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    You are here: Home / Desserts / Cake / Hot Chocolate Cake

    Hot Chocolate Cake

    February 1, 2016 Updated May 15, 2020 BySam 81 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    My hot chocolate cake is an intensely rich chocolate cake made with one and a half cups of real hot chocolate, iced with cocoa frosting, and layered with marshmallow buttercream.  Make it as a three layer 6″ cake, or a two layer 8″ or 9″ cake.

    slice of hot chocolate cake on white plate

    I was going to write about how my great-grandmother passed away last week, but I wasn’t sure how to do that on my blog.  Here, I try to revolve my stories around food, and the death of a loved one doesn’t have much to do with chocolate cake.

    I wanted to write about how we celebrated her life, her humor, and her faith last night while at the same time we mourned her loss.  Family and friends packed into the too-warm funeral parlor, dressed in itchy black and gray clothes, and my sisters and I made sure to wear leggings under our skirts because, were she alive, Mom-Mom would have commented loudly about the indecency of the “short” skirts that brushed modestly at our knee caps.

    Instead, it would be more appropriate to devote this post to talking about how rich this cake is, shamelessly using the word moist because it is saturated with chocolate, melting in your mouth, decadent; but all that’s coming to mind currently is fettuccine noodles in pools of grease-speckled tomato sauce, ladled onto my plate by her shaking hands as she reminded me for the twelfth time to “Make sure you have enough to eat”.

    slice of cake on white plate with hot cocoa in the background

    I’d want to write about her last birthday, her 101st, tuned to the theme of 101 Dalmatians.  Or how She loved God, her family, and the Orioles.  How many things she saw in 101 years, from the Great Depression to iPhones.

    This space is more appropriate for talking about cakes, though.  Did I mention this cake is accented with a marshmallow buttercream?  It’s buttery and smooth and meant to mimic the baby marshmallows that I overload into my mug each time I make hot chocolate, coaxing them under the cocoa surface with a spoon until they are slippery and disintegrating.  The pictures here don’t do justice to the flavors.

    Pictures.  There were so many pictures in the funeral parlor. Not 101 years worth, but the highlights. So many smiles in black and white and in color, 5 generations surrounding her, lots of pictures of her dancing, even at my wedding just over a year ago.

    My favorite photo was not that, or any other staged one.  My favorite was one taken when she was 98; in it two of my college-aged cousins look on as she tosses a ping pong ball toward a triangle of red plastic cups.  It looks like she just crashed a beer pong tournament at a frat house. The picture was probably snapped quickly with a phone, but the photographer immortalized her spirit in the moment just after the toss, determination firm on her face, the ball aimed squarely for its target.  She was a good shot, evidently.

    chocolate frosted cake topped with marshmallows on blue plate  hot chocolate cake on blue plate

    I think I’d feel inclined to note that Death at 101 years is not a shame, and it’s certainly not a tragedy.  No long illness kept her shackled to a hospital bed; she was spritely and full of humor, happy and so grateful for life until the end.

    But it’s still sad to lose a loved one, no matter how prepared you think you were, to register the finality of death and what it means for future family gatherings. We mourn for the loss of her laughter and jokes and attempts at rapping at Christmas, for the loss of her fiery presence.  We mourn for ourselves, more than anything.

    fudgy cake on white plate

    Instead I should write about this cake.

    Besides, what could I say in a post that could do justice to the legacy left from over a century of well-lived life.

    It just wouldn’t be possible.

    This hot chocolate cake is really, really good.

    Slices of hot chocolate cake topped with toasted marshmallows, with an entire frosted cake in the background

    Hot Chocolate Cake

    A light (not dense) but decadent hot chocolate cake made with real hot chocolate
    4.79 from 14 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 45 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
    Servings: 14 slices
    Calories: 633kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    Cake

    • 2 cups sugar (400g)
    • 1 ¾ cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (233g)
    • ¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (75g)
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1 ½ tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp salt
    • ⅔ cups canola oil vegetable oil would also be OK
    • ½ cup water
    • 2 eggs preferably room temperature
    • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cups hot chocolate (this should be hot to the touch too. If you are making your own hot chocolate, make it using milk, not water)

    Chocolate Frosting

    • 3 sticks butter softened to room temperature
    • 1 cup cocoa powder sifted
    • 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
    • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
    • ⅓ cup milk

    Marshmallow Buttercream

    • 6 Tbsp butter softened to room temperature
    • 1 ½ cups marshmallow fluff about 1 7oz container
    • ⅔ cup powdered sugar
    • Marshmallows for topping if desired
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    Instructions

    • Makes either a 2-layer 8" or 9" cake, or a 3-layer 6" cake. Baking times will vary and are indicated for each size below.

    Cake

    • Preheat oven to 350F and prepare cake pans by lightly but thoroughly greasing and flouring.
    • In bowl of KitchenAid mixer (or in large bowl if using hand-mixer) whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    • With mixer on low speed, stir in canola oil and water.
    • Increase speed to medium and add eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition until well-combined.
    • Stir in vanilla extract.
    • Gradually add hot chocolate to bowl, stirring in manually. Return to KitchenAid (or to hand-mixer) and stir on low-speed until well-combined (pause occasionally to scrape sides and bottom of bowl to make sure ingredients are combined completely).
    • Evenly divide batter into prepared pans (do not fill more than ¾ full, if you have excess batter, discard).
    • If using 8" or 9" pans: bake on 350F for 25-30 minutes (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with few crumbs).
    • If using 6" pans: bake on 350F for 40-45 minutes (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with few crumbs).
    • Once finished baking, allow cakes to cool in pans for 15 minutes. Run a butterknife around the inside rim of the pan to loosen the cakes and then invert onto cooling racks to remove from pans and allow to cool completely before frosting.

