I know what you’re thinking. Mayonnaise?! In cake? But I promise, it really is fantastic. A couple months back, I asked my Nan to pass me this recipe. It wasn’t hers, it was my grandfather’s. I hadn’t eaten it since before he died, three years ago.
When I first made it after receiving the recipe, I had an epiphany. This is the reason that all other chocolate cakes I’ve tasted fall flat with me. This cake recipe defines chocolate cake for me. Maybe because it was the chocolate cake of my childhood, or maybe because the mayonnaise and coffee marry to bring out the flavor of the chocolate in fantastic and unexpected ways.
All I know is when I’m craving chocolate cake, this is the recipe I will make, forevermore.
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour (for cupcakes, add 2 extra tablespoons of flour)
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa powder – use a good quality like Scharffen Berger (for cupcakes, add 1 more scant tablespoon of cocoa powder)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup mayonnaise – no substitutes
1 cup cold coffee – I used Green Mountain Coffee’s Nantucket Blend
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Sift together dry ingredients – set aside.
In mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, cold coffee and vanilla – add sifted dry ingredients, incrementally. Beat until smooth – scraping sides of bowl often. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan or 12 count muffin pan with paper cups. Bake in preheated oven 350 degrees. 25 to 35 minutes. Do not over bake.
Ganache Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
2 1/4 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 1/4 tablespoons cold coffee
1 pound semi-chocolate chips
chopped pecans for garnish
Directions
In heavy saucepan over medium heat put heavy cream, butter and coffee just to boiling point – Do not boil.
Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and stir with whisk until smooth. Spoon or pour sauce over individual portions of cake and serve. Garnish with chopped pecans and heavy whip cream
Alternatively, make your favorite chocolate icing. Now, add 1 shot of dark rum to it, and mix well. That’s how we did it back in Texas.
P.S. A million thanks, credit, and love go to my dear East Coast Momma, Pam Anderson, for helping me alter the recipe to make a better cupcake.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
OK, Amber. I am making this cake soon. Seriously. It looks so very good. Wow! Thanks for sharing. I love family recipes!
I made this for a special lady’s birthday at Cardell yesterday, and it was delicious. Raves all around. I was a little worried because it didn’t raise up like a box cake mix, but I was assured by an expert that this is the nature of the cake. Thanks for posting.
Steve, it means so much that you made this for my mom on her birthday. I’m so glad she has friends around her like you that will make sure she’s treated like the special lady she is on her birthday. I’m glad everyone enjoyed it!
This recipe only makes 12 cupcakes, so I should double it for 24? Also, does it only make a 9×13 size cake? How much would I use for a double 8″ or 9″? Thank you for your help, I’m super excited to make this!
Hi Courtney,
You’ll have to forgive some of the lacking info on this recipe. I wrote it out years ago exactly the way that my grandfather had it written down on a note card. You know how these things go.
I used the recipe above to make the same cake you see in the photo, which had two 8″ rounds. I also seem to remember it making 24 cupcakes, or at least 18.. though I know the directions tell you to grease a 12 count muffin pan (I think to use it twice?).
I’m sorry that my memory isn’t working so great this morning – pregnancy brain! I currently don’t have an excuse or place for the cake to go if I were to make the whole recipe, or I would be in the kitchen right now doing that. But I know for sure I didn’t make any changes to the recipe, and the cake in the photos is what resulted. I only have 8″ round cake pans.
I hope that helps!
Amber
Thank you so much! I thought 4 cups of flour was a lil excessive!!! And congrats on the lil boy, blessings to you!
Thank you, Courtney! I hope you love the cake. It truly is my all time favorite.
Thank you so much! I thought 4 cups of flour was a lil excessive!!! And congrats on the lil boy, blessings to you!
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