Cappuccino Cake With Cappuccino Buttercream Frosting
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I don’t know if y’all are ready for this decadent and flavorful cappuccino cake recipe. It features two layers of incredibly moist dark chocolate cake with whipped cappuccino buttercream frosting that’s served with chocolate ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
We used to have this great restaurant in Huntsville called Darryl’s. Everyone loved that place. As a teenager, anytime homecoming, birthdays, or any other eating out occasion rolled around, we all went to Darryl’s. It got to be kind of funny because you’d show up with a date or a group of friends and it would turn out more like a class reunion with practically every other table filled with folks you know.
But my favorite thing on the menu at Darryl’s is their signature dessert: cappuccino cake. They served it cold (I think it is better that way) with a side of chocolate ice cream and generously drizzled chocolate syrup over the whole thing.
So obviously, I had to recreate the recipe and make my own version of homemade cappuccino cake. This recipe includes two layers of a deep dark chocolate cake iced with whipped cappuccino buttercream icing. Does it get any better than this? Maybe, but not right now because right now, we’re focusing on this little side of heaven.
Fortunately, we don’t need lots of ingredients to make my cappuccino cake recipe. We love to keep things simple around there, right? So we’re forgoing a cake from scratch (no need for and all that) and using dark chocolate cake mix, which is extra moist and has extra chocolate flavor thanks to the addition of sour cream and cocoa powder. Once those cakes are mixed and baked, we prepare the decadent whipped cappuccino buttercream frosting, which is made with instant coffee, butter, milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar.
I hope you get to make this soon. It’s so moist, so rich, and oh so good! It is definitely a showstopper cake perfect for any special occasion. Come to think of it, today seems pretty special to me, doesn’t it to you?
Recipe Ingredients
- Chocolate cake mix
- Milk
- Sour cream
- Eggs
- Dutch process cocoa powder (dark cocoa powder)
- Oil
- Butter (I prefer unsalted butter bit if you want that touch of go salted).
- Milk
- Instant coffee
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
How to Make Cappuccino Cake
In a mixing bowl, place all of your ingredients.
Mix that with an electric mixer until well blended and smooth (about 2 to 3 minutes), scraping down sides as needed.
Some folks have you add gradually but unless you’re just now joining this party, you know I’m really not a gradual person.
While that is mixing, grease two or three 8-inch round cake pans. I’m only using two.
To grease my pans I fold up a paper towel and dip it in vegetable shortening and then smear it around real good.
Instead of using flour, since this is a chocolate cake, I like to use cocoa powder. Just put a tablespoon or so in your pan and then…
Tilt your pan all around while patting it to distribute it evenly like this. Dump out excess.
Then you divide the batter evenly between your two cake pans.
This batter is going to be really thick and will likely remind you of jello.
Remember, never ever eat raw cake batter. But I don’t count licking it off the spatula as eating it.
Bake cake layers in the oven at 350 for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Note: If you are making more than two layers, check on them after 20 minutes. Mine are thicker since I’m only doing two layers so they will need to cook longer.
Once they are finished baking, remove them from the oven and let them sit in the cake pans for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, turn the cakes out and allow them to cool completely.
I like to let mine cool and then wrap them really well and refrigerate overnight for easier icing the next day.
Time to Make the Cappuccino Buttercream Frosting!
Take the instant coffee and stir it into your milk until dissolved.
This may take a minute, but you don’t have to heat your milk first though.
Place softened butter in a mixing bowl.
Beat for a minute or two, until fluffy, and then add the remaining icing ingredients.
Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
Now crank up that mixer again and beat this icing until it is fluffy (5 to 7 minutes).
If you haven’t tasted this icing by now, I’d sure like to know where you get your willpower from.
This cake is best if made ahead and refrigerated until good and cold.
I know that is torture but just try it for me once, it’s totally worth the wait!
All we’re gonna do is add the icing to one cake layer…
Add the other cake layer on top…
And then cover the entire cake in the frosting.
Why, hello there! How good does this cappuccino cake look?
Serve with chocolate ice cream, chocolate syrup (I used Hershey’s), and a strawberry.
Eat the strawberry last – your body might get confused and think you just finished a fruit plate!
Storage
Store the covered cake at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Recipe Notes
- You can use any dark chocolate cake mix such as Devil’s Food, dark chocolate, or even regular chocolate if you like. You can also use your favorite chocolate cake recipe if you like but I like this one because it is dense and extremely moist.
- Don’t be tempted to soften your butter in the microwave, on the stovetop, or any other trick we use to soften it when we’re in a hurry for this recipe. We really want to just leave our butter on the countertop for a few hours until it softens on its own for this recipe. Normally, I’m all about shortcuts but this one is important because we’re gonna have whipped icing in the end so bits of melted butter won’t help us achieve our purpose.
- This cake translates very well to a 9×13 baking dish and sheet cake recipe if you’d like to save some time!
- If you want to enhance the cake’s coffee flavor, you can add 2 teaspoons of instant coffee granules to the cake batter as well.
