This Homemade Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake uses mayo instead of eggs and oil to make it so moist. Topped with a homemade brown sugar frosting!
AN OLD-FASHIONED CAKE RECIPE
This cake should never, ever be forgotten or lost to recipe history. It's an old school recipe that doesn't require eggs or oil. That's where the mayonnaise comes in. I mean, that's what mayonnaise is; eggs and oil. It makes this cake SO incredibly moist. If you need a go-to homemade chocolate cake, this is it! And it is all topped off with the most delicious homemade brown sugar frosting. Perfection!
DO I NEED TO ADD COFFEE TO CHOCOLATE CAKE?
You don't taste the coffee in this. It just accentuates and deepens the chocolate flavor. I learned that little trick from Ina Garten and it really does work. If you don't keep coffee around, no worries, just leave it out. You'll still have a moist and yummy chocolate cake!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- all-purpose flour
- sugar
- unsweetened baking cocoa
- baking soda
- water
- mayonnaise
- vanilla extract
- brewed coffee
- brown sugar
- butter
- milk
- powdered sugar
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE MAYONNAISE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Spray a 9x9-inch square pan with nonstick baking spray. I like the kind of nonstick spray that has flour in it. It makes removal so much easier.
In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking cocoa and baking soda.)
In a separate bowl, whisk together water, mayonnaise, vanilla extract and coffee.
You just want to use plain, brewed coffee - no additional milk or sugar added. If you don't have coffee, just skip this step.
Now, slowly add the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients.
Stir just until combined. It may be a little lumpy but that's okay. You don't want to over-stir (it makes the cake tough.)
Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake for about 30-35 minutes (until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.)
Once the cake is finished, start preparing the frosting.
In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine brown sugar and butter and cook until bubbly. Be sure to whisk constantly so it doesn't burn.
Take off the heat and stir in the milk. Then gradually add in powdered sugar.
Whisk until smooth.
Now, frost the cake! Note: The cake doesn't have to be cooled completely to top with this frosting. Work quickly. The frosting hardens fast as it cools.
Slice and serve.
I just sprinkled a few chocolate chips to each serving just to make it pretty.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES? THESE ARE A MUST-TRY!
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake (+Video)
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 Tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons brewed coffee, black
For the frosting:
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 2 cups powdered sugar loosely packed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9x9-inch square pan with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking cocoa and baking soda)
- In a separate bowl, whisk together water, mayonnaise, vanilla extract and coffee. You just want to use plain, brewed coffee - no additional milk or sugar added.
- Slowly add the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Stir just until combined.
- Pour into prepared baking dish.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes (until a toothpick inserted comes out clean).
- Once the cake is finished, start preparing the frosting. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine brown sugar and butter and cook until bubbly. Be sure to whisk constantly so it doesn't burn.
- Take off the heat and stir in the milk.
- Then gradually add in powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth.
- Frost the cake!
Video
Notes
- The cake doesn't have to be cooled completely to top with this frosting. Work quickly. The frosting hardens fast as it cools.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: March 2015
Updated & republished: September 2020
Nate
I just made this and WOW! Absolutely delicious and honestly the best chocolate cake I've personally made on my baking journey. I made my four tablespoons of cocoa generous scoops and I added a little bit of brown sugar to the batter as well as a pinch of salt. Other than that I followed the recipe, including the icing, and it really is delicious.
Well worth the time and I thank you for sharing. I look forward to sharing this cake with friends and family.
Jackie
should the coffee be cold or can i be fresh and hot? thank you! 🙂
Karla
I'm not a huge chocolate cake fan, but something about the picture and description of this cake really made me want to try it. It was super-easy to put together, very moist and really delicious!
Robbin Sigmon
Sounds amazing . Thanks
Susan Davis
As a point of comparison, can you tell us how much flour the 9 x 13” pan recipe requires? I made this a lot for my family starting at a pre-teen age. Even became a home ec teacher! (Remember those days?) I love to bake and love to share.
Rachel Parten
All of your receipts are great. Thanks
Flo Burton
I have a similar recipe but it makes a 9x13 cake. Thank you for posting this for a 9x9 pan. Just the right size for two or three people. I have been making this cake for over 60 years. YUM!
