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 layered with a dreamy chocolate buttercream frosting!
The Secret Ingredient! Would you believe Mayonnaise? Yes, I really said 'Mayonnaise'!
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 so much! It's been such a classic cake over-time! And it always will be! *swoon* Perfect for Birthdays, Parties, Potlucks and Chocoholic Cake Cravings!
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Super-Moist Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting!
Super-Moist Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
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 ¾ cups boiling water
- 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 ⅓ 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 ¼ cups butter softened
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¾ to 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for dark frosting, use part Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa, about 4 tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Butter and flour three 8" diameter cake pans with 1 ½-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.
I got this recipe from A Bountiful Kitchen and it's wonderful!
Kim Lange says
Hi Kristen! Yes I do and it would give it a richer chocolate taste as well! xo Sounds super yummy!
Kristen says
Hi there! I would like to make this for a wedding that I am planning. Do you think I could substitute the boiling water for coffee?
ChocolaTess says
Rissa, I would have loved to taste her baked goods! YUM! Sounds like an amazing woman and baker. I love the old retro desserts and their secrets!! Thank you so much for your kind words! xo
Rissa says
Really love your recipes. My mom always made what she simply called a mayonnaise cake and she was the best baker in the world. She would make 15 pies at a time for our church bake sales. That’s how it was back in the day. Everything homemade. So I was glad to see your recipe for mayonnaise cake. Nice to see some of the old ingredients making a come back.
ChocolaTess says
Mimo, not sure what percentage you are using, but if you do, I would taste the batter after it's done and see how it tastes before baking. It should be more like milk chocolate instead. Good luck!
Mimo says
Hi I want to try the cake just wanted to ask what happens if I use chocolate with more than 61%cacao thanks
ChocolaTess says
Virginia it should below the last picture of cake @ http://www.thebakingchocolatess.com/super-moist-chocolate-cake-with-chocolate-buttercream-frosting/. You should be able to print it, but here it is as well.
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!
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.
Virginia says
Where can I find directions. Keep going back to comments.
ChocolaTess says
Hi Pam! Happy Birthday to you and your husband! 🙂 So, I was reading your comment and I did want to let you know that I did only use 1/4 teaspoon baking powder. If you add too much baking powder, it will taste bitter and it will affect the cake by making the cake rise up too fast, causing air pockets to rupture and collapse, delivering a denser, squatter cake. I wonder if this might be the problem?
Pam says
Made this cake for my husband and my birthday (we are 2 days apart)...
When reading directions, seems there is not enough baking powder in it...1/4 tespoon only?? I added 1 teaspoon! It rose up beautifully....
Also, I had to bake it just 5 minutes longer...
Been making a mayo cake with a boxed cake for 40 years....the scratch ones never interested me until this one...
Has anyone else found it to be a heavy dense cake??? Or did I do something wrong..followed directions to a tee and have been baking 50 plus years.
Thanks
ChocolaTess says
Cake:
2 ounces or 56 grams bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
1 cup or 120 grams unsweetened Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder (or regular unsweetened cocoa powder)
1 3/4 cups or 210 grams boiling water
2 3/4 cups or 330 grams all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons or 6.25 mL teaspoons baking soda
1/4 or 1.25 mL teaspoon baking powder
1 cup or 200 grams sugar
1 cup or 180 grams (packed) dark brown sugar
1 1/3 cups or 320 ml mayonnaise (do not use reduced-fat,fat-free or Miracle Whip) Hellman’s
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons or 10 ml vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
1 1/4 cups or 300 grams butter, softened
4 1/2 cups or 450 grams powdered sugar
3/4 to 1 cup or 115 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (for dark frosting, use part Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa, about 4 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons or 10 mL vanilla
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons or 60 mL plus 30 mL milk or heavy cream
I gave it my best guess! Let me know how it works out! 🙂
Jules says
Hi,I live in the UK,could you convert this recipe to metric force please....sounds yummy
ChocolaTess says
Hi Lynn! Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full. Bake the cupcakes for 17 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. ?Makes 24 cupcakes. Enjoy!!
Lynn says
Hi! I making a cake but also want to make cupcakes for a party. Any idea how many this recipe would make and how long to cook?
Thanks!
ChocolaTess says
Hi Amanda! Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full. Bake the cupcakes for 17 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. 🙂 Enjoy!!
Amanda Swartz says
I am wanting to make cupcakes. Should I adjust the temp or time on these for a cupcake pan?
ChocolaTess says
I'm happy I could bring those special memories back for you! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!
MObaker says
My mother used to make what she called chocolate mayonnaise cake when i was growing up back in the 70's. I thought everyone used mayonnaise in their chocolate cakes? I remember mentioning it once and my husbands family thought i was crazy. Glad you are bringing it back! It makes the best cake i have ever had! Thank you for sharing and bringing back good memories for me!
ChocolaTess says
Thank you Lucy!! 🙂
Lucy says
Wow such a great recipe!! Never thought of using mayonnaise in a cake but work great! Thanx
ChocolaTess says
Hi Jan!!
Under the 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.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.
The recipe is here, in case you never made it there: http://www.thebakingchocolatess.com/super-moist-chocolate-cake-with-chocolate-buttercream-frosting/2/
Happy Baking and let me know if you have another questions! 🙂
Jan says
How long do you bake the cake and at what temp?? Also what size pans are you using?? Thank you
ChocolaTess says
Yes, 1 cup. I'm so sorry that happened to you Wendy! I haven't heard of anyone else having that issue, so it must be something weird going on for you...ugh! 🙁 But thanks for letting me know.
This is what I see:
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 (packed) dark brown sugar
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
Wendy k says
It's not showing a second sugar for me. I found a similar recipe on line and added sugar. I would upload a photo to show but that's not an option. I added a cup of white sugar- is that what is listed on this recipe? It must be loading weird on my end.
ChocolaTess says
Wendy, I do have both sugars listed in the recipe.
ChocolaTess says
Krista, it does seem strange, but it's delish! Just make sure you don't use Miracle whip, because that will make it too sweet. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Wendy k says
It says best both sugars with mayo and add eggs. There's only brown sugar listed in the ingredients. Sure wish i had noticed that because I'm making this right this minute. Lovely.
Krista Wells says
I have never heard of using mayonaise in a cake but I will defiently be trying this. Thanks for the recipe.
ChocolaTess says
Awww! Thank you Maria! Definitely give it a try!! 🙂
Maria @ kitchenathoskins says
Drooling over this cake! I've read about the mayo chocolate cake many many times, but never made it! This cake is so happening....
ChocolaTess says
🙂 Pretty awesome huh?!
PieTurtle says
Would have never thought to substitute anything baking with mayonnaise!
ChocolaTess says
Thank you Kelly!! It's an awesome secret ingredient! 🙂
Kelly @ Kelly Lynn'S Sweets and Treats says
Love this!! Chocolate overload! And the mayonnaise is the best secret ingredient ever!