By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on October 3, 2026
Chocolate Cake with Coffee Frosting
Recipe GLPRcfdb1fd5bd1009
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Average rating: 4.5 (1)
A rich, tender chocolate cake layered with smooth coffee-infused buttercream frosting. The moist crumb is achieved by alternating flour and milk, while cocoa powder gives it deep chocolate flavor. Topped with grated chocolate for an elegant finish. Perfect for serving a crowd.
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Ingredients
2¼ cup All-purpose flour
½ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking soda
¼ tsp Salt
½ cup Butter, room temperature
1¾ cup Granulated sugar
3 large Large pasteurized eggs
1⅓ cup Whole milk
1 tsp Vanilla extract
½ cup Butter for frosting, room temperature
1 tsp Instant coffee granules
2¼ cup Confectioners powdered sugar
1½ tsp Heavy cream
1 oz Chocolate for garnish
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing about 1 inch to extend over the sides for easy removal. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and granulated sugar. Using the paddle attachment, beat on low speed until the mixture is light and well combined, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to fully incorporate. Stir in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beginning with the flour mixture, alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until just combined. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The internal temperature should reach 160°F.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack. While the cake cools, prepare the frosting: Add the room-temperature butter to a clean mixing bowl. Using the whisk attachment, whip the butter on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, pausing once to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Reduce the mixer speed to low. Dissolve the instant coffee granules in 1 teaspoon of the heavy cream, then slowly add this coffee mixture along with the powdered sugar, a little at a time, waiting until each addition is mostly incorporated before adding more. Once all the powdered sugar is incorporated, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high. Whip the frosting for another 2 minutes until fluffy and light. If the consistency is too thick, add the remaining heavy cream, a small amount at a time, until the desired spreading consistency is reached.
Spread the coffee frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Using a microplane or box grater, grate the chocolate over the top of the frosted cake for decoration. Cut into bars and serve.
Comments
This is a straightforward, pantry-friendly chocolate cake that every Charlotte grocer stocks in full—flour, cocoa powder, butter, eggs, sugar, instant coffee, and powdered sugar are staples at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, and Walmart alike. The cost per serving lands around $0.80–$1.20 depending on butter and cocoa grade, making it reasonable for a sheet cake or layer cake feeding 12–16 people. Prep time likely runs 15 minutes hands-on for mixing and frosting assembly, plus 30–35 minutes baking and cooling, so budget an hour total if you're new to layering. The real caveat is that this is a same-night dessert; unfrosted layers freeze well, but once frosted with the heavy-cream coffee buttercream, it's best served fresh and will weep or separate if held more than a day—fine for a dinner party, less so if you're counting on leftovers for the week.
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