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This hot chocolate cake recipe combines moist chocolate cake layers with creamy vanilla and milk chocolate frosting. Made with hot cocoa mix, it’s naturally egg-free!
Want more chocolate cake recipes? Try my zucchini chocolate cake, chocolate caramel cake, and chocolate peanut butter cake next.
When I need a chocolate cake recipe that’s just a bit out of the ordinary, I make this hot cocoa cake. From the outside, it looks like any layered cake, but after one bite, you’ll see it’s in a league of its own.
With a warming chocolate flavor and sheets of thick buttercream frosting, this cake looks impressive. Only you will know how easy it is to make.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Easy to make diet-friendly. With a few basic swaps, you can have a gluten-free AND vegan hot cocoa cake.
- It has two kinds of frosting. The vanilla buttercream gives it that marshmallow flavor, and the chocolate frosting has hot cocoa mix whipped in.
- An impressive layered cake. It’s exciting enough to make for birthday parties yet easy enough to make whenever you’re craving chocolate cake!
- Full of warming hot chocolate flavor. If you tried my hot chocolate mug cake, you know I don’t mess around with hot cocoa treats.
Ingredients needed
- All-purpose flour. I suggest sifting the flour to remove clumps and making a light, fluffy cake. To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free AP flour with xanthan gum added.
- Cocoa powder. Use unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder, and look for one that’s high quality, as it can make or break the recipe.
- Sugar. I used white sugar, but you can use half-and-half white and brown sugar.
- Baking soda. Gives some rise and fluffiness to the texture of the cake. Also reacts with the vinegar to mimic what an egg would do.
- Salt. Just a pinch.
- Oil. Use a neutral flavored oil, like canola or vegetable oil.
- Vinegar. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar. You can also use lemon juice if you don’t have any vinegar on hand.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any good cake recipe!
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk works.
For the vanilla and chocolate frostings:
- Unsalted butter. Use room temperature butter from a block, not a spread. Spreads usually have water added, which can affect the cake’s texture.
- Powdered sugar. Also known as confectioners’ sugar. Sift it well before using it to ensure there are no clumps throughout.
- Cocoa powder OR hot cocoa mix. For the chocolate frosting.
- Milk chocolate. For the chocolate frosting.
- Vanilla extract. For the vanilla frosting.
- Milk. To thin out the frosting. I used unsweetened almond milk.
How to make hot chocolate cake
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and grease two 8-inch cake pans.
Step 2- Make the cake batter. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
Step 3- Bake. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake the cakes for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Step 4- Make the vanilla frosting. Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the butter until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add milk and whisk until a thick frosting remains.
Step 5- Make the chocolate frosting. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and milk. Once combined, add the melted chocolate and continue beating until smooth.
Step 6- Assemble. Slice the cakes in half. Start with the bottom layer of the cake, followed by ⅕ of the chocolate frosting, then ⅕ of the vanilla frosting. Add another cake layer and repeat until you have a four-layered cake. Spread on the remaining frosting.
Step 7- Chill and serve. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, then slice and serve.
Arman’s recipe tips
- For a bolder dark chocolate flavor, use black or dark cocoa powder.
- Save time. When I’m short on time, I use store-bought frosting, and it still turns out delicious. You can also make the frosting (and the cake) the night before.
- Let the cakes chill in the fridge before slicing them in half. I find the colder they are, the easier they are to slice.
- Cover the cake in a crumb coat. This involves spreading a very thin layer of frosting on the outside of the cake, which helps the crumbs stick to the cake so the top layer of frosting goes on smoothly.
Variations
- Make it vegan. Use vegan butter, non-dairy milk, and vegan chocolate chips.
- Swap the vanilla frosting for marshmallow fluff because…why not?
- Top the cakes with mini marshmallows and whipped cream for a finishing touch.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
To freeze: Wrap cake slices in plastic wrap, store them in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to six months.
More easy cake recipes
Hot Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour gluten free, if needed
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon vinegar white or apple cider
- 3/4 cup oil canola, vegetable, or any neutral flavored oil
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice
For the vanilla frosting
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoon butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk
For the milk chocolate frosting
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 1/3 cups milk chocolate
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients and mix well. Add your wet ingredients, and mix until combined.
- Distribute the cake batter amongst the two cake pans. Bake the cakes for 25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out mostly clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- Once the cakes have cooled, prepare the two frostings.
- Beat together the butter until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, until combined. Add the milk until a thick frosting remains.
- For the chocolate frosting, beat the butter until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, sugar, and milk, until combined. Add the melted chocolate and continue beating, until smooth.
- Carefully slice the two cakes in half, to be left with four thin chocolate cakes. Start layering it up by placing the bottom layer of the cake, followed by the 1/5 of the chocolate frosting, before adding 1/5 of the vanilla frosting. Add the next layer of cake and repeat. Continue until you have a four layer cake. Spread the remaining frosting all over the cake.
- Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, to firm up.
Can I make this with regular butter and chocolate? I use almond milk but I’m not vegan, and this cake sounds amaaazzing!
Of course 🙂
I was a bit nervous since am brand new to GF baking, but this cake was awesome! I used vanilla and raspberry buttercream. Amazing. Thank you!
You are so welcome!