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Hand Painted Chocolate Coffee Cake Recipe

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3.8 from 13 reviews

This Hand Painted Cake is a moist and tender chocolate cake featuring a subtle coffee flavor that enhances the cocoa essence. Made with simple pantry ingredients like flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and olive oil, it’s baked to perfection with a light, tender crumb. The cake is versatile and ideal for layering and decorating, especially when hand painting or frosting for a personalized artistic touch.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup + 1 tbsp sugar (granulated)
  • ⅛ cup + 1 tsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
  • ¼ tsp baking soda (heaped)
  • ¼ tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

  • ⅔ cup hot water
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 tsp instant coffee granules
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 180 °C (356 °F). Line the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper or grease it lightly to prevent sticking.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Avoid using an electric mixer as it can over-aerate the flour mixture.
  3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the hot water, olive oil, white vinegar, instant coffee granules, and vanilla extract until well blended.
  4. Blend Wet into Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently whisk until just combined. Do not overmix; it’s okay if the batter has some lumps. If desired, add any liquor at this stage.
  5. Transfer to Pan and Remove Air Bubbles: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles and to help the batter spread evenly.
  6. Bake the Cake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. After about 18-20 minutes, insert a toothpick near the side of the pan. If it comes out clean, the cake is done.
  7. Cool and Flatten the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then invert the cake onto the rack and leave it upside down to cool completely. This helps to flatten any domed shape.
  8. Bake Additional Layers: For layered cakes, repeat the baking process two more times to yield three layers. Wrap the cooled layers in cling film and freeze until ready to assemble and frost.

Notes

  • Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake tender and light.
  • The vinegar reacts with baking soda to provide leavening; ensure fresh baking soda for optimal rise.
  • Instant coffee is added to deepen the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee.
  • Cooling the cake upside down helps create a more even surface for decorating or frosting.
  • This cake freezes well when wrapped tightly, making it ideal for preparing layers in advance.
  • For additional flavor, a splash of liquor like coffee liqueur or rum can be added to the batter if desired.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/hand-painted-chocolate-coffee-cake-recipe/