My mom’s recipe for chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting was so popular while we were old order Amish and running a catering business, that I decided to try it out with mocha frosting for a recent event at our church. The rich chocolate cake and smooth chocolate and coffee flavored frosting was a delicious combination that got lots of compliments! This recipe is for a chocolate cake to be made in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish (I would recommend going even larger, like a 15 by 11-inch cake pan) which makes it perfect for events and holidays like Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving or for Birthday parties where you need enough to feed a crowd.
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Amish Chocolate Cake with Mocha Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour leveled
- 2 cups brown sugar packed
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee dissolved in 1 cup hot water
Mocha frosting:
- 1/2 cup hot milk
- 3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups confectioner's sugar *see note
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda, then add the strong instant coffee, milk, oil and eggs and whisk the cake batter together until well combined. Do not overmix, just until no streaks of flour remain.
- Pour the chocolate cake batter into a greased 9 by 13-inch (or 15 by 11-inch) baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool. *see notes.
- Dissolve instant coffee into the hot milk and allow to chill in the refrigerator to cool. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine butter with cocoa powder and vanilla extract until smooth. Add cooled coffee mixture and mix again to combine, then add confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. The frosting does not need to be very thick, just enough to spread on top of the cake.
- Spread the mocha frosting over the cooled chocolate cake. Chill for several hours to allow the frosting to set and the flavors to blend a little if desired. Serve and enjoy! Storage notes and more below.
Notes
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Ingredients you will need: flour, brown sugar, milk, instant coffee, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, oil, cocoa powder. For the mocha frosting: butter, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, instant coffee, milk and confectioners’ sugar.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda, then add the strong instant coffee, milk, oil and eggs and whisk the cake batter together until well combined. Do not overmix, just until no streaks of flour remain.
Note:
Adding hot water or hot coffee to cocoa powder allows the cocoa powder to bloom and develop a richer chocolate flavor in baked goods.
Step 2: Pour the chocolate cake batter into a greased 9 by 13-inch (or 14 by 10-inch) baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.
Help! My cake is sinking in the center.
Despite my best efforts, my cake usually sinks a little in the center as it cools. The good news is that it does not affect the taste or texture of the cake as far as I can tell. You may wish to try using a larger cake pan (15 by 11-inch) and also avoid opening the oven door too soon. I have even taken some of the batter out to make a smaller cake on the side or cupcakes because this recipe makes a lot of cake and is usually a bit much for regular 13 by 9-inch cake pans.
For the mocha frosting: Dissolve instant coffee into the hot milk and allow to chill in the refrigerator to cool. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine butter with cocoa powder and vanilla extract until smooth. Add cooled coffee mixture and mix again to combine, then add confectioner’s sugar, 1 cup at a time until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. The frosting does not need to be very thick, just enough to spread on top of the cake.
Can I use water instead of milk in the frosting?
Yes, you can. I have used both and they were equally delicious in flavor, but the milk does give the frosting a richer and creamier texture than using water to dissolve the instant coffee into does.
Last but not least, spread the frosting over the cake until evenly covered. Allow the cake to chill or rest at room temperature for several hours to allow the frosting to set and the flavors to blend together. Of course, you can dive right in with a spoon as soon as the cake is frosted if you want. No one is judging! 🙂
Storage notes:
I keep my leftover cake refrigerated, simply to keep it from spoiling too quickly on the countertop. You can keep it covered at room temperature for several days. You can also freeze this cake for several months if it is tightly wrapped or in an airtight container.
Thank you for stopping by and have a lovely day! Feel free to pin or print this recipe using the icons in the recipe card, but please leave a comment and rating in return. Thank you for your support. -Marilyn Stoltzfus Peight.
