Chocolate Coffee Cake

This Chocolate Coffee Cake is super tender, moist, and full of rich flavor. It’s a chocolatey version of the classic breakfast cake and features the most delicious spiced chocolate streusel on top. Plus, it’s got a band of spiced brown sugar running through the middle of it to keep it moist and flavorful for days. Serve this as an impressive brunch coffee cake or top if off with whipped cream or ice cream for a simple dessert.

Tall, moist chocolate cake meets classic, crumbly coffee cake for a sweet treat you never knew you were missing. This Chocolate Coffee Cake is rich and decadent, and comes together quickly, so it can be served on short notice—perfect for when you need something sweet to go with your morning or afternoon coffee.

With a simple method, this entire cake comes together using just two bowls, a whisk and a rubber spatula. The rich, chocolatey batter is flavored with espresso powder, which you can skip, but it does wonders enhancing the chocolate flavor. The batter then gets dotted with a spiced chocolate streusel and chunks of chocolate before it’s thrown in the oven to bake. The key to achieving a perfectly moist cake is to remove it from the oven the moment it springs back when lightly pressed and when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Don’t overbake this cake! Underdone is better than overdone.

If you’re as obsessed with this easy chocolate coffee cake recipe as I am, then you’ll definitely want to try these other dessert ideas we love. Our Hazelnut Cake With Coffee is simple to make and full of flavor, and this Triple Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake is one of our all time favorites; it’s chocolatey and special, and simply irresistible.

What’s Notable About the Recipe

This cake is the best of both worlds—tastes like dessert but acceptable for breakfast too.

• Quick and Easy Sweet Treat. With a simple batter and straightforward streusel, this coffee cake can be made quickly, by almost anyone. It can be whipped up and served in no time; it’s uncomplicated and delicious.
• Chocolatey Twist on a Classic. If you can’t decide between a classic coffee cake and something chocolatey, this recipe is for you. It’s tall with a moist crumb (like every coffee cake should be) but with cocoa powder added tot he batter and streusel (along with chocolate chunks).
• One Pan. This easy cake comes together in one pan and only requires baking one layer, even with the sweet filling and streusel topping. There’s no need to bust out several cake pans or to assemble multiple cakes.

Key Ingredients

• Sugar: you’ll need both light brown sugar and regular granulated sugar for this recipe.
• Cocoa powder: cocoa powder adds rich chocolatey flavor without added sweetness. I use Special Dark from Hershey’s but any cocoa powder will do.
• Spices: ground cinnamon, kosher salt and vanilla extract is all you need in the “spice” department. Salt is important for enhancing all of the flavors.
• Espresso powder: this enhances the overall chocolate flavor. I wouldn’t skip it. Be sure you’re using espresso powder—not ground coffee or instant coffee.
• Butter: I recommend unsalted here—it just gives you more control over the seasoning of the cake. If you’re using salted, simple decrease the amount of added salt by ¼ teaspoon.
• Chocolate: I sprinkle some chopped semi-sweet chocolate over the cake right before baking. I prefer to use bar chocolate, but chunks or chips will work too.
• Leaveners: you’ll need both baking soda and baking powder for adequate lift.
• Milk: I recommend using whole milk here.
• Eggs: make sure you are using eggs labeled as “large. One egg, out of shell, should weigh 50 grams.

How To Make Chocolate Coffee Cake

Start with the Streusel

1. First things first, preheat your oven to 350ºF (177ºC) with the rack set in the middle position. Then get the pan preppared—grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.

2. Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Before adding the remaining streusel ingredients, measure out a packed ¼ cup of brown sugar mixture (50g) and set aside. This will be sprinkled in the center of the batter and it’s key to creating a coffee cake that stays moist for days!
3. Now, to the remaining brown sugar mixture add the flour, cocoa powder and espresso powder and mix to combine. Add the meted butter and mix until large clumps form—I usually get in there with my hands and press the mixture together. This allows me to create various sizes of the clumps.

Now onto the Batter

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. Stir in the milk, melted butter, egg and egg yolk, and vanilla until just combined. Be sure not to over-mix or you risk a tough cake.
3. Pour 2¼ cups of the batter (I use a liquid measuring cup for this) into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the reserved brown sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly over the batter. Now, dollop and spread the remaining batter evenly over the filling (an offset spatula is great for spreading this batter).
4. Crumble the streusel into small to medium-sized crumbs (think pea-sizes to lima bean sized) evenly over top. And finally, sprinkle the chopped chocolate (or chips) over top. 

5. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, with few moist crumbs attached, about 45 minutes. 
6. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes before running a paring knife (or offset spatula) around the edges of the pan and inverting onto a serving platter or wire rack. This is best served warm but room temperature is also great.

Expert Tips

This is a pretty straightforward coffee cake with a foolproof method, but there are definitely a few baking tips to guarantee success each and every time.

• Use Room Temperature Ingredients. Allow your ingredients to come to room temperature before using, including the eggs and milk. This ensures the ingredients incorporate properly and the cake bakes evenly.
• Avoid Over-Mixing. Over-mixing the batter can lead to a dense, heavy cake. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together until just combined, and then stop; the batter should be smooth with a few small clumps.
• Measure Correctly. Measuring the ingredients accurately is key in baking. I strongly suggest investing in a kitchen scale; they’re reasonably priced and extremely useful. If you’re measuring by cup, lightly fluff the flour before scooping it into your cup and leveling off with a flat edge.

Variations and Substitutions for Chocolate Coffee Cake

We love this chocolate version of a traditional coffee cake, but you can get even more creative.

Use Different Types of Chocolate. Semi-sweet chocolate works nicely with the overall chocolate flavor profile, but get creative and try different types. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, or even a combination would be delicious.

Add Other Toppings or Mix-ins. This is a chocolatey twist on the classic coffee cake with a crumbly streusel, but feel free to jazz it up with other toppings to take it to another level. Shredded coconut or toasted chopped nuts would add texture and flavor.

Use Coffee. Don’t have espresso powder? Sub in cooled brewed coffee in place of some (not all) of the milk. I would start with ⅓ cup.

Make Cupcakes or Muffins. Use a muffin tin to make cute and delicious mini coffee cakes. Assemble like normal, per the recipe instructions, just in a muffin tin instead. Bake muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C) then, keeping muffins in oven, reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 16–18 minutes more. Total bake time is about 21–23 minutes.

Storage and Freezing

This cake is a great make-ahead breakfast option, makes delicious leftovers and is the perfect thing to have stashed in the freezer for last-minute drop-ins. Here’s how to store it for the best results.

For the Fridge: You can store the coffee cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. But we recommend storing it in the refrigerator if you plan on keeping in any longer than that.

For the Freezer: You can also freeze this cake. Simply place it in an airtight container wrapped in plastic wrap; it can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Regardless of how you store this cake, I recommend reheating it lightly in the microwave (or a low oven—200ºF) until warmed through. When warm, the butterfat loosens up, making the cake more tender and the flavors more prominent.

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