This recipe for Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake makes a beautiful, tender, light-textured cake that’s incredibly moist and indulgent.
Being a food blogger, I often have friends that like to surprise me with their bakes. One of my friends made a delicious chocolate cake and proudly asked me to guess the secret ingredient. When she announced, mayonnaise, I must admit I was pretty amazed. I quickly got to work on creating my own version of her delicious cake.
Why This Recipe Works
- Mayonnaise adds richness and moisture to this incredible cake.
- Using coffee compliments the chocolate and gives an extra depth of flavor.
- Buttermilk helps give the cake extra moisture and sublte tangy taste.
Using Mayonnaise In Cake
Being made mainly made of eggs, vinegar, and oil, mayonnaise adds extra moisture, and rich flavor to cakes and produces a light tender crumb.
This cake has a deep chocolatey flavor that pairs perfectly with my Chocolate Glaze that’s smooth and creamy without being too sweet.
Ingredients Notes
- Flour– Use all-purpose (plain) flour. I recommend a good quality unbleached all-purpose flour with 4-5g of protein).
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda be sure to check the date on your package as out-of-date products may not add the lift you need.
- Cocoa Powder– I use unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder, but any unsweetened variety will do.
- Sugar– this recipe calls for granulated sugar to keep things simple, but I use superfine sugar (aka caster sugar) because I like the way it easily mixes into the batter.
- Mayonnaise – Full-fat mayonnaise is essential for moisture in this recipe as it’s replacing any other fats in the cake such as butter or oil.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Buttermilk– I’ve full or reduced-fat buttermilk in this recipe with the same result.
- Coffee – I used strong, brewed coffee, but you can instant coffee or espresso powder to make yours. The stronger the coffee, the more it enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
- Vanilla Extract: You can use anything from imitation vanilla flavor to pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Salt: Regular table salt is fine to add seasoning and enhance the flavors.
How To Make Your Own Buttermilk
To make your own buttermilk at home, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Full-fat milk is best, low-fat or skimmed milk will still work. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes. The mixture may look a little curdled, but that’s fine.
For this recipe: 1 cup of butter milk = 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice.
How to Make Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Combine wet ingredients and mix well.
- Stir the wet mixture and dry mixture together along with coffee.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Make the ganache.
- Cover the cake with ganache frosting.
- Serve and enjoy!
Step by Step Instructions
In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a separate bowl add mayonnaise, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Then add the cup of coffee.
Add the wet ingredients into the dry.
Mix until combined.
Add to the greased pan.
For this cake, I used the Nordic Ware Anniversary Bundt Pan which you can get at Amazon. (#paidlink).
Bake and allow the cake to cool on a wire rack.
Glaze before serving if desired (I used my chocolate glaze recipe).
Serve and enjoy!
Erren’s Top Tips
- To avoid the cake sticking to the pan, use a good quality, non-stick pan that’s greased well with baking spray or shortening (butter can cause sticking).
- Always use full-fat mayonnaise, low fat and light mayonnaise will not provide the moisture you need.
- Be sure to follow the steps of the recipe. Mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining them helps to avoid overmixing.
- Try to use the best quality cocoa powder you can find. It really makes a huge difference to the flavor of your cake.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Storage – Store covered at room temperature for up to three days.
Freezing Instructions: Freeze the cooled, unfrosted cake wrapped well for up to 3 months.
FAQs
Mayonnaise is used in a chocolate cake as a replacement for eggs. You cannot taste the mayonnaise but it adds an extra velvety texture to a traditional chocolate cake.
You can store this cake just as you would with any other cake, in an airtight container. It will last for up to three days at room temperature. To freeze, use a freezer-safe container and freeze (unfrosted) for up to three months.
Other Great Chocolate Recipes
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Let’s Make Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup brewed coffee cooled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/176°C
- Grease and lightly flour a 12 cup bundt cake pan.
- In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add the buttermilk, mayonnaise, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well to combine.
- Stir the mayonnaise mixture and the coffee into the flour mixture until combined. The batter will be thin. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until a cake tester comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for ten minutes before turning it out. Remove the cake from the pan and allow it to cool completely.
Tips + Notes
- It’s very important to allow your cake to cool. If you move it while it’s still warm it is likely to fall apart.
- Always use full-fat mayonnaise, any other mayonnaise will not give you the desired results.
- Try to use the best quality cocoa powder you can find. It really makes a huge difference to the flavor of your cake.
- It’s very important to allow your cake to cool. If you move it while it’s still warm it is likely to fall apart.
- Always use full-fat mayonnaise, any other mayonnaise will not give you the desired results.
- Try to use the best quality cocoa powder you can find. It really makes a huge difference to the flavor of your cake.
Cyndi says
Great made in a bundt pan and drizzled with chocolate glaze while still warm! Really moist and delicious! 👏
Erren Hart says
That’s so great! Thanks for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
Dawn says
I made this for a office luncheon and the plates were licked clean. Very Good!
Erren Hart says
That’s great to hear!! Glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🥰
Jill says
Perfect chocolate cake!! 👏👏👏 thank you!
Erren Hart says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to comment! 🥰
Jasmine says
I love this cake!! The texture is what gets me the most – it’s just wonderful!
Erren Hart says
That’s so wonderful to hear! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe so much! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Eve says
Yum!! My husband decided he wanted cake at 9:30PM and I didn’t have any cake mix so we decided to try this one out just for fun and I am so glad we did it was delicious!!
Erren Hart says
I’m glad I could help with your late-night cake 🙂
Connie says
My husband raved about this cake and he doesn’t really like cake. It was very fudgy and delicious.
Erren Hart says
Yay, Connie! I’m so glad you both liked it so much! 🙂
Chelsea Rus says
How many eggs??
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Chelsea, thank you for catching that! It’s two eggs, I have updated the recipe card 🙂
Mandy says
Absolutely delicious, so moist and tasty!
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you Mandy 🙂
Sue gallo says
I have not made this yet as I am confused the recipe calls for baking soda butwhen you go to put the ingredients together the baking soda is not mentioned. so I hesitate to bake this.
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Sue, it stipulates 1 1/2 tsp of baking soda in the recipe ingredients but it looks like I missed it in the instructions, good catch. It’s added along with the baking powder. I will update the recipe. Thank you 🙂
Diane McBride says
Would you believe. I still have my original recipe from Home Economics Class in elementary school. And I’m 72
Erren's Kitchen says
That’s amazing Diane! 🙂