Best Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Kahlua Chocolate Buttercream
Rich, decadent, light and airy chocolate chiffon cake layered with a melt in your mouth Kahlua buttercream frosting. Perfect to use as a celebration cake or when you need a chocolate treat that’s not too dense and heavy. This oil-based batter with must less fat than traditional cakes is perfect when you need a light pick me up chocolate dessert.
Ultimate Chocolate Chiffon Cake Recipe, Best Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Kahlua Buttercream Frosting
A classic chocolate chiffon cake is a light and airy cake between a butter cake and a light sponge cake. Can be quite tricky to make because of a large number of eggs and oil-based batter but here are a few tips and tricks on how to take this old classic to the next level.
Have you seen a Chiffon fabric? Light and airy? Well, that’s what this cake is supposed to be – light and airy!! The most important difference in a Chiffon Cake is that it uses oil instead of butter, and the eggs whites are whipped up making the cake rise up high.
Most Chiffon cakes are usually baked in Bundt pans but as a cake decorator I always bake them in regular cake pans and decorate them layered with fillings and frosting. You can even cover this cake with fondant but mostly as a single tier or the topmost of a tiered cake. I have used this Chocolate Chiffon Cake as a top layer of a three-tier cake.
How do you get rich, dark, texture and moist chocolate layers
Ultimate Chocolate Chiffon Cake Recipe, Best Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Kahlua Buttercream Frosting
How to bake the perfect chiffon cake?
There is a reason why a chiffon cake is baked in a bundt pan or a ring pan. The cake is a light and airy batter with lots of egg whites which means the cake will rise high. The outside cooks faster than the center and often the edges dry out while the center is cooking. Which makes the bundt or the ring cake perfect for a Chiffon cake. But what if you are a cake decorator like me and need to bake two layers like this?
This is what I use. A flower nail. This really looks simple but all it does is distributed the heat evenly. So now the cake cooks from the center out. This is great to use with not just a chiffon cake. I use it for almost all my big cakes from 10-inches and above.
Ultimate Chocolate Chiffon Cake Recipe, Best Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Kahlua Buttercream
These are called cake heating core. Perfect to use with most cakes.
Kahlua Chocolate Chiffon Cake? (Save/Pin Buttercream recipe here)
- Make it a Kahlua chocolate chiffon cake by simply adding two tablespoons Kahula in the recipe. Add it to the egg yolk batter just before you fold in the whipped egg whites.
- You can also add two tablespoons of Kahlua to the simple syrup when you brush the layers for extra moisture.
- And of course, I’ve given you the recipe for Kahlua buttercream below as well.
Ultimate Chocolate Chiffon Cake Recipe, Best Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Kahlua Buttercream Frosting
Let’s Talk Ingredients and Substitutes(save/Pin)
- Cocoa Powder – I always use good quality dutch processed cocoa for all my cakes.
- Milk – Not all traditional chiffon cakes usually have milk but I do believe it makes a huge difference both in texture and moisture.
- Eggs – Yes, lots of eggs – I know! but they are what keeps this cake light and airy. Be careful when you fold the whipped eggs into the batter. You want to keep them whipped so the cake rises, tall and proud.
- All-Purpose Flour – I use to make this cake with cake flour but over the year of trial and testing I have come to this balance of all purpose flour. Mostly because I have many of you say – we do not get cake flour what can we substitute – So here you go Chocolate Chiffon cake with All purpose flour.
- Cream of Tartar – This helps with whipping those egg whites to nice stiff peaks. If you can’t find the cream of tartar just a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp of lemon juice will work too! No, you do not taste the lemon in the cake at all.
- Kahlua – I love Kahlua and Irish cream. Both of these would work just as well. If you can’t use alcohol, substitute the alcohol for whipping cream.
