Saturday, February 15, 2025 · 70 Comments

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Glossy Chocolate Icing

This old-fashioned chocolate cake is rich, moist, and topped with a glossy chocolate icing – no eggs or mixer required. Just whisk, bake, and enjoy a classic homemade dessert with deep chocolate flavor.

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake Recipe with Glossy Chocolate Icing

This old-fashioned chocolate cake with glossy chocolate icing is as simple as it gets. I like that it’s eggless and one-bowl, so there’s no need to drag out the mixer or crack a dozen eggs. Just whisk everything together, pour it into pans, and bake. The vinegar and baking soda do the work of making it rise, and the hot water helps bring out the cocoa flavor.

The icing is just as easy. I melt butter with sugar, cocoa powder, and salt, then stir in a mix of heavy cream, sour cream, and instant coffee. It heats just until smooth – no boiling – then cools until thick enough to spread. If it’s still a little soft, I mix in a bit of confectioners’ sugar to help it hold its shape.

Once the cake is cool, I layer on the icing, starting with a good amount in between the cakes and finishing with the rest over the top and sides. It sets into a soft, glossy finish that stays put. No fancy techniques, just a classic chocolate cake that’s easy to make and always turns out well.

Why I Love This Recipe

Eggless and one bowl means no eggs, no mixer, and barely any cleanup.
Simple stovetop icing cooks in minutes and sets into a smooth, glossy finish.
Deep chocolate flavor comes from cocoa, coffee, and vanilla without extra effort.

Ingredients

A rich chocolate cake with glossy icing comes down to balance: soft texture, full flavor, and a smooth finish.

All-purpose flour – gives the cake structure while keeping it tender.
Sugar – sweetens and helps with moisture.
Cocoa powder – brings in the chocolate flavor; sift it to avoid lumps.
Baking soda – reacts with vinegar so the cake rises evenly.
Salt – keeps the sweetness in check.
Hot water – blends with cocoa for better flavor.
Vegetable oil – keeps the cake soft.
White vinegar – helps the cake rise and stay light.
Instant coffee – boosts the chocolate without tasting like coffee.
Vanilla – adds roundness and balance.
Butter – gives the icing its smooth texture.
Heavy cream – makes the icing rich and silky.
Sour cream – adds a slight tang to balance the sweetness.
Confectioners’ sugar – thickens the icing if it’s too thin.

How to Make an Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Glossy Chocolate Icing

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

Step One (get the oven and pans ready):
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set the rack in the center. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans well, both the sides and bottoms. Cut parchment circles to fit, press them inside, and give them another light spray. The cakes lift right out this way, no sticking or torn edges.
Step Two (mix the dry ingredients):
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Cocoa powder loves to clump, and sifting gives you a smoother, lighter batter later. It’s one of those steps worth the extra minute.
Step Three (combine the wet ingredients):
In a large measuring cup, whisk together the water, oil, vinegar, instant coffee, and vanilla. It looks odd, but this is what gives the cake that deep flavor and soft crumb. The vinegar reacts with the baking soda for lift, and the coffee makes the chocolate taste darker.
Step Four (make the batter):
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk just until combined. A few small lumps are fine. Overmixing here can make the cake dense instead of soft. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, about 3 cups each, and smooth the tops.
Step Five (bake the cakes):
Bake for around 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Every oven runs a little different, so start checking at 32 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 20 minutes on a rack. They’ll pull away from the sides a bit as they rest.
Step Six (flip and cool):
Turn each cake out onto a rack after 20 minutes and leave them upside down to finish cooling. It flattens any dome naturally and gives you even layers for stacking. Wait until they’re fully cool before frosting or the icing will slip right off.
Step Seven (start the icing):
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. It will look thick and a little grainy at first, but that is exactly how it should look at this stage.
Step Eight (add the cream mixture):
Whisk the heavy cream, sour cream, and instant coffee together in a measuring cup until smooth. Slowly pour it into the pan while stirring. Keep it over medium heat just until the sugar melts and the mixture feels hot to the touch, but do not let it boil. Boiling changes the texture and shine.
Step Nine (cool and thicken the icing):
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let it sit at room temperature for about three hours until it thickens into a spreadable, glossy icing. If you need to hurry it along, chill it briefly, but do not let it set too firm. If it ends up too thin, whisk in a bit of confectioners’ sugar until it holds its shape.
Step Ten (assemble and frost the cake):
Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread about a cup of icing to the edges. Set the second layer on top and spread another cup across the top. Use the rest around the sides and smooth it out however you like. The finish will be shiny, rich, and worth every bit of cooling time.

Recipe Tips

Scratch cakes are simple, but a few small things make all the difference in how they turn out.

Weigh your dry ingredients, especially the cocoa powder. It clumps easily, and scooping too much can dry out the cake.
Sift the dry ingredients so the batter stays smooth. Cocoa and baking soda both need that extra step.
Grease the pans well and line the bottoms with parchment. It’s the only way to get clean layers without fighting the edges.
Let the icing cool long enough to thicken but still spread easily. It should glide, not run.
Cool the cakes upside down on a rack so any dome flattens on its own.
This cake is even better the next day once the flavor settles in, so making it ahead is never a bad call.

