The best Chocolate Cake ever… yep, we know there are plenty of claims for the best chocolate cake, but behind our cake stands a team of well-educated chefs, avid foodies and a secret ingredient I’m excited to share with you!
This decadent chocolate cake is moist, covered with chocolate frosting with a unique twist! Our entire team gave it a thumbs up! All in agreement that it is a superb chocolate cake recipe. We all had to do a taste test, of course, and enjoyed the cake with coffee, tea, or a cold glass of milk. Be we knew as we were noshing on this yummy cake – we had hit the jackpot by adding our Secret Ingredient – Espresso Powder!
The Beginning of Cake
We are delighted to share the recipe, but not before we share a small ‘piece of cake’ history with you. Cake, as we know it today, is a modern product. In ancient times, cake was quite similar to flatbread. The simple cake from Ancient times consisted of wheat flour, honey, dried fruits, and nuts. This type of cake was found in the Pharaoh Tombs and represents an early form of cake. Pretty flat cake.
Romans made their cake in the same way, but with the addition of butter and eggs. With these ingredients, we can assume they enjoyed almost the same cake as we know today. Romans still like to include unusual ingredients, like rose petals, lavender, and other fragrant flowers, but that’s another story…
Cake as we know it today appeared during the 19th century. Baking soda and baking powder replaced the yeast in the cake baking, and with these ingredients pastry chefs and housewives were able to create a cake without too much effort.
With the addition of affordable new ingredients, like cacao, cinnamon, sugar, and other ingredients we use now, the cake has taken the highest place in the world of desserts. Another breakthrough was an oven with controlled heat – something we take for granted theses days.
Back to our recipe…
The cake recipe we will share with you today is a very simple. Make the chocolate cake in a simple bowl and with a plain whisk. There is no need for the heavy mixers or fancy culinary techniques. This recipe is proof you can enjoy rich, moist, and luxurious cake without a fuss.
The Wow Factor to our Chocolate Cake Recipe
The cake contains all the classic cake ingredients, but the one ingredient that makes the difference – our secret ingredient – is espresso powder! Espresso powder is not just reserved for espresso coffee. It acts like other flavor enhancers, such vanilla. The espresso powder lifts the chocolate flavor and makes it deeper and richer. This great ingredient is available at many stores and even online.
The espresso powder has one rule, just like chocolate – it needs to be top quality. We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to use quality ingredients when creating food, especially this cake. You can’t expect wonders with cheap low cacao percent chocolate, or espresso powder, which contains coffee in traces.
So, time to share recipe. We hope you will enjoy this cake as much as we did!
Chocolate Cake
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup Sephra Belgian dark chocolate chips, melted*
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 cups milk
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk
Frosting:
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ¾ teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 cup Sephra Belgian dark chocolate chips, melted*
*Melt the chocolate on half power in a glass bowl in the microwave. Heat for one minute, stir. Keep heating and stirring until completely melted. A double boiler works well if you don’t have a microwave. Be sure no water gets into the chocolate.
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 350F
- Spray two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray. I prefer to grease with Crisco and sprinkle evenly with flour.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and espresso powder.
- In a separate bowl, beat coconut oil, milk, and eggs.
- Fold the liquid ingredients into the dry ones, add melted chocolate, and stir until just combined.
- Gradually stir in warm water and stir until smooth.
- Divide the batter among two cake pans. Smooth the top.
- Bake the cake sponges 30 minutes or until firm to the touch.
- Set aside to cool completely.
Frosting:
- Cream butter, and sugar in a large bowl.
- Add espresso powder and melted chocolate.
- Stir until smooth.
- Spread desired 1 ½ cups frosting over one sponge layer.
- Top the buttercream with remaining sponge and coat all with the frosting.
- Chill the cake 30 minutes before serving and slicing.
Cake Recipe Variations
I think you’ll agree once you try this – it’s one of the best chocolate cake recipes you’be ever tried. The expresso powder really set of the flavor.
If you have some dietary restrictions, no worries. Simply swap the ingredients for the substitutes listed below and the cake is still amazing.
Lactose intolerant – instead of plain milk, use almond or coconut milk. The cake will be great, just like with the plain milk.
Celiac disease – instead of all-purpose flour, we suggest you use 1 ½ cups almond flour, ¼ cup coconut flour, and ¼ cup tapioca starch. With these ingredients, the cake will be even more moist, as the almond flour is a soft type of flour.
Chocolate Cupcakes
This recipe is versatile and makes fantastic chocolate cupcakes, too. Once you make the batter, divide it among muffin paper cups or into a prepared muffin tin. Bake until firm to the touch and cover with the chocolate espresso buttercream.
This Chocolate Cake recipe is perfect for adult birthdays, special occasions, or simply when you need something rich in chocolate. Kids probably don’t need the expresso powder, so I usually bake it for adult get togethers, office celebrations or bridal showers. Serve this timeless cake with fresh fruit, such as strawberries. They perfectly balance the dark, rich chocolate flavors.