Chocolate Coffee Cake Recipe

Below you’ll find the most common questions and answers about making this recipe. If you have a question you’d like answered, please drop it in the comments section below!

While some coffee cakes might be made with coffee as an ingredient, it is not a requirement.

You can absolutely add coffee to your cake! Cakes can be infused with coffee flavor in various ways. The addition of brewed coffee, espresso powder and coffee liqueur are common ways to add a rich coffee undertone to your cake.

Additionally, coffee is commonly added to chocolate baked goods because it actually enhances the flavor of cocoa powder, resulting in an irresistibly rich, incredibly chocolaty cake.

If you would like to add coffee to this chocolate coffee cake recipe, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder for an equal amount of instant espresso powder. Unlike ground coffee, espresso powder provides a powerful punch and completely dissolves into the cake which eliminates any risk of grittiness.

There is nothing more frustrating than baking a beautiful cake and having it fall apart as soon as you try to remove it from the pan!

• Use homemade pan release. Non-stick sprays and shortening can be unreliable and leave a sticky residue on pans. Homemade pan release, also known as “cake goop”, is a paste that you can spread on baking pans. It prevents baked good from sticking to the pans. Goop is easy to make and absolute magic at releasing cakes from their pans!
  • To make Goop, combine equal parts all-purpose flour, vegetable oil and vegetable shortening, and mix them together.
• Brush pan liberally with pan release. Use a pastry brush to evenly and generously brush a thin layer of pan release on the inside surface of the pan. Take care to make sure you have coated all the sides, corners and any nooks, crannies or crevices. Make sure you don’t grease all the way up to the top of the pan on the sides; only grease as far up as the coffee chocolate cake will rise.
• Sprinkle the pan with flour or cocoa powder. After you completely grease the pan, sprinkle a couple tablespoons of flour into the pan for a traditional coffee cake. Or, if you’re making a coffee chocolate cake, use unsweetened cocoa powder. Just make sure you gently shake and tap the pan to evenly distribute the flour or cocoa powder. And also, gently tap out any excess flour into the sink.

You can bake a coffee cake in various pans. 9×13-inch baking pans, Bundt pans, tube pans and loaf pans are commonly used to make coffee cake.

You can make this chocolate coffee cake recipe in any of the aforementioned pans. Please note, baking times will vary depending on the pan you select. Follow the tips below to know exactly when your chocolate snack cake is done baking in the oven.

Nothing is worse than a dry, over-baked cake! There are a few easy signs to look for to let you know when your cake is done. When in doubt, it is better to err on the side of caution and under-bake the cake.

• The cake is springy to the touch. If you gently press your finger against the cake, it should feel pillow-soft and slightly springy to the touch.
• The sides pull away from the pan. The cake is done baking when the sides of the cake just start to pull away from the sides of the pan and the outer edges look slightly dry.
• When a toothpick comes out clean. If you insert a toothpick or thin skewer into the center of the cake, it should come out clean with no streaks of batter. A few small crumbs are normal and okay.
• When the internal temperature of the cake reaches 210 degrees Fahrenheit. When in doubt, you can always use an instant-read thermometer. The cake is done baking when the temperature in the middles reaches 210 degrees.

Whether your espresso coffee cake is cut or uncut, it is fine at room temperature. Chocolate coffee cakes do not need to be refrigerated. Refrigeration is only necessary if your kitchen gets very hot during the day.