Ultimate Chocolate Chiffon Cake Recipe, Best Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Kahlua Buttercream Frosting
Recipe – Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Kahlua Chocolate Buttercream (Save/Pin)
Makes one 10″ Bunt Cake or 2 x 9 ” round cakes
Tools
- Mixer – Hand Mixeror Kitchen-Aid or
K-mixwhich ever works for you. - Bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Cake Pans
- Parchment Paper
- Bunt Pan
- Baking Tray
- Cooling Rack
Ultimate Chocolate Chiffon Cake Recipe, Best Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Kahlua Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
Cake
- All-purpose flour- 250 grams (2 cups)
- Cocoa powder – 85 grams ( 3/4 cup)
- White sugar – 300 grams (1 1/2 cup)
- Baking soda – 1/2 tsp
- Baking powder – 2 tsp
- Vegetable oil – 120 ml (1/2 cup)
- Eggs separated – 7 large
- Salt – 1/2 tsp
- Cream of tartar – 1/4 tsp
- Boiling water – 60 ml (1/4 cup)
Kahlua Chocolate Buttercream
- Unsalted butter – 113 grams (1 stick)
- Powdered sugar/confectioners sugar – 250 gram (2 cups)
- Kahlua (or whipping cream) – 1/4 cup (60 ml)
- Chocolate – semi-sweet – 100 grams / 8 oz
- Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Method
Prepare
- Preheat oven to 160 C / 320 F.
- Prepare pans for baking – grease, and line.
- Sift flour, salt, and baking soda.
- Pour boiling water into the cocoa powder and create a paste.
Cake Batter
- Cream half the sugar with egg yolks, until pale, light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and the cocoa paste.
- Gradually add in the oil while mixing continuously.
- Lastly, add the flour mixture a little at a time.
- Set aside
Whisk egg whites
- In a clean, grease-free bowl, with a whisk attachment, whisk the eggs whites with cream of tartar.
- Whisk for a minute then gradually add in the remaining sugar.
- Continue to whisk until stiff peaks but still shiny.
Fold and bake
- Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pans/Bunt pan/ring pan ( I used two 9 inch cake pans today)
- Bake on the center rack until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
The time will defer depending on the pan you use – about 60 to 70 minutes if baked in a single pan. Approx 25 to 30 minutes if baked in two separate pans. The time is just a guide bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes clean. - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert on a cooling rack to cool further.
- Let cool completely before decorating.
Prepare Buttercream
- Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl or double boiler – set aside to cool.
- Cream the butter with Kahlua or whipping cream and vanilla
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to cream until light and fluffy.
- Lastly, combine the cooled melted chocolate.
- Tip – to prevent the chocolate from seizing add a little buttercream to the chocolate – fold well. Then combine both the mixtures together. This will ensure a smooth buttercream
Assemble
- Cut the cake into two horizontally.
- Brush with simple syrup (simple syrup is a mixture of water and sugar boiled together).
- Spread a layer of buttercream on the bottom layer
- Place the second layer of cake
- Frost the two layers with a thin layer of buttercream. Chill for 10 minutes.
- Place the remaining buttercream in a piping bag with the star tip.
- Pipe straight lines from the bottom to the top all around the cake
- And Pipe swirls on the top.
Don’t forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.
Ultimate Chocolate Chiffon Cake Recipe, Best Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Kahlua Buttercream Frosting
Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Kahlua Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
Cake
- 250 grams All-purpose flour
- 85 grams Cocoa powder
- 300 grams White sugar
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 120 ml Vegetable oil
- 7 Eggs separate
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Cream of tartar
- 60 ml Boiling water
Kahlua Chocolate Buttercream
- 113 grams Unsalted Butter
- 250 grams Powdered sugar/confectioners sugar
- 60 ml Kahlua (or whipping cream)
- 100 grams Chocolate (dark)
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
Prepare
- Preheat oven to 160 C / 320 F.
- Prepare pans for baking - grease, and line.
- Sift flour, salt, and baking soda.
- Pour boiling water into the cocoa powder and create a paste.
- Separate the eggs - Yolks in a stand mixer - whites in a grease-free bowl
(make sure no egg yolks gets mixed with the whites as that will prevent the eggs from whipping to stiff peaks)
Cake Batter
- Cream half the sugar with egg yolks, until pale, light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and the cocoa paste.
- Gradually add in the oil while mixing continuously.
- Lastly, add the flour mixture a little at a time.
- Set aside
Whisk egg whites
- In a clean, grease-free bowl, with a whisk attachment, whisk the eggs whites with cream of tartar.
- Whisk for a minute then gradually add in the remaining sugar.
- Continue to whisk until stiff peaks but still shiny.
Fold and bake
- Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pans/Bunt pan/ring pan
( I used two 9 inch cake pans today) - Bake on the center rack until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- The time will defer depending on the pan you use -
About 60 to 70 minutes if baked in a single pan.
Approx 25 to 30 minutes if baked in two separate pans.
The time is just a guide bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes clean. - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert on a cooling rack to cool further.
- Let cool completely before decorating.
Prepare Buttercream
- Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl or double boiler - set aside to cool.
