February 18, 2023
Review RecipeBusy Day Chocolate Cake
You'll love this moist and irresistable busy day chocolate cake baked from scratch and topped with our rich, homemade frosting!
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This classic busy day chocolate cake is an old-fashioned dessert I stole from my Southern grandma’s recipe box (try our amazing chocolate dump cake, too!). It’s a favorite that is quick and easy to make and comes out moist with a rich frosting on top. It has a secret ingredient, coffee, that enhances all of that delicious chocolate flavor. You’ll love this simple, yummy cake.
Check out more of our easy cake recipes such as our eclair cake and Boston cream poke cake.
BUSY DAY CHOCOLATE CAKE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need:
For the Cake:
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 1 cup vegetable oil
For the Icing:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons coffee
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
BUTTERMILK: You can make your own buttermilk using whole or 2% milk and lemon juice or distilled vinegar. For every 1 cup of milk, stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Add a little bit extra to this moist chocolate cake with chocolate chips mixed into the batter.
NUTS: If you like nuts in your cake, add chopped walnuts or pecans to your cake batter.
COFFEE: If you absolutely do not want to use coffee in this recipe, you can substitute the same amount of hot water for the coffee
HOW TO MAKE THIS BUSY DAY CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE
For the Cake:
STEP ONE: Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch cake pan by rubbing shortening on the pan and using cocoa powder to dust the pan instead of white flour.
PRO TIP
Rubbing cocoa powder on the pan instead of flour keeps the chocolate flavor going.
STEP TWO: Using a large bowl combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
STEP THREE: Add the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, coffee, and oil. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer for about two minutes, the batter will be thin.
STEP FOUR: Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan.
STEP FIVE: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
STEP SIX: Cool 10 minutes in the pan before icing.
For the 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.
PRO TIP
Don’t let the icing cool too long or it will harden in your pan and not be easy to spread.
STEP FOUR: Spread the icing over the cake.
HOW TO SERVE
This delicious cake is perfect with a freshly brewed cup of hot coffee. You could also serve the warm cake and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. During the holidays, you can serve this with a scoop of peppermint ice cream. During the spring, add fresh berries.
MORE CAKE RECIPES
STORAGE
ON THE COUNTER: This simple cake will store in an airtight container on the counter for three days.
IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze this cake, either in slices or as a whole. If you plan to freeze a frosted cake, it is helpful to freeze the cake unwrapped first, and then to wrap the frozen slice or pan once the frosting will no longer transfer to the wax paper or other wrapper.
This busy day cake is 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. Whip this up the next time you are craving chocolate or even for special occasions.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I freeze this cake?
This easy recipe can be frozen either as a whole or cut into slices for up to two months.
What makes this dense chocolate cake so moist?
The buttermilk and oil make this black magic chocolate cake extra moist.
Is this cake the same as wacky cake?
While not exactly the same as wacky or depression cake, this busy day cake has many of the same ingredients.
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Crazy Cake
- Black Magic Cake
- Earthquake Cake
- Air Fryer Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Brownie Cake
- Lunch Lady Brownies
- Texas Sheet Cake
- Chocolate Easter Eggs (Coconut Cream)
- Rhubarb Dump Cake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Crazy Cake
- Boston Cream Cupcakes
- Chocolate Poke Cake
- Vanilla Crazy Cake
- Butter Cake
Busy Day Chocolate Cake
You'll love this moist and irresistable busy day chocolate cake baked from scratch and topped with our rich, homemade frosting!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 12
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2½ cups flour
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 1 cup vegetable oil
Icing:
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon coffee
- ½ tablespoon vanilla
Instructions
Cake:
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- Grease and flour a 9×13-inch cake pan.
- Using a large bowl combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, 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.
Video
Notes
TIP: Rubbing cocoa powder on the pan instead of flour keeps the chocolate flavor going.
TIP: Don’t let the icing cool too long or it will harden in your pan and not be easy to spread.
Nutrition
Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 296mg | Potassium: 205mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 64g | Vitamin A: 309IU | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg
Have You Tried This Recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @spaceshipslb
Comments
SheriO says
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?
Layne Kangas says
So sorry for the mix up – it is bake at 375. And yes, you make the coffee and add it in!
Zoe says
Looks good
Going to make it for work
Thanks for sharing zx
Chris says
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?
Layne Kangas says
Yes!
Stein says
When making the frosting is it 2 TBSPS of coffee made or instant dry crystals you mix in?
Thanks!
Layne Kangas says
It’s already brewed coffee 🙂 Enjoy!
Beth says
Ingredients call for both baking soda and baking powder, yet instructions just say to add baking soda…no mention of adding the baking powder?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Beth – you add them both in step two when you combine the dry ingredients. Enjoy!
Can you tell me what kind of flour could I use will it take cake flour says
I can’t wait to make these chocolate brownies
Peter says
Wonderful recipes!
jamie says
I have made this cake a few times now and people absolutely rave about it. It is extremely moist and delicious and full of flavor. This last time I made it I did the cocoa powder in place of regular flour on the pan and it definitely made a difference in flavor. Everyone asks for the recipe.
Sarah says
I’m so excited to have found this recipe. My grandma used to make this and always had it in the freezer. I got the recipe from her before she passed many years ago and lost it during one of my moves. I’ve looked and found some that were similar but they just weren’t right. This is it and it’s perfect. Thank you for sharing…I’m not losing it this time