Storage and Freezing

This cake keeps well, whether you’re storing leftovers or making it ahead. Here’s how I like to store and freeze it:

Keep the cake covered at room temperature for up to two days or refrigerate for up to five days. The icing stays soft, but chilling helps if you prefer a firmer texture.
If refrigerating, let slices sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving so the cake isn’t too firm.
To freeze, wrap individual slices or whole layers tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. Freeze for up to three months and thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different size cake pan?
Yes, you can use a 9×13-inch pan, which will hold the full batter as a single layer, but the cake will be thinner and may bake a little faster, so start checking for doneness around 30 minutes. You can also use two 9-inch round pans, though the layers will be slightly thinner than in the 8-inch pans, so check for doneness around 30-32 minutes.
Can I use instant espresso powder instead of instant coffee?
Yes, instant coffee granules and espresso powder can be used interchangeably in this recipe, but espresso powder has a stronger, more concentrated flavor. If substituting espresso powder for instant coffee, you may want to use slightly less to avoid overpowering the chocolate flavor. It’s the same reason I use espresso powder to make espresso for my toffee tiramisu recipe.
Why is my cake dry?
Too much flour or cocoa powder can make a scratch cake dry. Weighing the dry ingredients instead of scooping them with a measuring cup helps prevent this.
How do I know when the icing is ready to spread?
It should be thick but soft enough to spread easily. If it’s too thin, let it cool longer or stir in confectioners’ sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until it holds its shape.
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes, in fact, it tastes even better the next day. Store it covered at room temperature or refrigerate for longer storage.

More Chocolate Cake Recipes

If you love a good chocolate cake, I’ve got more recipes to try. From classic layers to rich, fudgy bakes, here are a few more chocolate cakes worth making.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Glossy Chocolate Icing

Print Recipe

5 from 19 votes

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Glossy Chocolate Icing

This old-fashioned chocolate cake with glossy chocolate icing is an easy, egg-free, one-bowl chocolate layer cake made with cocoa powder for deep flavor. The stovetop icing comes together in minutes and sets into a smooth, glossy finish. Perfect for any occasion, including birthdays, this vintage cake is simple to make and tastes even better the next day.

Prep Time30

Cook Time35

Cooling:5

Total Time6 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Glossy Chocolate Icing

Servings:

Calories: 554kcal

Author: Cathy Pollak

Equipment

measuring cups and spoons For accurate ingredient amounts.
mixing bowls For combing ingredients.
large pourable measuring cup Makes it easy to mix and pour wet ingredients.
Sieve For sifting ingredients.
whisk For combining the batter without overmixing.
2 8-inch round cake pans For baking the cake layers evenly.
cooling rack Cools cakes evenly.
Toothpick Checks if cake is fully baked.
Large saucepan Used to melt butter and make the icing.
offset spatula Makes spreading the icing easier.
Parchment rounds (8-inch) or parchment paper cut to fit. Keeps the cake from sticking to the pan.

Ingredients

Cake:

Icing:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. table salt
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp. instant coffee granules
2 tsps. vanilla extract
confectioners' sugar (if necessary)

Instructions

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F, with the rack in the center.
Spray the sides and bottom of two 8" round cake pans well with nonstick spray. Place parchment rounds (or cut parchment paper to fit) on the bottoms and spray those as well.
cooking spray
Sift the dry ingredients—flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt—together in a mixing bowl. (This is especially important for cocoa powder, which can clump.)
3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tsps. baking soda, 1 tsp. table salt
In a large, pourable measuring cup, combine the water, oil, vinegar, instant coffee, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined—some lumps are okay. Do not overmix. Divide the batter among the pans (about 3 cups in each), then bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
2 cups hot water, 3/4 cups vegetable oil, 2 tbsps. white vinegar, 1 tbsp. instant coffee granules, 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Cool cakes for 20 minutes on a rack, then invert them onto the rack. Leave cakes upside down to cool completely (this helps flatten domed cakes), then frost.

Icing:

For the icing, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, cocoa, and salt. The mixture will be extremely thick and grainy.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1-1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/8 tsp. table salt
In a large, pourable measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream, sour cream, and instant coffee until smooth. Gradually add the cream mixture to the chocolate mixture, stirring until blended and smooth. Heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch, but do not boil. Remove from heat.
1-1/4 cups heavy cream, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 tsp. instant coffee granules
Off heat, stir in the vanilla.
2 tsps. vanilla extract
Let the icing cool at room temperature until it is spreadable, about three hours or longer. If needed, refrigerate to speed up the process. The icing is quite soft, so spreading it too soon will cause it to slide off the cake. If it seems too thin, stir in confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a spreadable consistency (If you've waited long enough for the icing to thicken, this is likely unnecessary.)
confectioners' sugar
Spread 1 cup of icing all the way to the edges of the first cake layer. Top with the second layer and spread another cup of icing over it. Blob more icing on the sides, then spread evenly around the cake.

Notes

For optimal outcomes when making this old-fashioned chocolate cake with glossy chocolate icing, I recommend referring to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations.

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

© noblepig.com. All content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing this recipe is encouraged and appreciated, but copying and/or pasting the full recipe to social media or other platforms is strictly prohibited.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Glossy Chocolate Icing

Amount Per Serving (176 g)

Calories 554 Calories from Fat 257

% Daily Value*

Fat 28.5g44%

Saturated Fat 12.1g76%

Polyunsaturated Fat 5.4g

Monounsaturated Fat 9.2g

Cholesterol 49mg16%

Sodium 386mg17%

Potassium 221mg6%

Carbohydrates 76g25%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 51g57%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 148IU3%

Calcium 39mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Comments

5 from 19 votes