Frosted Kahlua Cake Recipe
This moist, rich vanilla Kahlua cake is a light and airy butter-based layer cake. Frosted with Kahlua vanilla and chocolate buttercream frosting, this is perfect for a weekend treat, a celebration cake, or when you need that coffee-flavored zing.
Back when I was a flight attendant in Singapore, I shared an apartment with a friend who was obsessed with Kahlua. While I was all about Baileys, she was a die-hard coffee liqueur fan. Every time I flew, I’d grab her a bottle from duty-free—it was our little ritual.
So, for her birthday, I decided to bake her this Kahlua cake, and let’s just say… it was a huge hit! She loved it, and our party friends went wild for it. In fact, many of us poured extra Kahlua over our slices—because why not go all in, right?
Fast forward to when I started my cake business, I added this to my flavors menu, thinking, okay, maybe a few people will like it. But surprise, surprise—it became a bestseller! Turns out, I wasn’t the only one with a love for boozy cakes. If you love coffee, chocolate, and a little extra kick, this Kahlua cake is the dessert you didn’t know you needed!
Why is this the best recipe?
- Rich and Moist Texture – The combination of butter, sour cream, and light brown sugar ensures a soft, tender crumb that stays moist for days.
- Perfect Balance of Coffee and Sweetness – Kahlua adds a deep coffee flavor without being overpowering, while vanilla and brown sugar enhance the sweetness. It’s the ideal blend of bold and smooth flavors.
- Luscious Kahlua Buttercream – The silky, whipped buttercream infused with Kahlua adds a luxurious finishing touch. It’s creamy, smooth, and perfectly complements the cake without being too heavy or overly sweet.
- Foolproof and Versatile – This recipe is easy to follow, and the batter bakes evenly in three 8-inch pans for a celebration cake or two 9-inch pans for a family-style cake. Whether for a casual gathering or an elegant dessert, it’s the perfect showstopper with minimal effort.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour – Yes, regular plain all-purpose flour (maida) is all you need for these cakes. Do not use any self-raising flour since it contains more leavening.
- Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can control the quantity of sugar in my recipe. And yet, if salted butter is all you have, go ahead and use it. Just omit salt in the recipe.
- Sour cream – Gives the cake a soft crumb. You can use store-bought or homemade sour cream. A good substitute for sour cream is Greek yogurt. Alternatively, you can also use quick homemade buttermilk in 5 minutes.
- Brown sugar – The molasses in the brown sugar contributes to the soft texture. You can also add dark brown sugar, and yet the cake will get a deeper color.
- Eggs – Always use large eggs when baking, unless specified. The size of eggs varies these days significantly, so as a guide, a large egg weighs between 50 and 60 grams.
- Vanilla – You can use vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or substitute some of the sugar in the recipe with vanilla sugar.
Step-by-step: Kahlua cake recipe with Kahlua buttercream
Cake batter
- Preheat the Oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line 3 x 8-inch cake pans or 2 x 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- Dry ingredients – Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside
- Wet ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Next, add eggs one at a time. Followed by the sour cream, vanilla extract and Kahlua.
- Combine – Then, add flour mixture and combine well but dont’ overmix.
- Divide – Scrape the sides of the bowl, ensuring you have a smooth batter. Then, divide the batter between the two prepared baking pans.
- Bake – Transfer to the oven and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert on a cooling rack and cool completely. Always cool cakes completely before you decorate or store them away.
Kahlua buttercream frosting
- Chocolate – Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler – set aside to cool.
- Whip– In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with Kahlua and vanilla extract. Gradually add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Once all the sugar is in, continue to whip on medium-high until light and fluffy.
- Fill & frosting – Use the Kahlua vanilla buttercream to fill in between the cake layers. Then, add the melted, cooled chocolate to make chocolate Kahlua buttercream to frost around the cake.
Assemble
- Using a bread knife or cake leveler, cut the domes off the cake layers. Brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup.