Anah
This is so good! Thank you for sharing it with us.
Pris
Now THIS is a chocolate cake to me! Granted, I took the liberty of swapping out 1/2 cup of the flour for 1/2 cup of cocoa powder instead because I felt it might not be as deep a chocolate flavour as I was craving. I like my chocolate cakes nearly black inside - none of this moderately brown nonsense, haha. And that's what I got! Love it.
My one question is, is there a little something I could add to make it even more moist? Or maybe even add more mayo? (This could totally be my fault for playing with the flour/cocoa ratio, and I'm ok with that!) I'm at a high altitude in a very dry climate, so, unfortunately, lack of moisture is an issue around here.
Thanks for the lovely recipe! Next time I'll make it with the frosting, which my hubby loooves.
Barbara Younger
I scaled this up to 200 servings and prepared it for our soup kitchen and it was as easy to make as it was delicious. Using the mayo is cheaper and less work than using eggs and oil. We also have limited time to prepare desserts, and this type of frosting can be put onto the cake when it's still warm, which is a huge help. This is a terrific recipe and will be in our regular rotation.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Wow. Wow. Wow. How amazing are you Barbara!? First, I just want to say thank you for your service to others. There is nothing more important in this world than to be of service to our fellow humans. Secondly, I am thrilled you made this homemade recipe - and for 200 people!! I am in awe! Thank you so very much for taking the time to come back here to comment. It really means so much!
Phyllis Volz
I make this cake at least once a month we love it. I made a change and instead of using the water I use a cup of black brewed coffee and it's so moist and brings out the taste of the chocolate even more. It's a great recipe and i'm glad that I found a smaller recipe for it because the full 2 8 inch cake recipe is just too much for just the two of us all at one time.
Monica
I make this with either Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip, educed I have the most of. My husband loves Miracle Whip & I prefer Mayo in everyday foods. I must admit I prefer Miracle Whip in the cake! Either way, this cane is THE BEST!
Misa DeHart
I made this cake day for the first time as cupcakes. Same temp for about 28 min. They turned out great! The frosting not so much! We only had dark brown sugar tho -and it was not smooth at all. Tasted great though. Any ideas why?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hey Lisa! Glad you enjoyed the flavor! I am thinking it was the extra molasses in the dark brown sugar. Light brown isn't as heavy on the molasses. The frosting is supposed to set up and have almost a toffee-like texture but it should be smooth and not clumpy. 🙂
Sharon D Johnson
Made it and we all LOVED it!! Best chocolate cake ever!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Sharon! Yes, I would just double the ingredients. You'll just have to play with the baking time a bit. I've never done it myself so I can't give you an exact time on that. 🙂
Isaiah Miller
Good, but the frosting was practically unreadable. I had to double the amount of milk to make it spreadable. Most people who tried the cake said it was delicious.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Isaiah, thanks for commenting. It's definitely one of those frostings that you have to put on the cake while it is still warm so it will spread easier.
Jane
I will admit - I had my doubts. Let's face it, mayo isn't exactly the first thing you think of when making something sweet but ...it just works! I whipped up this cake in no time - big plus - and it tastes heavenly! Great recipe to have for those times you need something quick! I can see myself making this many more times to come lol
Kaye D
I have a question. Can you use "Light" Mayonnaise to make this cake?? I am dying to try this and all I have in the house is the light mayo.
If someone can email me the answer that would be great.
I am pleased that you use coffee in this cake, coffee really brings out the chocolate flavor!!
Thanks!!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I would not use light mayo. You actually need the oils in regular mayo to make this moist 🙂
Margie
My Mother (god rest her soul) made this cake for me for my birthday every year since I was 3-4 yrs. old!
My FAVORITE cake!!!
Super Moist & Indescribably Delicious!!!!!
No other cake in this world can compare to the beautiful taste and moistness of this cake!!
Sometimes Mom would use a homemade buttercream frosting. Either way - DELICIOUS!!!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Margie - what a precious memory! And what an amazing Momma!!!
Tonya
I have made this cake all my life. Made it in Home Ec class way back in 1974. It is amazing.