Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
This Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake is a cake recipe that’s always rich and moist thanks to it’s secret ingredient mayonnaise! You’ll never make a chocolate cake the same again. Plus the frosting is made with melted semisweet chocolate for a ganache-like icing that’s so addicting.
Have you ever heard of a cake made with mayonnaise? This Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake is a recipe that’s been in my family for generations. If you’re not a mayo lover, don’t worry, I promise you will never know there’s mayonnaise in this cake! It’s the fat that’s used to make the cake batter instead of butter and oil. And let me tell you from personal experience, it a fool-proof way to make sure the cake is NEVER dry.
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My other secret to making this cake bakery-quality is adding brewed coffee to the batter. Once again, you won’t taste the coffee, it’s just a baker’s tip to making the cocoa flavor even stronger. If you love a cake recipe, try my Lemon Coconut Cake or Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy to serve a crowd. I bake this cake in a 13×9-inch baking dish which makes it ideal to transporting to potlucks and picnics.
- A recipe that newer bakers should try. If you can make a boxed cake mix, I guarantee you can make this cake with ease!
- Never have dry cake again! The secret is in the mayonnaise, buy full-fat, the low-fat kind doesn’t work as well.
Ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below
Cake:
- All-purpose flour: Structure for the cake batter.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the batter perfectly.
- Baking soda: Leavening agent that’s responsible for a tender texture.
- Salt: Always add salt to your baked good to make their flavor even more rich.
- Unsweetened cocoa: Responsible for the chocolate goodness.
- Full-fat mayonnaise: Key ingredient for a moist cake. Be sure to buy full-fat.
- Brewed coffee or warm water: I highly recommend using coffee, the cake won’t taste like coffee, it just helps to enhance the chocolate flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Adds both caramel and floral notes.
Frosting:
- Salted butter: Make sure it’s room temperature for mixing.
- Vanilla extract: Always add for a frosting that’s bakery-style in taste.
- Powdered sugar: Sift beforhand to remove any lumps for a smooth frosting.
- Semi-sweet chocolate: How I make this frosting so rich! Melt and cool the chocolate for an extra insane flavor.
- Heavy cream: Helps to thin the frosting to the correct consistency.
Tools You’ll Need
How to Make chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
For the Cake:
- Preheat to 350°F. Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with butter or sour cream.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
- Stir in mayonnaise, warm coffee or water, and vanilla just until combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting:
- In a large bowl, beat butter on medium-high speed for 3–5 minutes until very light, fluffy, and pale in color.
- Mix in vanilla extract until combined.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, mixing on low at first, then increasing speed until smooth.
- Slowly pour in the melted (cooled) chocolate while mixing on medium speed. Beat until fully incorporated and silky smooth.
- If the frosting is too thick, add heavy cream until spreadable. Beat on medium-high for another 1–2 minutes for a light, fluffy finish.
- Spread on the cooled cake. Slice and serve!
Expert tips
- Don’t over-mix the cake batter. This will lead to a gummy cake texture. Gently stir until just combined.
- Always use full-fat mayonnaise. It’s replacing any oil or butter in the cake batter so buy the real deal!
- If you forgot to soften you butter for the frosting, just microwave in 5-10 seconds intervals until softened.
- Be sure to let the melted chocolate cool for the frosting. If it’s still warm, it will be too runny and you won’t be able to frost the cake.
- Allow the cake to cool before icing. If it’s warm, the frosting will melt all over the cake and become quite messy.
Storage
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also freeze individual slices of this cake for up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter until ready to serve.
If you want to make the cake in advance, it’s easy to do! You can even bake the cake base the day before serving and just whip up the frosting a couple hours before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s a rich chocolate cake that uses mayonnaise as the fat instead of oil, butter, or eggs.
No, once it’s baked it can be stored at room temperature.
It’s a moist and decadent chocolate cake. You won’t even taste the mayo!
More Easy Dessert Recipes
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 cup full-fat mayonnaise
- 1 cup brewed coffee or warm water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate melted and cooled
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream if needed
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat to 350°F. Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with butter or sour cream.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
- Stir in mayonnaise, warm coffee or water, and vanilla just until combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat butter on medium-high speed for 3–5 minutes until very light, fluffy, and pale in color.
- Mix in vanilla extract until combined.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, mixing on low at first, then increasing speed until smooth.
- Slowly pour in the melted (cooled) chocolate while mixing on medium speed. Beat until fully incorporated and silky smooth.
- If the frosting is too thick, add heavy cream until spreadable. Beat on medium-high for another 1–2 minutes for a light, fluffy finish.
- Spread on the cooled cake. Slice and serve!
Video
Notes
- Don’t over-mix the cake batter. This will lead to a gummy cake texture. Gently stir until just combined.
- Always use full-fat mayonnaise. It’s replacing any oil or butter in the cake batter so buy the real deal!
- If you forgot to soften you butter for the frosting, just microwave in 10 seconds intervals until softened.
- Be sure to let the melted chocolate cool for the frosting. If it’s still warm, it will be too runny and you won’t be able to frost the cake.
- Allow the cake to cool before icing. If it’s warm, the frosting will melt all over the cake and become quite messy.
Nutrition
About Laura
Taught by some of the best, cooking and entertaining has always been my favorite hobby. Food is my love language! The conception of Dinner in 321 came from my family talks that sharing our dinners would help others learn new skills, tasty recipes, and make cooking fun! Read more…
