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!
This cake is absolutely delicious! It is so moist. I have made it with 3 layers and as a Bundt cake. As a Bundt cake, I used a Kuala glaze rather than the frosting shared here.
Do you think this recipe would work as a bundt cake?
I’m not sure, I’m sorry!
I actually found that I only had to use like 5 ish cups of powdered sugar in the frosting
I have now made this cake twice. It was such a hit the first time, and after posting a picture of my cake, I had friends request it for a get together tomorrow night. It is amazing!!! I made no changes, and decorated it the same way showed in this recipe. Highly recommend this to anyone who loves to make unique cakes.
So glad it’s been a hit!
This cake is super moist and delicious. The frosting is to die for!!
Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it!
What is the minim7n amount of sugar I need to use? ( health reasons) and is coconut sugar or brown sugar ok or white sugar? coffee added cold or hot? I I’ll like to try it.
I’m not sure. I’ve never tested with lower amounts of sugar. It’s white granulated sugar. You could replace the water with hot coffee.
are you sure on the oven temperature??? 300 degrees? it does not bake in 35 minutes at 300 degrees….
Yes, I’m sure.
I ran into same issue baking at 300. Going on 45 minutes now…. Cake has pulled away from sides of pan but middle not done.
Hmm, that seems odd. I’m not sure. Did you bake it in 3 layers? I’m often asked if people can make it all in one pan, which is why I ask.
Hello,
Can I make this recipe in 2 6 inch layer?
I haven’t ever tried it, but I’d think two layers would be too few.
Worst cake ever! Made the recipe exactly to your ingredients and it never worked it was a total flop. Just wasted all those good ingredients
Oh wow this cake is fabulous! It is so moist and lovely flavor. I was making a 6 inch so I put it in to two pans that were 4 inches high and just cooked it for longer and I got two lovely high cakes. I was really worried with it being so liquid that it just wasn’t going to rise well. But what a stunner! Thank you so much its a great recipie
I made this cake for a friend’s birthday last week, and it is hands down the best chocolate cake recipe ever! I baked in 2 9” pans instead of 3 8” pans because that’s what I have. I used buttermilk instead of regular milk in the cake batter. And I omitted the espresso powder in the frosting simply because I didn’t have any. Everyone loved it! I did a simple ganache with Kahlua to drizzle over the top. Can’t wait to make it again.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I do not like shortening. Can I just increase the butter?
Yes, you can.
I made this cake yesterday for a friend’s birthday, and it was excellent. Even non-cake eaters raved over it. I followed the recipe as written except used buttermilk instead of regular milk.
I baked in 2 9” pans instead of 3 8” pans because it’s what I have. I baked at 325 for 25 min, then reduced to 300 degrees until done, which was maybe 7 minutes longer. U made less frosting but used the same proportions. Actually didn’t have the instant espresso powder, so just left if out.
I’m not a great cake decorator, and wanted to make it like more special, so I made a quick ganache with a little khaluha in it, and drizzled that over the top after frosting. Omg it looked like a professional bakery cake. So many compliments. Definitely a keeper recipe!
Hi, I’d like to try to make this cake but only have 9” cake pans. Is there anyway to increase the ingredients to not have smaller layers?
You could try to increase it by a small amount, I’m just not entirely sure what they’d be.
Delicious! Does this recipe allow the use of a bundt cake pan?
I’m not sure. I haven’t ever tried it.
Wow! I love your recipe. I shared it with my daughter and guess what? She made it and the whole family loved it. Thank a lot and keep up the good work. Nice recipe.