You may also enjoy these other scrumptious cake recipes:
Cherry Crumb Cake With Cake Mix
Italian Cream Cake with Pecan Cream Cheese Icing
Yellow Cake with Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Icing
Chocolate Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 heaping tablespoons dark cocoa powder plus more for dusting pans
- 1 box any flavor of chocolate cake mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup oil
- 3 eggs
- 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cappuccino Icing
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups confectioner's sugar
- Enough instant coffee granules to make three 6-oz cups of coffee
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 sticks softened butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Grease two cake pans with shortening and dust with cocoa powder.2 heaping tablespoons dark cocoa powder
- Place all the cake ingredients in a mixing bowl.2 heaping tablespoons dark cocoa powder, 1 box any flavor of chocolate cake mix, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup oil, 3 eggs, 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Mix for about two minutes with an electric mixer (or until well blended), scraping down sides as needed.
- Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared pans and let them cook until done (about 25 minutes).
- Let them sit in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out to cool completely.
Cappuccino Icing
- Stir instant coffee granules into the milk until dissolved.Enough instant coffee granules to make three 6-oz cups of coffee, 1/2 cup milk
- Place the softened butter in a mixing bowl and beat until fluffy.2 sticks softened butter
- Add all remaining ingredients and mix until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.5 cups confectioner's sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Beat with a mixer for 5 to 7 minutes or until fluffy.
- Ice between cake layers and then cover the entire cake before refrigerating. It tastes best if served cold with chocolate ice cream and drizzled with chocolate syrup (such as Hershey's).
“Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
Proverbs 16:24
The honeycomb is one of the strongest structures designed. Strengthen those around you with uplifting speech. Everyone needs cheerful words these days. Life and death are in the power of the tongue, Choose LIFE.
~Submitted by Marilyn Miller. Click here to submit your quote.
This is very similar to my dark chocolate cake, except I add a box of chocolate fudge pudding instead of the dark cocoa. I am very intrigued, lol, and plan on making this very soon. I never thought to make a cappuccino icing for it and my tastes buds are saying, “Yes, please!!!!!!!!!!!!”
I hope you like it Sandra, I can’t seem to keep myself from a little taste every time I walk by.
Ahh, Daryl’s! Wow, I really miss that place. There was one in Nashville, too, and my favorite thing was the big crackers they served with Ranch dressing as your appetizer for every meal. I still haven’t found crackers like that, but I do find myself dipping saltines!
You know what’s funny? When we’d go to Nashville for the day, we usually ate at Darryl’s then, too, even though we had one here! lol I loved those crackers also. Once my sister brought us home a whole box!!!
Gratefully,
Christy
I really enjoy your website! The recipes are awesome. I live in the midwest but my dads family were all from the south. When I ran across your chocolate gravy recipe I almost cried. When we would visit my grandma in the summer she always made “drop” biscuits and chocolate gravy for us. It was always the hilite of our visit. Thank you so much for working so hard to make sucha great website and for keeping southern cooking alive. Sometimes the only southern cooking anyone gets is when they eat a t Cracker Barrel! 😉
Oh Kim, thank YOU so much for taking time to chat with me today, your words mean so much to me, truly. Some days I work all day and wonder if anyone is “feeling” my heart in all of this and then someone as sweet and wonderful as you comes along!
Did you know God used you today? 🙂
Gratefully,
Christy
Ok Christy you have made my day! Just like you said we would go to Darryl’s and have that cake for all kinds of special occasions especially my birthday here in Montgomery. I cannot wait to make it!! My husband and I have wished for years we could have the Cappuccino Cake one more time. Now we can! Thank you so much.
OH YAY!!! Thank you so much Cindy! Please report back and tell me how it goes over!
Gratefully,
Christy
I used to work at Darryl’s in Huntsville and yes this was my all time favorite cake. I even requested it when I was in the hospital having my first child!
I’m SO GLAD you posted Becky!! I was hoping I wasn’t the only one obsessed with this cake! Isn’t it amazing?
Gratefully,
Christy
P.S. I requested a cold Diet Dr Pepper after my first was born. My husband bought me diet coke instead. He still suffers occasionally for that 😉
I have a few questions. What kind of milk? I’m guessing whole milk. And is the butter salted or unsalted? I’m guessing also salted. I’m making this for my mother-in-law’s Birthday. She has been talking about this cake for years. I’m going to give it a shot. Thank You for your time. Autumn M.
Well, what perfect timing you have, Christy! Something special is coming up soon and I just might have to make this! Now, personally speaking, I don’t consider tasting the batter ‘eating’ since it doesn’t involve any chewing…just sayin’. Thanks for the chocolate! ;^D
You have always been wise beyond your years, Debbie!
Gratefully,
Christy
This cake (with a chocolate icing tinted black) will be perfect for my hubby’s 50th birthday next month!
You’re such a good wife!!!!!
Gratefully,
Christy
Oh I’d hug you if you were here!!! Cap cake was my all-time fav dessert!!! I went to college at UNC-chapel hill and there were Darryl’s everywhere in that area…like you said, i celebrated my 21st BD there…when all the restaurants closed, I searched high and low for years for the cap cake recipe and now here it is!!!!! The pic looks just like it…I was actually in Greensboro, NC last month and the only remaining Darryl’s is there and they still have the cap cake…it was divine!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cannot wait to make this!!