| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 35 min |
| Yield: | 12 servings |
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2/3 cup hottest tap water
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Droste Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 2/3 cup half-and-half
- Mocha Frosting, recipe follows
- 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, such as Lindt, 1/4-inch-chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Kahlua
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.
- Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl. On medium speed, add the vanilla, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated and the batter is smooth.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. In another bowl or a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the hot water, cocoa powder, and espresso powder until smooth. Add the half-and-half and whisk until smooth. With the mixer on low, add the flour and chocolate mixtures alternately in thirds, starting and ending with the flour. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl to be sure the batter is well mixed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan. Turn out onto a flat platter or board and frost the top with the Mocha Frosting. Cut in squares and serve.
- Place the chocolate, butter, and espresso powder in a bowl. Heat the cream to simmer and pour it over the chocolate mixture, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted. (If the chocolate isn’t melted, microwave the mixture for 15 seconds.) Stir in the Kahlua and vanilla and stir until the mixture is smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes only, until cool but not cold.
- Scrape down the bowl and beat the frosting with a handheld mixer on high speed for 15 to 20 seconds only, until the mixture forms soft peaks. (If you overbeat it, it will curdle!) Spread on the cake immediately with a metal spatula.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 601 |
| Total Fat | 36 g |
| Saturated Fat | 22 g |
| Carbohydrates | 70 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 51 g |
| Protein | 7 g |
| Cholesterol | 123 mg |
| Sodium | 304 mg |
Reviews
I’ve used Ina’s recipes for years and found them to be terrific. Never had any problems with her recipes. However, the baking time on this seems very far off. After 35 minutes, the cake was liquid in the middle. I’m having to bake it longer at 5 minute intervals. Not sure what happened, but it smells terrific. A total of 45 minutes worked.
Very easy to make and delicious! Made this for my book club and everyone loved it. I followed the recipe as written. The icing was so easy. I needed to beat it a little longer for it to thicken and make peaks. My friends commented that it looked like it came from a bakery
Made this cake for my staff. Loved it! Was not sure if it needed to be refrigerated, unless I missed it that would be something to know. Ina, it was a very easy cake to make, thank you for sharing. Carol
Much too bitter for me. I will do semi sweet next time.
What a wonderful cake! Made today and it is great. That last step in making the frosting is important. When it says to cool in refrigerator for 30 mins. but not cold. Take note! I let it get cold then whipped it up more like a frosting Ploped it onto the cake and waited a few mins before spreading. Wrong! spread right away like it says. It started hardening up again. was a little hard to spread. But it is wonderful as usual with Ina.
I’m trying to figure out what I did wrong because my cake raised and than fell …
Delicious chocolate cake and mocha frosting recipe! All I had was 100% cacao bars, and I thought the frosting was going to taste too bitter but it wasn’t at all.
Excellent! As is everything recipe that I have made from Ina.
Great recipe. Rich pudding like cake. And the frosting making it a new favorite.
I LOVE this cake. It’s easy and comes out perfect every time. All my friends I made this for loved it too. Make this cake now!