Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

This chocolate mayonnaise cake (yes, you heard that right) gives you a deep, moist, and flavourful cake that stays fresh so much longer than using butter or oil. 

You don’t taste the mayonnaise at all but the tanginess really brings out the rich chocolate flavour and balances out the sweetness.  You’ll never make chocolate cake any other way again.

Try my gluten-free chocolate cake or these luscious chocolate almond flour cupcakes for more chocolatey treats.

Ingredients

You'll need a few pantry staples to make this recipe. Chances are you already have a bunch at home:

• Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder for a deep chocolate flavor. Dutch-process cocoa will give a richer taste.
• Espresso powder or instant coffee: Brings out the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. You can leave it out if you like.
• Baking soda: Check your batch is fresh.
• Granulated sugar: For a slightly deeper flavor, light brown sugar can replace part of the granulated sugar.
• Mayonnaise: Made from eggs and oil, it replaces traditional butter and eggs in this recipe, adding richness without making the cake taste like mayo. Use full-fat mayonnaise for the best texture (not salad dressing).
• Vanilla extract: Rounds out the chocolate flavors.
• All-purpose flour: Measure correctly by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off—too much flour can make the cake dense.
• Chocolate frosting or powdered sugar: Choose a rich chocolate frosting for a decadent finish, or keep it simple with a light dusting of powdered sugar.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

I'm kind of obsessed with this recipe. You won't even need a stand mixer to make it. Here's what to do:

1. Step 1: Mix cocoa powder, instant coffee, and hot water in a large bowl.

2. Step 2: Whisk in baking soda, salt, sugar, mayonnaise, and vanilla until smooth.

3. Step 3: Stir in flour until just combined.

4. Step 4: Pour batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness.

5. Step 5: Cool completely before adding frosting or powdered sugar.

6. Step 6: Enjoy!

Hint: I love to bake this cake in a glass dish like this one from Pyrex. Baking in glass lets you see the pretty layers of sponge and frosting.

Variations

This recipe is kind of perfect. Having said that, here are 2 ways to change it up:

• Spiced chocolate mayonnaise cake: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper for a hint of spice. Stir in mini chocolate chips for extra richness. Frost with Mexican chocolate ganache or serve with whipped cream.
• Orange chocolate mayonnaise cake: Replace vanilla with 1 teaspoon orange extract or zest of one orange. Swap hot water for fresh orange juice for a citrusy twist. Garnish with chocolate shavings and candied orange peel.

Equipment

• 9x13 cake or baking pan
• Cooking spray
• Whisk

Storage

Store leftovers, covered, at room temperature for up to 4 days.  You can also store in the fridge for up to a week. 

This cake will freeze well, frosted or unfrosted, for 2-3 months.

Related

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Recipe

Mayonnaise Cake

Soft, perfectly moist, and beyond easy to make, my mayonnaise cake is the perfect everyday recipe.

Print Pin Rate

Course: cake

Cuisine: American

Keyword: mayonnaise cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 1kcal

Equipment

• 9x13 cake or baking pan
• cooking spray
• whisk

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup 3oz, 80g cocoa powder (plus a teaspoon or two for the pan)
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee
• 1 cup 8fl.oz, 250ml hot water
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup 7oz, 200g granulated sugar
• 1 cup 8fl.oz, 250ml mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups 10.6oz, 300g all purpose flour
• 2-3 cups chocolate frosting or 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray a 9x13 cake pan with cooking spray and sprinkle the pan with a teaspoon of cocoa powder.
• In a large mixing bowl whisk together the cocoa powder, instant coffee and hot water.
• Add the baking soda, salt, sugar, mayonnaise and vanilla.  Whisk the mixture until it is smooth.
• Add the flour and stir until it is just mixed in.
• Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth it out so that it is even in the pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Use a toothpick to check that the middle is baked through.
• Cool completely in the pan before topping with frosting or powdered sugar.  Enjoy.

Notes

Store leftovers, covered, at room temperature for up to 4 days.  You can also store in the fridge for up to a week. 

You can freeze this cake for up to 3 months either whole or cut into slices.  Place in an airtight container for extra freshness. 

Thaw at room temperature when you are ready to serve. 

The sprinkling of cocoa powder in the pan is optional but it really helps release the cake when you are serving it.  Also, cooking spray can leave a yellowish hue on a chocolate cake, the use of cocoa powder will stop the yellowing from occurring. 

Do not over-mix this cake.  You want the flour to be just mixed in and then stop stirring.  Too much mixing can lead to a dense cake.  It will still taste amazing, it just won’t be as fluffy.  

Be sure to use real mayonnaise not the salad dressing version.  You will also need the full fat version, not the low calorie one.  The fat content is needed to help the cake rise and stay moist.

Nutrition

Calories: 1kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.04g | Sodium: 231mg | Potassium: 1mg | Sugar: 0.04g | Calcium: 0.1mg

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