Espresso Chocolate Chip Cake

As with many of my cake recipes, I adapted this one from my classic white cake batter. The white cake is a beloved recipe—both a personal and reader favorite—known for its flawless crumb, fluffy texture, and fork-clinging moisture. It’s my go-to standard for soft cakes and has served as the base for a variety of flavors, including pineapple coconut, pistachio, cookies & cream, burnt sugar caramel, coconut, strawberry, and today’s espresso version.

  • Texture: Thanks to a careful ratio of cake flour, leaveners, egg whites (no yolks), and sour cream, liquid, we have a balance of soft, springy, and moist in each bite. You’ll only achieve this texture perfection if you follow the recipe closely, which is my #1 piece of advice for baking cakes. Note that I slightly increased the flour and reduced the egg whites from the original batter because introducing a thinner liquid (coffee) threw things off.
  • Flavor: Do you like chocolate and coffee together? For many coffee drinkers, it’s a match made in heaven! In fact, I was going to call this a mocha cake, but coffee is truly the main flavor and the chocolate chips are little extras.
  • Ease: If you’ve baked layer cakes before, this shouldn’t be difficult. But if you’re new to layer cakes, don’t be nervous because stacking and frosting the cooled cakes isn’t anything fancy. I like to keep decoration simple.
  • Time: Set aside at least 4 hours to complete this recipe which includes making the cake, cooling completely, and frosting/assembling. Don’t forget to bring your cold ingredients and hot coffee to room temperature before starting.

Espresso Powder & Strong Coffee

Most layer cake recipes require liquid and today’s uses 1/3 cup (80ml) strong black brewed coffee and 2/3 cup (160ml) milk. Brewed coffee alone did not provide enough flavor in this cake, so we’ll also use 5 teaspoons of espresso powder. (Yes 5! This is a lot of cake batter.) You could dissolve espresso powder IN the coffee, but I found its flavor came through better when creamed with the butter.

  • Do I have to use both coffee and espresso powder? Yes, for the best results, I strongly recommend using both. The cake did not have nearly enough flavor otherwise.
  • Can I just use brewed espresso instead of coffee and espresso powder? I don’t recommend it. To ensure there’s enough coffee flavor in the cake, you would need more than 1/3 cup (80ml) espresso and replacing more milk with fat free liquid creates a wet, spongey cake.
  • Where to find espresso powder? Most major grocery stores carry it in the coffee aisle.
  • Can I use instant coffee instead of espresso powder? You can, but you’ll need more instant coffee because it’s not nearly as concentrated. Instant coffee is dehydrated ground coffee, while espresso powder is brewed dark roast coffee that’s dried and ground very finely. Espresso powder is often used in baking and if you pick up a jar, you can use it in any of these recipes that call for espresso powder.

Success Tips: Espresso Chocolate Chip Cake

  • Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure all refrigerated items are at room temperature to help the cake batter mix smoothly and evenly. Cold ingredients won’t combine properly, resulting in an uneven texture. Don’t forget to let your brewed coffee come to room temperature as well. If it’s even slightly warm, as mine was in the pictured batter, you may notice minor butter separation. While the cake still turns out fine, room temperature ingredients yield the best results.

  • Follow the Recipe Closely: It may sound obvious, but sticking to the recipe as written is essential. Alterations like reducing sugar, swapping cake flour for all-purpose, or using whole eggs instead of just whites can drastically change the cake’s texture and flavor. Avoid sabotaging your effort and ingredients by making unintentional substitutions unless you’re intentionally experimenting with a different result.

  • Use Mini Chocolate Chips: For evenly distributed bursts of chocolate in every bite, opt for mini chocolate chips. They’re ideal for recipes like chocolate chip loaf cakes, scones, and layered desserts like raspberry chocolate chip cake. Smaller chips mean more chocolate pockets per slice!

  • Prep Your Cake Pans Properly: For reliable, high-quality baking results, I recommend using 8-inch Fat Daddio’s round cake pans (just a personal favorite, not sponsored!). To ensure your cakes release effortlessly, use parchment paper rounds. Trace the pan’s bottom onto parchment paper, cut out the circles, and lightly grease the pans with butter or nonstick spray. Place the parchment round inside, then grease the parchment surface as well. This creates a foolproof, non-stick environment for your cake. 



    • Filling & Frosting Espresso Chip Cake

    The coffee buttercream yields just enough for filling the cake, lightly frosting the exterior, and simple piping around the top. Chocolate covered coffee beans are fun garnish, but feel free to skip them. You could even dress up the cake with chocolate curls, chocolate chips, or chocolate sprinkles instead.

    Ingredients

    • 2 and 2/3 cups (315g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
    • 5 teaspoons espresso powder
    • 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
    • 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, at room temperature
    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 2/3 cup (160ml) whole milk, at room temperature
    • 1/3 cup (80ml) brewed strong black coffee, at room temperature
    • 1 and 1/4 cups (225g) mini chocolate chips (see note)

    • Coffee Buttercream
    • 1 and 1/4 cups (282g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
    • 2 and 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder, plus more to taste
    • 5 cups (560g) sifted confectioners’ sugar (sift before measuring)
    • 1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream or whole milk
    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 1/8 teaspoon salt
    • optional: chocolate covered espresso beans for garnish


    Instructions
    Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch cake pans, line them with parchment paper rounds, and grease the parchment paper. The parchment ensures the cakes release easily from the pans. (Check out a tutorial on parchment paper rounds if needed.)

    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
    • Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter, espresso powder, and sugar on medium-high speed until creamy (about 2 minutes). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
    • Beat in the egg whites until combined, then add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth; the mixture may look slightly curdled due to the textures.
    • Gradually add the dry ingredients with the mixer on low speed. Slowly pour in the milk and coffee while mixing. Beat until combined, then fold in the chocolate chips. Whisk by hand to ensure no butter lumps remain at the bottom. The batter should be slightly thick—avoid overmixing.
    Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, remove the cakes from the pans, and let them cool completely on the wire rack before frosting.
    • In a large bowl, use a mixer with a whisk or paddle attachment to beat the butter and espresso powder on medium speed until creamy (about 2 minutes).
    • Add the confectioners’ sugar, cream or milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. Taste and add more espresso powder if desired (an additional 1/4 teaspoon is recommended for stronger flavor). The frosting will yield about 4 cups.
    • If the cake layers are domed, carefully trim the tops with a serrated knife to create a flat surface (you can save the scraps for snacking or as a topping for ice cream!).
    • Place the first layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread about 3/4 cup frosting evenly on top using an icing spatula. Repeat with the second layer and frosting.
    • Place the third layer on top and frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting. Use a bench scraper for smooth edges and a piping tip (e.g., Ateco 849) to add decorative borders, if desired.
    Refrigerate the assembled cake for 10-20 minutes before slicing to help it hold its shape.
    Store leftover cake tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    1. Preheat the Oven:

    2. Prepare the Cake Batter:

    3. Bake the Cakes:

    4. Make the Frosting:

    5. Assemble and Decorate:

    6. Chill and Serve:

    7. Storage: