Dark Chocolate Cake with Mocha Frosting
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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
Ingredients
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 cup 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 combined3/4 cup cocoa powder, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Add eggs and sour cream, and vanilla and mix2 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add hot coffee and chocolate pieces. Mix. If using mixer, it’s best to stir this last part by hand.1/2 cup hot, 1 cup dark chocolate
- 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)2 sticks butter , 4-5 cups powdered sugar
- Add cocoa and salt1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Add vanilla and coffee3 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/2 cup brewed coffee
- Stir until combined. Use between 4-5 cups of powdered sugar to reach the desired consistency
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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This looks to die for! I love anything mocha.
Very elegant and decadent looking.
All you had to say was mocha! This looks like the perfect afternoon indulgence!
That looks like a lot of chocolatey goodness! I’m not sure the mocha frosting would make it all the way to the cake though! Yum!
I love the mocha part the best!
Thanks Wendy!
Thanks Allison!
Alicia, this chocolate cake looks like absolute perfection! Wishing I had a big slice of that right now! YUM!
Can I use hersheys special dark cocoa?
I found that the frosting was a little loose, I followed the instructions right to the T.
You can try to chill the frosting for it to thicken.
I am guessing the cocoa powder in frosting is 1/4 cup. Please let me know if that is correct. Thank you!!!
Yes, thanks for catching that. I’ve updated the recipe card.
I have not made the cake but I came here to read the reviews so I’d know how it came out and if there are problems. It’s so frustrating when people come here just to say it sounds like a good recipe! There’s only one that mentioned the frosting was thin.
Also, I forgot to ask you and is most important to me. I noticed your receipt has no oil or butter. Is that correct? I’m afraid it’s going to come out dry.