    Cocoa Frosting

    • Measure out your milk and set aside.
    • While cakes are cooling, prepare frosting by beating butter on medium speed (with KitchenAid or hand mixer) until well-creamed.
    • Add cocoa powder and 1 cup of powdered sugar, beat on low speed until it begins to combine.
    • Add approximately half of the milk and the vanilla and beat on low speed until ingredients are creamed together.
    • Add the remaining powdered sugar, stir, and then add remaining milk, stirring until ingredients are creamed together.
    • Be sure to scrape sides and bottom of bowl to ensure ingredients are well-combined.
    • Set aside chocolate frosting and prepare marshmallow buttercream.

    Marshmallow Buttercream

    • Cream together butter and marshmallow fluff.
    • Gradually add powdered sugar until combined.

    Assembly

    • Once cakes are completely cooled, prepare by icing each layer with chocolate, applying the chocolate most heavily 1" around the edges and creating an indent or "nest" in the center for the marshmallow fluff.
    • Spread or pipe marshmallow fluff into the indent created with the chocolate frosting, and then top with the next layer and repeat.
    • Ice the entire outside of cake with the chocolate frosting and pipe or spread marshmallow buttercream on the center of the top.
    • Just before serving, top with marshmallows for decoration (if desired) and serve.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1piece | Calories: 633kcal | Carbohydrates: 118g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 363mg | Potassium: 301mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 83g | Vitamin A: 194IU | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

    great-grandmother playing beer pong with shirtless college student in background

    bride and groom at alter with grandmother and great-grandmother

    =

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sandy

      April 03, 2022 at 10:02 pm

      Can you use a Bundt cake pan? Thanks

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 04, 2022 at 10:46 am

        Hi Sandy! You can put it in a bundt pan, but I’m not sure on a bake time.

        Reply
    2. Monika

      March 08, 2022 at 9:44 am

      How much sugar can I take out but still ensure a good texture and moisture level? I hate things that are too sweet!
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 08, 2022 at 3:04 pm

        Hi Monika! I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure how much you could cut the sugar.

        Reply
    3. Meribeth

      February 27, 2022 at 1:54 pm

      5 stars
      What a beautiful tribute to your MomMom. Your writing is eloquent and as beautiful and rich as your cake. I’ve returned to read it multiple times. It is all we can ask that we are remembered with this much love. Baking = love.

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 01, 2022 at 10:30 am

        Thank you so much, Meribeth! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Rachel

      January 31, 2022 at 7:36 pm

      This Cake is AMAZING!!! My family including me thought it was scrumptious! This cake is so moist and I can taste the hot chocolate inside!!! Thank you so much for sharing it! I can’t wait to try the next one of your recipes!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        February 01, 2022 at 10:01 am

        We’re so happy you all loved it, Rachel! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment 😊

        Reply
    5. Lindsay

      December 01, 2021 at 12:48 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for Thanksgiving and it’s seriously one of the best cakes I’ve ever had! Even my mom who doesn’t really like chocolate couldn’t stop saying how amazing it was.

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 02, 2021 at 4:04 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Lindsay! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Abby

      March 14, 2021 at 7:14 pm

      This cake is so good! the frosting is amazing! thank you sam!!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 14, 2021 at 9:22 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Abby! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Katie

      January 24, 2021 at 5:49 pm

      5 stars
      This cake is sooooo good. I am not a marshmallow fan, but I ate this marshmallow buttercream with a spoon. Yum! You can taste the hot chocolate in the cake and my kids loved decorating the top with marshmallows. It was absolutely delicious – like every other cake recipe I have tried from Sugar Spun Run.

      Reply
      • Sam

        January 24, 2021 at 9:36 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Katie! 🙂

        Reply
    8. jamila

      January 12, 2021 at 2:17 am

      This looks delicious definetely gonna try it. Do you have a recipe for a redvelvet cake please

      Reply
      • Sam

        January 13, 2021 at 10:23 pm

        I do have a red velvet cake. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Jackie Harvill

      December 31, 2020 at 10:12 am

      Your grandmother was a great person. How do I know by you and your love for her. Sorry for the loss Happy for the memories.

      Reply
    10. Annika

      December 24, 2020 at 9:28 am

      Hi sam! Making this cake for christmas this year, wondering what you mean by “make an indent with the chocolate frosting”?

      You mean make a hole in the cake and put marshmellow fluff in that “nest/hole”?

      Then butter cream on top of that, then layer the next cake?

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 24, 2020 at 11:17 am

        Hi Annika! You don’t want to put a hole in the cake. You are making a smaller indent in the frosting to allow room for the marshmallow. You want to make sort of a dam around the edges, place the marshmallow in the center then place the next cake layer on top. 🙂

        Reply
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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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