- Fill – Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand. Top with a big dollop of the Kahlua vanilla buttercream – spread evenly with a straight-edged spatula. Top the second cake layer with more frosting, then add the third layer.
- Chill – Place the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes so the layers hold together.
- Frosting – Next, spread Kahlua chocolate butter on top and around the cake.
Pro tip – A straight-edge spatula for the top, an offset spatula, and a bench scraper for the sides work better. - Rustic swirl – Spread the remaining frosting around and on top of the cake. Create a rustic buttercream look by simply swirling the spatula in a circular motion.
- Border – You can put any remaining frosting in a piping bag and pipe swirls on top of the cake. I placed some white and milk chocolate balls because I ran out of frosting.
Storage
- Once decorated, the cake does not need to be refrigerated.
- It can stay at room temperature for three days or in the fridge for up to a week.
- Once cut, always cover the cut side of the cake with cling/plastic wrap so the cake does not dry out.
Vanilla Kahlua Cake with Kahlua Chocolate Buttercream
This Vanilla Kahlua cake is rich, creamy and decadent frosted with a Kahlua chocolate buttercream. A surprisingly easy recipe, perfect for a weekend dessert or special celebration.
Ingredients
- 375 g (3 cups) All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1½ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 280 g (1¼ cups) Butter unsalted at room temperature
- 400 g (2 cups) Light brown sugar
- 4 large Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 180 ml (¾ cup) Sour cream
- 120 ml (½ cup) Kahlua or Baileys (or whole milk for substitute)
- 280 g (1¼ cups) Butter unsalted, room temperature
- 500 g (4 cups) Powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp Kahlua
- 110 g (4 oz) Chocolate, semi-sweet or bittersweet melted
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 10 Chocolate balls (white or milk chocolate)
Method
- Preheat the Oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans or two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- Dry ingredients – Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside375 g All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Baking soda, 1½ tsp Baking powder, ½ tsp Kosher salt
- Wet ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Next, add eggs one at a time. Followed by the sour cream, vanilla extract, and Kahlua.280 g Butter, 400 g Light brown sugar, 4 large Eggs, 2 tsp Vanilla extract, 120 ml Kahlua
- Combine. Then add the flour mixture and combine well, but don't overmix.180 ml Sour cream
- Bake – Pour the batter into your prepared baking pans and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert on a cooling rack and cool completely. Always cool cakes completely before you decorate or store them away.
- Whip– In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream the butter with Kahlua and vanilla extract. Gradually add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Once all the sugar is in continue to whip on medium-high until light and fluffy.280 g Butter , 500 g Powdered sugar, 3 tbsp Kahlua, 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- Fill & frosting – Use the Kahlua vanilla buttercream to fill in between the cake layers. Then, add fold in the melted cooled chocolate to make chocolate Kahlua buttercream to frost around the cake.110 g Chocolate, semi-sweet or bittersweet
- Using a bread knife or cake leveler cut the domes off the cake layers. Brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup
- Fill – Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand. Top with a big dollop of the Kahlua vanilla buttercream – spread evenly with a straight-edged spatula. Top the second cake layer on top followed by more frosting followed by the third layer.
- Chill – Place the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes so the layers hold together.
- Frosting – Next, spread Kahlua chocolate butter on top and around the cake. A straight-edge spatula for the top, an off-set spatula, and a bench scraper for the sides work better.
- Rustic swirl – Spread the remaining frosting around and on top of the cake. Create a rustic buttercream look by simply swirling the spatula in a circular motion.
- Border – You can put any remaining frosting in a piping bag and pipe swirls on top of the cake. I place some white and milk chocolate balls because I ran out of frosting.10 Chocolate balls
Notes
- Use room-temperature ingredients for a smooth batter and even baking.
- Do not overmix once the flour is added or the cake can become dense.
- For a stronger coffee flavor, add 1 teaspoon espresso powder to the batter or buttercream.
- Chill the cake layers before frosting for easier assembly and cleaner layers.
