This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Kahlua Coffee Chocolate Layer Cake is made with a moist chocolate Kahlua cake covered in Kahlua coffee frosting! It’s seriously so good – you won’t want to share!
Table of Contents
Kahlua Coffee Chocolate Layer Cake
So this past weekend the hubs and I went and looked at some houses. We’ve been considering moving within the area for a while now, but haven’t found the right thing. We’d been looking around on our own and since we haven’t had any luck, we decided to try working with a real estate agent that the hubs knows.
Well we were out looking at some homes Sunday afternoon and it started getting a little late. We knew it could go later, so we brought everything for my evening progesterone shot (for our IVF treatment) with us just in case.
As luck would have it, 6 PM came rolling around and we got the privilege of not only doing our shot while out and about for the first time, but in a new house that was still under construction. We were looking at the house with our real estate agent and the sales person when we excused ourselves to shut ourselves into a room filled with nails, dust, wood and cardboard and try to give me a safe and sanitary shot in the rear/hip. A bit comical actually!
Fortunately the shot went well. 🙂 Our real estate agent knows about our IVF, so it was fine. But still not something you do everyday!
Something I would like to do everyday, however, is eat this cake. Oh my goodness, the flavors! I can’t even handle how good it all is together. You take a bite and your eyes basically roll back into your head because you just can’t deal any other way.
The chocolate cake is richly chocolatey and enhanced by coffee in the batter and 1/2 a cup of Kahlua. Plus, it’s pretty easy to put together. You don’t even need to bust out your mixer if you don’t want to. Just one bowl and a whisk will do the job!
The frosting is a variation of my buttercream with some Kahlua and espresso. Again, the flavor is perfection! And it’s also nice and straight forward to make. You’ve got your butter and shortening (you can always use butter to replace the shortening if you prefer – read why I use it in this post – Vanilla Buttercream Frosting) and powdered sugar first. They form the base of the frosting and to that you add the Kahlua and espresso. You’ll want to heat up the Kahlua a bit and then dissolve the espresso in it and use that to flavor the frosting and thin it out to the right frosting consistency.
Once you’ve got your cakes and frosting, whip the cake together and dig in as fast as you can! This cake is full of moisture, so soft and flavorful – it’s truly delicious! If you have any love for coffee, Kahlua and chocolate, it’s a must try!
Watch How To Make It
SHOP THE RECIPE
You might also like
Kahlua Chocolate Poke Cake
Kahlua Coffee Brownie Cheesecake
Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel
Caramel Mocha Chocolate Cake
Kahlua Ice Cream Pie
Mocha Brownie Ice Cream Cake
Kahlua Coffee Chocolate Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Total Time: 57 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 Slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Kahlua Coffee Chocolate Layer Cake is made with a moist chocolate Kahlua cake covered in Kahlua coffee frosting! It’s seriously so good – you won’t want to share!
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE KAHLUA CAKE
- 2 cups (260g) all purpose flour
- 2 cups (414g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (120ml) Kahlua
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (180ml) hot coffee
KAHLUA COFFEE FROSTING
- 7 tbsp (75ml) Kahlua
- 3 tbsp instant espresso powder
- 1 1/2 cups (336g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (236g) shortening
- 10 1/4 cups (1208g) powdered sugar
- Chocolate jimmie sprinkles
Instructions
1. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C).
2. Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and combine.
3. Add the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, Kahlua and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Add the coffee to the cake batter and mix well. Batter will be very thin.
5. Divide the batter evenly between cake pans and bake for 32-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
6. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
7. To make the frosting, heat the Kahlua until it just begins to boil, then add the espresso. Stir until dissolved.
8. In a large mixer bowl, combine the butter and shortening until smooth.
9. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
10. Add about half of the Kahlua mixture and mix until smooth.
11. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
12. Add additional Kahlua mixture until the frosting is the right consistency. If needed, refer to my tutorial on how to get the right frosting consistency.
13. To build the cake, cut the domes off the top of each cake so they are flat.
14. Put the first cake layer on a serving plate and top with 1 cup of frosting. Spread into an even layer.
15. Add the second layer of cake, another cup of frosting and then top the cake with the final layer of cake.
16. Frost the outside of the cake. Use my tutorial for frosting a smooth cake, if desired. Use an icing smoother/decorating comb tool like this one to add a pattern on the sides of the cake.
