This chocolate cake is rich, soft, and full of flavor. The coffee buttercream adds a smooth and creamy touch that pairs perfectly with the chocolate. It’s easy to make and perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or just as a special treat!
Ingredients Needed:
For the Cake:
- 225 grams of plain flour
- 275 grams of caster sugar
- 75 grams cocoa (sieved if lumpy)
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 175 milliliters of full-fat milk (at room temperature)
- 175 milliliters of vegetable oil (plus more for greasing)
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
For the Icing:
- 350 grams of icing sugar
- 175 grams of soft unsalted butter
- 2½ teaspoons instant espresso powder (dissolved in 1 x 15ml tablespoons just-boiled water)
To Decorate:
- Chocolate-coated coffee beans (optional)
How To Make Chocolate Cake with Coffee Buttercream?
- Preheat the oven and prepare the tins: Set the oven to 180°C. Grease and line two 20cm / 8-inch cake tins (avoid loose-bottomed tins as the batter is very runny).
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Stir with a fork to mix evenly.
- Prepare the wet ingredients: In a jug, whisk together milk, vegetable oil, and eggs until well combined.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or whisk until smooth. Slowly mix in 250ml of just-boiled water, stirring well. The batter will be thin.
- Bake the cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the tins and bake for 25-35 minutes. Check at 20 minutes—the cakes should pull away from the sides, and feel firm, and a skewer inserted should come out mostly clean.
- Cool the cakes: Let them cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then remove and let them cool completely before icing.
- Make the buttercream: Pulse the icing sugar in a food processor to remove lumps. Add butter and blend until smooth. With the motor running, pour in the espresso mixture and mix well. Scrape the sides to combine everything.
- Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a plate. Spread half the buttercream on top. Place the second cake on top and spread the rest of the buttercream, creating swirls with a spatula.
- Decorate: If using, place chocolate-coated coffee beans on top.
Recipe Tips:
- Use boiling water properly: Adding just-boiled water to the batter makes the cocoa dissolve better and gives the cake a rich chocolate taste. Make sure to stir well and scrape the bottom of the bowl to mix everything evenly.
- Measure ingredients correctly: Use a kitchen scale for accuracy, especially for flour and sugar. Too much flour can make the cake dry, and too much sugar can affect the texture.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Once you add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix until just combined. Overmixing can make the cake dense instead of soft and fluffy.
- Let the cakes cool before icing: If the cakes are even slightly warm, the buttercream will melt and become runny. Wait until they are completely cool before frosting.
- Use fresh baking powder and bicarbonate of soda: These ingredients help the cake rise. If they are expired or too old, the cake might not rise properly and could turn out dense.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the chocolate cake cool to room temperature first. Then, put it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you cut it into slices, wrap each piece to keep it fresh.
- Freeze: Wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm a non-stick pan on low heat and place a slice of cake inside. Cover with a lid and heat for 2-3 minutes until just warm.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 140 kcal
- Total Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
- Sodium: 90mg
- Potassium: 120mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 18g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 12g
- Protein: 2g
Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:
- Nigella Chocolate Birthday Cake With Condensed Milk
- Nigella Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- Nigella Chocolate And Cherry Trifle Recipe
Nigella Chocolate Cake with Coffee Buttercream
Description
This chocolate cake is rich, soft, and full of flavor. The coffee buttercream adds a smooth and creamy touch that pairs perfectly with the chocolate. It’s easy to make and perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or just as a special treat!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
For the Icing:
To Decorate:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare the tins: Set the oven to 180°C. Grease and line two 20cm / 8-inch cake tins (avoid loose-bottomed tins as the batter is very runny).
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Stir with a fork to mix evenly.
- Prepare the wet ingredients: In a jug, whisk together milk, vegetable oil, and eggs until well combined.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or whisk until smooth. Slowly mix in 250ml of just-boiled water, stirring well. The batter will be thin.
- Bake the cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the tins and bake for 25-35 minutes. Check at 20 minutes—the cakes should pull away from the sides, and feel firm, and a skewer inserted should come out mostly clean.
- Cool the cakes: Let them cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then remove and let them cool completely before icing.
- Make the buttercream: Pulse the icing sugar in a food processor to remove lumps. Add butter and blend until smooth. With the motor running, pour in the espresso mixture and mix well. Scrape the sides to combine everything.
- Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a plate. Spread half the buttercream on top. Place the second cake on top and spread the rest of the buttercream, creating swirls with a spatula.
- Decorate: If using, place chocolate-coated coffee beans on top.
Notes
- Use boiling water properly: Adding just-boiled water to the batter makes the cocoa dissolve better and gives the cake a rich chocolate taste. Make sure to stir well and scrape the bottom of the bowl to mix everything evenly.
- Measure ingredients correctly: Use a kitchen scale for accuracy, especially for flour and sugar. Too much flour can make the cake dry, and too much sugar can affect the texture.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Once you add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix until just combined. Overmixing can make the cake dense instead of soft and fluffy.
- Let the cakes cool before icing: If the cakes are even slightly warm, the buttercream will melt and become runny. Wait until they are completely cool before frosting.
- Use fresh baking powder and bicarbonate of soda: These ingredients help the cake rise. If they are expired or too old, the cake might not rise properly and could turn out dense.
Nigella Chocolate Cake with Coffee Buttercream