- Cream the butter with Kahlua or whipping cream and vanilla
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to cream until light and fluffy.
- Lastly, combine the cooled melted chocolate.
- Tip - to prevent the chocolate from seizing add a little buttercream to the chocolate - fold well. Then combine both the mixtures together. This will ensure a smooth buttercream
Assemble
- Cut the cake into two horizontally.
- Brush with simple syrup (simple syrup is a mixture of water and sugar boiled together).
- Spread a layer of buttercream on the bottom layer
- Place the second layer of cake
- Frost the two layers with a thin layer of buttercream. Chill for 10 minutes.
- Place the remaining buttercream in a piping bag with the star tip.
- Pipe straight lines from the bottom to the top all around the cake
- And Pipe swirls on the top.
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Take a look at some of the most delicious cake recipes I have for you on this blog. All recipes are tried and tested. Whether you looking for a simple one bowl vanilla cake recipe, a fruit-flavored recipe for spring or luxurious recipe with decadent frostings. I’m sure you will find something you will love. Alternatively, take a look at my Recipe Index to see a list of all recipes on this blog.
A collection fo cake recipes by Veena Azmanov – Tried and Tested Cake Recipes
I agree with you these are best chocolate cake , love the frosting too. I need to give it a try as my kids love chocolate cakes I bake more often.
Thank you, Swathi. Let me know how they enjoy it.
This looks incredible, you can tell by the bubbles of air pockets in the cake how light and fluffy it will be. And the icing…ummm yes please!! Sounds heavenly!
Thanks, Melissa. Yes, this is a very light and airy cake
The chocolate cake does look so light and airy. It certainly is aptly named — chiffon. And the frosting sounds so good. We love the taste of Kahlua so making the frosting with the coffee flavor would make it lip-smacking good. Chocolate and coffee is a great combination.
THank you, Marisa. Yes, it is a very light and airy cake. The frosting is to die for
I’m really impressed with that frosting. Looks so perfect and you are really good at it. That cake though….looks so light and fluffy. YUM is the word
Thank you, Jyothi. The cake is light and fluffy.
Great idea for a festive table. This cake is truly unique. Looks beautiful and tasty! Cannot wait to try this. This recipe looks incredible! Thank you.
Thanks Dan.
That chocolate butter cream video has us enchanted. There is something magical about watching chocolate in any form. Beautiful cake and perfectly formed design. So pretty!
Thank you.
I have never attempted to make a chiffon cake and this looks spectacular. Of course your one of the best baker on know on the net
Thanks so much, Claudia. This is really simple and easy.
This cake sounds like perfection on it’s own, but then you made Kahlua buttercream? I’m going to eat way too much!!
Thanks, Lauren. I know right? Who does not love Kahlua.
LOVED making this cake. Was so light and fluffy. Made it with your chocolate Kahlua buttercream and it was to die for. Thankyou for this recipe.
Thank you, Emmanuel. So happy you have success with this recipe. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Have a wonderful day.
Hello please share the eggless recipe of chocolate chiffon cake
Felicitaciones que hermosos trabajos de arte de las tartas
what is cream of tartar
Amazing recipe. Your recipes are really good . All the Best. Keep up to the good job.
I need to make a vanilla one that can hold fondant, just a single tier though. I want to make chiffon as it is going to be a 1920's style cake and I wanted to make something new. I've been on the web and everyone is saying you can't do fondant, just wanted to know what makes it different to be stronger but still light?
Also why the flower nail? Is it something to do with the heat
Can we use this as a bottom tier for a 2 tier cake
.i love ur blog,especialy d fact dat u ilustrate with pictures.i hav a question,must the chocolate chiffon cake be baked in a bunt pan?if yes pls i wld lyk 2knw why
Do u have to add baking powder or baking soda while sifting dry ingredients?
Yes Shalu, Just as it is mentioned in the ingredients as well as method. 1 1/2 tsp of Baking Soda, sift flour, Salt and B.S.
All the best. Let me know how it turns out.
Veena
Amazing cake…I loved the recipe.Could you please give the measurements if we want to make this in a vanilla cake.How many mins does it takes to bake approximately in the oven.Thank you for ur kind replies.
I plan to make a post on the Vanilla Chiffon Cake soon. Depending on the pans you use.. A single cake like this should take about 35 to 40 minutes. In two pan it will take about 20 to 25 minutes. I hope that helps.
Thanks.
Veena