- Store covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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Frequently asked questions
Absolutely! The cake layers can be baked up to 2 days in advance and stored at room temperature, wrapped tightly. You can also freeze the unfrosted layers for up to 2 months—just thaw before frosting.
Yes! You can substitute Kahlua with strong brewed coffee or espresso for a similar depth of flavor without the alcohol. If you prefer a sweeter alternative, use coffee mixed with a little vanilla extract.
– Three 8-inch round pans – Makes a beautiful triple-layer cake. Reduce baking time to 25-30 minutes.
– One 9×13-inch rectangular pan – Great for a sheet cake. Bake for 35-40 minutes and frost directly in the pan.
– Two 9×5-inch loaf pans – Ideal for a coffee cake-style loaf. Then, bake for 45-50 minutes.
– One 10- or 12-cup Bundt pan – Creates an elegant, sturdy cake. Bake for 50-60 minutes and glaze with Kahlua drizzle.
– 24 standard cupcakes – Fill liners ⅔ full and bake for 18-22 minutes.
Mini bundt cakes or mini loaf pans – Baking time varies between 25 and 30 minutes, depending on size.
– One 11×15-inch sheet pan – A thin sheet cake that works well for layered cakes. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
No, the Kahlua flavor is subtle and enhances the chocolate-coffee notes in the cake. The alcohol mostly bakes off, leaving behind a rich, deep flavor. If you want a stronger kick, you can brush the cake layers with Kahlua before frosting.
Wowie what a fun looking cake recipe!!! And I really appreciate that you showed us what it actually looks like on the inside too! Definitely inspired to get my cake baking on :)!
Thank you, Daniela. Yes, it’s always nice to see the inside of the cake so know what the recipe looks like.
Hi, tried this recipe and loved how the cake turned out. Super soft, moist with the perfect crumb! I like the texture of the cake so much that I was wondering if I can substitute the kahlua for orange juice to make it an orange cake? I’ve already tried your orange cake recipe, but the texture doesn’t come anytime close to this.
Thank you, Dee. I am happy you enjoyed this cake. Yes. I think you can use orange juice and orange zest to make this an orange cake.
Loving all these tips!! So helpful and I love the detail you went into about kahula! This cake looks amazing! Something I would like to make for my friends and family!!
Thank you, Amanda. Happy you liked my detailed post.
What a fantastic looking cake — it’s perfect. Every cake you make sounds better than the other. I do love my coffee flavor so I KNOW that this cake would be one that I’d love. You certainly make it easy even for a cake novice to know how to make a perfect cake. Another one of your recipes I’m saving.
Thank you, Marisa. Me too, love the coffee flavor.
What a beautiful looking cake, perfect for any celebration! I love you have used kahlua in this, it sounds really yummy!
Thanks Carrie. Yes, we love Kahlua too.
My dad and I always like to add a little kahlua to our chocolate ice cream so I can only imagine how delicious this vanilla cake with chocolate frosting must taste with kahlua!
I love Chocolate Kahlua ice cream too Claire. So good.
This cake is a dream! That buttercream is swoon worthy and the kahlua is a fabulous addition!
Thank you, Tammy. We love this cake.
Your posts are always so informative! I feel I can make a beautiful layer cake like this following your directions. Love the flavors and also the presentation.
Thank you, Nicoletta. You sure can make a beautiful cake.
Kahlua is amazing! Using it in a cake is perfection!!
Thanks, Tisha.
This cake looks fantastic and I love the flavours you’ve incorporated into it. kahlua is such a great liqueur. I love cakes that use buttermilk, yoghurt or soured cream to tenderise the crumb so I’m looking forward to baking this one up soon.
Thank you, Jane. I love using buttermilk in my cakes too.
Wow, I just made this for a birthday cake and it was a hit! I had multiple people ask me for the recipe after!!
Thanks, Noelle. So happy you tried and enjoyed this recipe. It’s always a hit in our family too. Thanks so much for coming back to write this feedback. Love hearing from those who try my recipes.