Amazing Chocolate Cake

This old-fashion chocolate cake has been around for a long time. This type of delicious cake has been adapted from the great depression era. What makes this cake even better is the mayonnaise in it. I know it can be difficult to wrap your head around mayonnaise being in a cake. Some of my family were a little uncertain too, but trust me when I say that you will not even know it's there. The mayo makes the cake moist and gives it a richness.

The expresso powder helps to intensify the chocolate flavor that is very essential to this dessert. The buttercream frosting is the perfect compliment to this chocolate cake. Both frosting and cake are intensely chocolate, so you can't go wrong with this pairing! The next time you have a celebration of any sort, I highly recommend this cake. I promise that if you're chocolate fanatics like my family and I are, you will love this amazing chocolate cake!

Bon Appetit!

Tips:

Use only the full-fat classic mayonnaise, such as Hellmann's.

The eggs should be at room temperature. You can place eggs in a bowl and add very warm water to bring them to room temperature faster.

Sometimes my cocoa powder is lumpy. When this happens, I sift the cocoa through a sieve to get rid of the lumps.

Preparation time is 30 minutes. Total time is 1 hour.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Ingredients for cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mayonnaise (such as Hellman's)
1 1/3 cup water

For frosting:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1/3 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with wax paper; grease paper. Dust pans with flour. In a medium bowl, combine the flour cocoa, baking soda, espresso powder, and baking powder; set aside. In a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in mayonnaise at low speed until blended. Alternately, beat in flour mixture with water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Invert onto racks. Remove wax paper; cool completely. Frost with chocolate butter cream frosting (directions below). Serves 8 to 10.

Directions for Frosting:

Place softened butter in a medium size bowl and with an electric mixer beat until creamy. Add confectioners' sugar, salt, and cocoa powder; mix well. On low speed, slowly add the milk and then the vanilla, mixing until smooth and creamy. Spread on cooled cake. Makes about 3 3/4 cups.