17. Press some sprinkles into the bottom of the sides of the cake.
18. Pipe some swirls around the top edge of the cake (I use Ateco icing tip #844) and add a few additional sprinkles, then serve.
19. Store the cake in an air tight container. Cake is best for 2-3 days.
Notes
If you’d like a non-alcoholic version of this cake, I’d suggest referring to this chocolate cake. It’s the one that was altered to make this cake and there are several changes that had to be made for the Kahlua cake. You can use regular cocoa and coffee instead of water, like is used in this cake. For the frosting, replace the Kahlua with water and add an additional tablespoon or two of espresso powder, depending on how strong of a coffee flavor you want.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 1089
- Sugar: 121 g
- Sodium: 528.9 mg
- Fat: 56.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 141.1 g
- Protein: 5.8 g
- Cholesterol: 94.1 mg
Enjoy!
Hi Lindsay, I’m so glad I stumbled upon your site. I made this cake for (Canadian) Thanksgiving a few weeks ago and it turned out AMAZING. So delicious, not too sweet, it was perfect! Your very thoughtful and detailed instructions are to thank.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I’m planning on making this for my aunt’s birthday and going to follow your smooth frosting tutorial. Do you think this frosting recipe will be enough or should I double it? I’m nervous, I’ve been baking for years but I’ve never tried to make such a professional looking cake.
Yes, that tutorial is how I decorated this cake. 🙂 Should be plenty of frosting.
I found a link to this recipe on Pinterest and when I made this cake it was stunning! I took it to work to share with my colleagues …… and got a marriage proposal!! Well it went like, “if you bake like this I want to marry you – when I get rid of my current wife” 🙂 Anyway I followed the instructions which you made so easy to follow and the cake turned out beautifully moist and super tasty. I’m intending to try cupcakes for a bake sale using the recipe. Thanks so much for sharing with this keen baker from New Zealand.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Could I make this in 6″ pans? Would I have to use less ingredients?
Two cups of flour and TWO cups of sugar? Am I reading that right? Thanks.
How much coffee powder to the 180ml of coffee added to cake batter?
I am baking the cake as i write this. I baked for 35 minutes and it was still fluid in the center I left it another 2 minutes and still fluid. I’m leaving another 10 but checking every 2. I followed the recipe and am wondering why it turned out this way. The frosting though looks (and tastes) great.
Finally took it out but it was still a bit fluid in the center. And all 3 fell the first time I opened the oven door to check for doneness.
I’m really not sure why there was the trouble. As for falling, it sounds like the oven was opened a little too early and cakes will definitely fall when that happens because of the heat leaving the oven.
Hi, do you think this could be made without the cocoa powder? I have a family member who would like a coffee cake without any chocolate.
I don’t actually. It would change the way the cake bakes.
Hi Lindsay,
I am so happy to have found you website. I made this delicious moist yummy cake for my hubby’s birthday. He loved it and he does not drink coffee.
Thank you can’t wait to try more recipes.
Wonderful to hear that Candy! Glad you both enjoyed it!
It looks amazing, I would try it for sure, thank you for sharing, but if i don’t want to use the hole cup of oil, can I substitute with something else? Or just use 1/2 cup? I don’t know if change the consistency and moisture of the cake, any suggestions? Please
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe, I’m just finished my course of Bread & Pastry, and passed the Assessment Competency Examination, I keep on searching and want to learn more about different kinds of cakes, bread and pastry, please help me by following your amazing recipes, GOD bless, 🙂
Why 300′. I’ve never baked a cake in such a low oven!
It’s a slow bake cake. It’s the moistest cake ever. 🙂
Hi Lindsay. Could you make cupcakes with this recipe? Same ingredients, oven temp, etc.?
Yes, cupcakes should be fine. Baking time will be different though. I think more like 20-25 minutes.
I tried that cake and i followed all the instructions but unfortunately i did use the right heat temperature and the outcome was a pity. hahhha anywhere was hurt but i won’t give up. Baking is going to be my hobby from today onwards.
Is this a 3/4 cup of instant coffee granules?
The cake has 3/4 cup of brewed coffee in it.
Can’t wait to try the cake. However, I’m confused. You indicate “salted” butter for the frosting. Is this correct? Thank you.
Yes, it’s correct. You could use unsalted butter, but I’d suggest adding a little bit of salt.
Could you used Kahlua flavored coffee creamer in place of the Kahlua?
The Kahlua flavor probably wouldn’t be as strong, but I would think it’d be fine.
Just made this cake and it is delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it!