Nanci's Birthday Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Hot coffee in chocolate cake batter is one of those tricks that sounds odd but every serious baker swears by. The coffee doesn’t make the cake taste like mocha. It amplifies the cocoa, making the chocolate flavor richer and more intense than cocoa powder alone can achieve.

The batter for this sheet cake is unusually thin and liquid once the hot coffee goes in. That’s normal and exactly why the recipe warns you to add it on low speed. It bakes into a deeply dark, moist crumb that stays soft for days thanks to the oil (instead of butter) in the batter.

The cream cheese frosting is the contrast this cake needs. Tangy cream cheese and butter beaten with powdered sugar and vanilla create a thick, slightly tart frosting that cuts through all that chocolate richness. Spread it on only after the cake has cooled completely or the frosting will melt and slide right off.

Chef Tips

• Use freshly brewed, strong hot coffee. Instant coffee dissolved in hot water also works fine.
• The batter will be very runny. Don’t panic. This is what gives the cake its incredibly moist texture.
• Let the cake cool in the pan completely before frosting. At least an hour, or until the bottom of the pan feels room temperature.
• Keep the frosted cake refrigerated. Cream cheese frosting softens quickly at room temperature.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of espresso powder to the frosting for a mocha cream cheese topping.
• Fold mini chocolate chips into the frosting for texture.
• Swap the cream cheese frosting for a chocolate ganache if you want a more intensely chocolate finish.