
• Let cool and remove from pans
• Once cool, slice each cake in two so you have four layers
• Ice with Mocha frosting

Frosting

• Mix butter and powdered sugar (one cup at a time)
• Add cocoa and salt
• Add vanilla and coffee
• Stir until combined. Use between 4-5 cups of powdered sugar to reach the desired consistency

Nutrition

Calories: 581kcal | Carbohydrates: 106g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 82g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 3.6mg

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