Ina Garten’s famous Beatty’s Chocolate Cake is a moist, two-layer 8-inch chocolate cake covered with smooth chocolate buttercream frosting. The recipe takes about 30 minutes to prepare, bakes for 30–35 minutes, and produces approximately 8 servings with an exceptionally tender crumb.
The secret is a cup of freshly brewed hot coffee, which intensifies the cocoa flavor without making the cake taste strongly of coffee. Buttermilk keeps the layers soft, while semisweet chocolate, butter, and a touch of instant coffee create a rich, silky frosting worthy of a special occasion.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
Beatty’s Chocolate Cake has the kind of deep chocolate flavor that makes every bite feel luxurious, yet the method is straightforward enough for a relaxed weekend bake. The finished cake is soft, moist, and tender rather than heavy, with two generous layers that hold together beautifully when sliced.
Hot coffee is the signature ingredient. It does not turn the cake into a coffee dessert; instead, it brings out the darker notes in the cocoa and helps create a smooth, fluid batter.
The frosting is equally memorable. Semisweet chocolate provides a rich base, butter gives it a creamy texture, and dissolved instant coffee adds a subtle background note that makes the chocolate taste fuller.
If you enjoy baking cakes with bold chocolate flavor, you may also like this dark chocolate Bundt cake, which offers another excellent dessert for gatherings.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Begin with two 8-inch-by-2-inch round cake pans, butter, parchment paper, and a little extra flour for preparing the pans. Proper pan preparation matters because this batter is thin and exceptionally moist.
- All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt form the dry mixture.
- Buttermilk, vegetable oil, room-temperature extra-large eggs, and vanilla create the wet mixture.
- Freshly brewed hot coffee intensifies the cocoa and completes the cake batter.
- Good-quality semisweet chocolate, unsalted butter, an egg yolk, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, instant coffee, and hot water make the frosting.
For the best texture, let the eggs come to room temperature before mixing. The butter and egg yolk for the frosting should also be at room temperature so they blend into a smooth, cohesive cream.
Choose a cocoa powder with a flavor you enjoy on its own, since it is a major part of the cake’s character. Use good-quality semisweet chocolate for the frosting because its flavor remains noticeable after it is combined with the butter and sugar.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Heat the oven to 350°F and prepare the pans carefully. Grease two 8-inch-by-2-inch round pans, line the bottoms with parchment, then grease and flour the parchment and sides so the baked layers release cleanly.
Step 2: Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk or stir the ingredients together so the leaveners and salt are distributed evenly throughout the flour and cocoa.
Step 3: In another bowl, whisk the shaken buttermilk with the vegetable oil, room-temperature eggs, and vanilla. Mixing the wet ingredients separately helps the eggs disperse evenly before they meet the dry ingredients.
Step 4: With the mixer on low, gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Stop mixing as soon as the ingredients are combined; extended mixing can make the crumb less tender.
Step 5: Slowly pour in the freshly brewed hot coffee while mixing. The batter will become smooth and quite thin, and that loose consistency is expected rather than a sign that more flour is needed.
Step 6: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, checking with a cake tester or toothpick near the end of the baking time; it should come out clean from the center.
Step 7: Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 30 minutes. Turn them out onto a rack and allow them to cool completely, since even slightly warm layers can soften the frosting and cause the cake to slide.
Step 8: Place the chopped semisweet chocolate over simmering water and melt it gently, stirring until smooth. Remove it from the heat and let it cool to room temperature before adding it to the butter mixture.
Step 9: Beat the room-temperature unsalted butter on medium-high speed until light. Add the egg yolk and vanilla, then gradually incorporate the sifted confectioners’ sugar for a smooth base.
Step 10: Dissolve the instant coffee granules in about 2 teaspoons of hot water. Add that mixture and the cooled melted chocolate to the butter mixture, then beat until the frosting is smooth and well combined.
Step 11: Set one completely cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spread frosting over its top, place the second layer on top, and frost the top and sides with an even layer of chocolate buttercream.
Pro Tips for a Perfect Chocolate Cake
Do not skip the hot coffee. Add it gradually because the batter becomes very thin, and pouring carefully prevents splashing while you mix.
Room-temperature ingredients are especially important for the frosting. Soft butter combines more readily with the egg yolk and sugar, while cool melted chocolate can make the mixture firm or uneven.
- Shake the buttermilk before measuring so its texture is consistent.
- Sift the confectioners’ sugar to reduce lumps in the frosting.
- Use parchment on the pan bottoms for easier release.
- Cool the layers completely before assembling the cake.
- Apply a thin layer of frosting first, then finish with the remaining frosting for a cleaner surface.
The original frosting includes a raw egg yolk. If that is a concern, use a pasteurized egg yolk or select a chocolate frosting that does not contain raw egg.
For another chocolate-focused treat that requires no oven, try this four-layer chocolate dessert. It is especially useful when you want a make-ahead option for a party.
Serving, Storage, and Make-Ahead Advice
Serve slices at a comfortable room temperature so the buttercream is creamy and the cake’s chocolate flavor is fully apparent. A sharp knife makes clean cuts through the two layers; wipe the blade between slices for a polished presentation.
The completed cake can be kept covered so the layers stay moist and the frosting remains protected. If refrigerated, allow it time to soften before serving, since chilled buttercream becomes firmer.
You can bake the layers ahead and cool them completely before wrapping or covering them. Frost them once they are ready to assemble, and avoid frosting warm cake because the buttercream may melt, slide, or lose its smooth finish.
For a lighter fruit-forward dessert to serve alongside this rich cake, see our recipe for blueberry cake with whipped lemon frosting. Its bright flavor makes a pleasant contrast on a dessert table.
Variations and Pairing Ideas
Although the original cake is wonderfully complete, its simple profile pairs well with fresh berries, lightly sweetened whipped cream, or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Keep additions modest so they do not hide the cocoa and chocolate buttercream.
For a casual celebration, decorate the frosted cake with a few chocolate curls or a light dusting of cocoa powder. A simple finish suits the recipe’s classic character and makes the glossy frosting the focus.
If you are planning a baking spread, chocolate lovers may also enjoy this triple chocolate banana bread. For a fun no-bake project with children, these vanilla cake pops are another festive choice.
Ina Garten's Beatty's Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch-by-2-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, then grease and flour the parchment and sides.
- Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the shaken buttermilk, vegetable oil, room-temperature eggs, and vanilla extract.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix only until the ingredients are combined.
- Slowly add the hot coffee and mix until the batter is smooth. The batter will be quite thin, which is normal.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in their pans for about 30 minutes. Turn them out onto a rack and cool completely before frosting.
- Melt the chopped semisweet chocolate gently over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Let it cool to room temperature.
- Beat the room-temperature butter on medium-high speed until light. Add the egg yolk and vanilla, then gradually mix in the sifted confectioners’ sugar.
- Dissolve the instant coffee granules in the hot water. Add the cooled melted chocolate and coffee mixture to the butter mixture, then beat until smooth and well combined.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread frosting over the top. Add the second layer, then frost the top and sides.
Notes
Final Thoughts
Ina Garten’s Beatty’s Chocolate Cake earns its reputation with a dependable method and a remarkably rich result. The combination of cocoa, buttermilk, oil, and hot coffee creates tender layers, while the semisweet chocolate buttercream supplies a smooth, deeply chocolaty finish.
Take time to prepare the pans, add the coffee slowly, and cool the cake layers completely before frosting. Follow those details and you will have an elegant two-layer dessert that is ready for birthdays, dinner parties, holidays, or any evening that calls for serious chocolate.