This classic, rich, delicious busy day chocolate cake is an old-fashioned dessert I stole from my Southern grandma’s recipe box. It’s a favorite that is quick and easy to make from scratch with traditional ingredients like sugar, cocoa powder, and butter. It has a secret ingredient, too: coffee! You’ll love this simple, yummy cake.
I’m proud to partner with Community Coffee Company to bring you this stellar recipe.
Busy Day Chocolate Cake:
Growing up, my little Southern grandma baked this irresistible cake regularly. It’s so simple to make but it tastes absolutely amazing! The cake is dense and moist, with the perfect balance of sweet and chocolate richness. The homemade icing is everything. It’s so good, I could happily eat it with a spoon on its own.
This old-fashioned cake has your traditional cake ingredients but it also has a bonus: coffee! It kicks the flavor up a notch and makes this simple cake and icing so decadent.
Busy Day Chocolate Cake Ingredients
You Will Need:
For the Cake:
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 4 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 1 cup vegetable oil
For the Icing:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons coffee
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Ingredient Notes
To make homemade buttermilk, whisk 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with enough whole milk or half and half to make 1/2 cup of liquid.
Community® Coffee
This new product is available at Walmart and made it’s way into my cart during my pick up order this week.
It’s rich, smooth flavor and consistent quality make for a delicious, great-tasting coffee that is perfect all day long plus in special recipes like this cake.
Community Coffee Company is celebrating its 100th year as an importer, roaster, and distributor of the highest-quality premium coffees and teas.
I love that four generations of the Saurage family have operated the company since its inception. Community Coffee Company is the largest family-owned and operated retail coffee brand in America.
Community® Coffee is the perfect ingredient for our cake and icing. Plus, you’ll want a hot mug to enjoy while you’re noshing on the cake.
How to Make a Busy Day Chocolate Cake
STEP ONE: Using a large bowl combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
STEP TWO: Add the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, coffee, and oil. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes, the batter will be thin.
STEP THREE: Rub shortening in a 9×13 cake pan and use cocoa powder to dust the pan instead of white flour, it keeps the chocolate flavor going! Pour batter evenly into this prepared pan.
STEP FOUR: Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes in the pan before icing.
Chocolate Cake Icing
STEP ONE: In a medium saucepan on medium-low heat melt the butter. Remove from heat. Whisk in cocoa powder. Return to stove on medium-low heat and cook until just begins to boil.
STEP TWO: Remove from heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar — you can sift it to remove any lumps before adding. Add the vanilla and coffee and stir until mixed.
STEP THREE: Let the frosting cool for 10 minutes to let it set up just a bit. Don’t let it cool too long or it will harden in your pan and not be easy to spread.
STEP FOUR: Spread the icing over the cake!
SERVING + STORING
SERVE: This cake is perfect with a freshly brewed cup of hot coffee. You could also add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. During the holidays, Nannie serves this with a scoop of peppermint ice cream. During the spring, she adds fresh berries.
STORING: This cake will store in an airtight container on the counter for three days.
Rich, simple, and delicious, this classic dessert is a family favorite. Traditional ingredients like sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, and flour are combined with our secret ingredient — coffee — for this amazing homemade busy day chocolate cake. After baking, a simple, homemade frosting is added for an award-winning cake you’ll love.
Busy Day Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 4 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 1 cup vegetable oil
Icing:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon coffee
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
Instructions
Cake:
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Grease and flour a 9x13 cake pan.
- Using a large bowl combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, coffee, and oil. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes, the batter will be thin.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes in the pan before icing.
Icing:
- In a medium saucepan on medium-low heat melt the butter. Remove from heat.
- Whisk in cocoa.
- Return to stove on medium-low heat and cook until just begins to boil.
- Remove from heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar (you can sift it to remove any lumps before adding).
- Add the vanilla and coffee and stir until mixed.
- Let the frosting cool for 10 minutes to let it set up just a bit. Then ice the cake. Don’t let it cool too long or it will harden in your pan and not be as easy to spread.
- Spread the icing over the cake.
The recipe says bake 30-40 min at 375. The comments say 350. The picture appears to say 10 min at 350. You make HOT coffee and mix it with the eggs?
So sorry for the mix up – it is bake at 375. And yes, you make the coffee and add it in!
Looks good
Going to make it for work
Thanks for sharing zx
It says “To make homemade buttermilk, whisk 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with enough whole milk or half and half to make 1/2 cup of liquid.”
The recipe calls for 1 cup of buttermilk….so would you add 4 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with enough whole milk/half and half to make 1 cup of liquid?
Yes!
When making the frosting is it 2 TBSPS of coffee made or instant dry crystals you mix in?
Thanks!
It’s already brewed coffee 🙂 Enjoy!