| Total: | 1 hr 10 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 50 min |
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 3 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups sifted cake flour
- 1 1/3 cups sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups hot coffee
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
- 1/2 cup cooled coffee
- 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 6 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans. Cut 3 circles of waxed paper or parchment paper to fit the bottoms of the pans, then press them in.
- In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and eggs and mix until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, cocoa, baking soda and salt and mix. Add 1/2 of the flour, then 1/2 of the sour cream and mix. Repeat with the remaining flour and sour cream. Drizzle in the hot coffee and mix until smooth. The batter will be thin. Pour into the prepared pans and bake until the tops are firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few crumbs are okay), about 35 minutes. Halfway through the baking, quickly rotate the pans in the oven to ensure even baking, but otherwise try not to open the oven. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks and let cool completely before frosting.
- Frosting: In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Drizzle in the melted chocolate and mix. Add the coffee and vanilla and mix. Add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix until well blended and fluffy. To frost the cake, use a spatula to cover 2 of the cake layers with frosting. Stack them together. Flip the third cake layer over and rest it on the top to create a very flat top for the cake. Frost on the sides and top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Reviews
I have made this cake many times. The batter fits perfectly into three 9″ pans. There is the slightest hint of coffee for a fabulous flavor of chocolate. The cake is moist, and dense. The frosting is killer! Makes a substantial amount so that there is plenty between layers. This is my go to chocolate cake. None other matches it. I make it the night before I want to serve it as it keeps well in a well sealed cake carrier.
I onl;y made the frosting, but that was delicious. The coffee gave it a depth of flavor and the cream cheese did not make it too tangy. It makes a lot. Yum.
Hi, can this cake be refrigerated 2+ days before serving? Does it still taste fresh?
I was so excited to make this cake, but something went wrong! I followed this recipe exactly EXCEPT I didn’t have sour cream. I had read on several websites that plain greek yogurt could sub well for sour cream, so that’s what I used. The batter tasted great, the cakes baked up nicely in the oven, but while cooling they flopped into flat pancakes. I frosted it and hoped for the best, but the texture was unbearable – dense and almost rubbery. Was the greek yogurt to blame? Don’t try to sub yogurt for sour cream in this recipe!!!!!
This recipe makes a nice, big, moist, cake. I’m not a baker, and it still turned out perfect.
The frosting was a little too sweet for my tastes… and the recipe makes quite a lot of it. So, if you’re a frosting lover… go for it. Otherwise, I might go with a lighter frosting next time.
I was expecting a more prevalent coffee/mocha flavor in the end… but it’s still a delicious cake.
Has anyone made this cake with gluten free flour?
Awesome! Have made it many times. Always ended up with too much frosting so now I cut the frosting recipe by 1/4.
Question about traveling with this cake: I want to make this for my DIL’s birthday and will be going to their home out of state. I’m wondering if I should make the cake & the frosting but wait until I get there to assemble it. Any thoughts?
Perfect.
One word: amazing. Made the recipe as is.