Super-Moist Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Can you really go wrong with this Old School Super-Moist Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting for any occasion?  You’ll want to serve this up, trust me!  Besides, there’s a secret in this chocolate cake that makes it super-ultra-moist.

Can you try to guess what it is? 

Mayonnaise!  Yes, I really said ‘Mayonnaise’!

ChocolaTess Trivia!  Chop!Chop!  Quick history lesson today, because it’s interesting to find out new facts, right?  Then you can pay it forward. 🙂

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake was a Depression-era (1929-39) dessert that was made popular by Best Foods/Hellmann’s to promote their delicious mayonnaise and it also provided as an economic substitution for butter and milk and most notably, for sour cream, sour milk and buttermilk as well, which were very popular at the time.

It’s an old cat-in-the-hat baking trick that’s been around longer than cake mixes.

Speaking of cake mixes, did you know you can substitute mayonnaise for the the oil and eggs in a cake mix?  You can!  You can get more info on that over at Duncan Hines.  They would know! 🙂 The fact of the matter is, this mayonnaise cake is fudgey, rich, moist, and a true classic chocolate dessert that tastes out of this world AMAZING!

Mayonnaise is essentially oil, vinegar, and egg, and while you could just add an extra egg to try and get the same effect, The Kitchn points out that the oil makes the cake tender, the egg helps the batter retain moisture, and the acid in the vinegar really brings out the chocolate flavor.

If you don’t like mayonnaise, you can rest assured, you will not taste the mayonnaise at all.  It’s just there to bring in that super-moist ‘super power’ factor that we all love and adore.

The chocolate buttercream…OH EM GEE!  Perfect pairing with this cake!

I doooo love this cake and frosting and it’s been such a classic cake over-time!  And it always will be!  *swoon*

I got this recipe from A Bountiful Kitchen and it’s wonderful!

Before you zoom on down to the recipe…make a stop over and check out this super, healthy, rich tasting Double Dark Chocolate Banana Snack Cake (We can’t stop eating it!) There really is a good reason why we can’t!  xoxo

There’s always room for this Sinful Triple Chocolate Fudge Poke Cake or this Halloween Black Magic Candy Cake! It’s Insane!  You’re welcome! 🙂

But if you’re not a chocolate fan, you will love this Super-Moist Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting!

Print Recipe

4.23 from 9 votes

Super-Moist Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

This 'Depression-era' Chocolate Cake has a secret ingredient that was used as an economic substitution for butter and eggs and it gives this cake it's super-moist super powers and it's still one of the most preferred chocolate cake recipes out there today!

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Author: Kim Lange

Ingredients

Super-Moist Chocolate Cake

• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate do not exceed 61% cacao, chopped
• 1 cup unsweetened Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder or regular unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 cups boiling water
• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 1 1/3 cups mayonnaise do not use reduced-fat,fat-free or Miracle Whip, Hellman’s
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 1 1/4 cups butter softened
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3/4 to 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for dark frosting, use part Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa, about 4 tablespoons
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Butter and flour three 8" diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides, or two 9" pans.
• In a medium bowl, combine the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder, then whisk in boiling water until chocolate is melted and smooth.
• Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder into another medium bowl. Set aside.
• Using mixer, beat both sugars and mayonnaise in large bowl until well blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
• Add flour mixture alternately with chocolate mixture, beating until blended after each addition.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.
• Cool cakes in pans on racks 20 minutes.
• Run small knife around sides of cakes to loosen.
• Carefully invert cakes onto racks and let cool completely.
• Frost when completely cooled.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• Using mixer, cream butter, add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy.
• Place cake on a platter.
• Frost top of first layer.
• Place second layer on cake.
• Frost sides and top.
• Decorate with sprinkles if desired.
• Serves 10-12.