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    Home » Cakes » Layer Cakes

    Dalgona Coffee Chocolate Cake

    5 from 14 votes
    52 Comments

    Apr 17, 2020

    (updated Apr 15, 2022)

    by Kimberlee Ho

    Jump to Recipe
    Dalgona Coffee Chocolate Cake | kickassbaker.com pin for pinterest
    Dalgona Coffee Chocolate Cake | kickassbaker.com pin for pinterest with text
    Dalgona Coffee Chocolate Cake | kickassbaker.com pin for pinterest with text 2

    One of the best things to emerge out of the current pandemic (trying to look at the bright side here!) is the emergence of food trends. We are all spending the vast majority of our time at home, so those who like to experiment in the kitchen are taking this opportunity to do just that. And a lot of it! And I'm totally here for it.

    Along with bread baking, Dalgona Coffee has become a hot food trend. I've tried it and I love it and I'm currently trying to find all kinds of desserts in which to use it.

    And, so this beautiful Dalgona Coffee Chocolate Cake was born. And you're gonna love it, maybe even more than the trendy coffee drink itself!

    Coffee chocolate cake on a cake stand with dalgona coffee in front and flowers behind

    Please note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made by clicking the links in my post.

    What is Dalgona Coffee?

    Dalgona coffee is basically whipped, sweetened instant coffee.

    And its origins seem to be disputed, but it's fair to say Dalgona coffee has been around a lot longer than the current pandemic.

    It's seen a resurgence thanks to social media and boy, am I glad it's made its way into our lives!

    spooning a dollop of whipped coffee onto a mug of milk for dalgona coffee

    How to Make Dalgona Coffee

    Dalgona coffee is easy to make. It's equal parts instant coffee granules, granulated sugar and boiling water.

    Whip for a few minutes until silky, glossy peaks of whipped coffee form.

    Whipping the coffee can be done by hand or by mixer.

    A hand mixer is easiest because there isn't quite enough ingredients or volume for a stand mixer to really get in there and whip the coffee.

    What I recommend is to start whisking the Dalgona coffee by hand, then once the mixture has increased in volume, use the mixer to finish whipping the coffee.

    whipping dalgona coffee by hand

    If you do not own a mixer, you can whisk all the way by hand. It's a great arm workout, as it'll take about 3-4 minutes to achieve the beautiful, silky texture to the Dalgona coffee.

    whipped coffee

    How to make this Dalgona Chocolate recipe

    This chocolate coffee cake recipe is pretty darn easy to make. And, honestly, could there be anything greater than a Dalgona chocolate recipe?

    It's my basic chocolate cake recipe which I used to make these Sour Cream Fudge Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and these Halloween Spider Cupcakes.

    This is the best chocolate cake. It's moist and fudgy and simply perfect - all the best qualities you could ask for in a chocolate cake.

    Bake the cake in two 8-inch cake pans and allow them to cool. Then, whip the Dalgona coffee and mix into mascarpone whipped cream. Fill and frost your chocolate cakes and you're done!

    I am by no means a cake decorator. If you've been following along you've probably read my statement about this over and over again. I like to fill and frost as simply as possible.

    For this Dalgona coffee chocolate cake, the same frosting is used to fill the cake as it is to top the cake.

    Add a couple of chocolate shavings (my way of decorating cakes) and you've got yourself one fine chocolate cake.

    dalgona coffee chocolate cake on a cake stand with linen around and flowers behind

    Tips for Making Dalgona Coffee Chocolate Cake

    • To make the Dalgona coffee, I recommend you start out by whipping the ingredients together by hand then switch to a stand mixer or hand mixer. This will allow some volume to be created so the mixer can continue whipping. I have tried to whisk it straight away with the stand mixer and there was not enough volume in the bowl for the whisk to actually whisk everything together. Whisking the ingredients together by hand will take about a minute or so before you can begin whisking with the mixer
    • You'll know the Dalgona coffee is done when it's silky smooth and stiff peaks have formed. What this means is that when you lift the whisk out of the whipped coffee, the peaks hold their shape. If the peaks fall over, keep whisking for another minute or so
    • I recommend leveling the cake layers before filling, stacking and frosting them. This means removing the domed or rounded top of the cake. To do this, use a serrated knife or cake leveler. Hold it parallel to your countertop and saw across the top of the cake to remove just the domed top and create a flat surface. Don't worry if it's not perfect. This cake is not meant to be fussed over
    dalgona chocolate cake with slice on a plate in front and dalgona coffee to the side

    Like this recipe? Follow me on Pinterest for lots more recipes just like this one! And don’t forget to pin this recipe for later by clicking on one of the images below the recipe. Or, click on any of the images in this post to save to Pinterest.

    slicing into a dalgona coffee chocolate cake

    Looking for more Chocolate recipes? Give these a try:

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      One Bowl Chocolate Cake
    • Chocolate Sour Cream Fudge Cupcakes, single cupcake on plate cut in half with cupcakes on cake stand behind and flowers | kickassbaker.com
      Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
    • one chocolate cupcake with bite taken out
      Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes with Baileys Buttercream Frosting
    • chocolate mint brownie cups with chocolate shavings and chocolate ganache as garnish
      Chocolate Mint Brownie Cups
    digging into a slice of dalgona coffee chocolate cake with a fork

    FOR ALL MY FAVORITE BAKING TOOLS INCLUDING THOSE USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE, CHECK OUT MY BAKING RESOURCES PAGE!

    serving a slice of dalgona coffee chocolate cake

    Dalgona Coffee Chocolate Cake

    Adding silky, whipped Dalgona coffee to a fudgy chocolate cake is even better and more delicious than the coffee drink itself!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Course: All Recipes, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 14 slices
    Calories: 373kcal
    Author: Kimberlee Ho
    US Customary - Metric

    Ingredients

    Chocolate Cake

    • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 cup brewed coffee, hot
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup light brown sugar packed
    • 3 large eggs room temperature
    • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

    Dalgona Coffee Filling and Frosting

    • ¼ cup instant coffee granules
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ¼ cup boiling water
    • ½ cup mascarpone cheese stirred until smooth
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    Prepare Chocolate Cake:

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Sprinkle about ½  tablespoon of flour in each pan, tapping the sides of the pan while tilting it slowly in a circle to spread the flour evenly over the butter. Tip the pans over the sink, one at a time, to tap out any excess flour. Set aside
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, brewed coffee, sour cream, and vanilla to make a shiny fudge. Set aside.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and shiny, about 2-3 minutes.
    • Add the granulated and brown sugars and continue beating until fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the fudge mixture, scraping down the bowl with a spatula several times as you go.
    • Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 25 - 28 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes should come out clean when they are done. If there’s batter on the toothpick, continue baking for a few minutes more until it comes out clean.
    • Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes before turning them out on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

    Prepare Dalgona Coffee Frosting:

    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the instant coffee, sugar and boiling water. Whisk by hand for 30-60 seconds until the mixture begins to thicken a little and get frothy and has increased in volume.
    • Switch to whisking with the stand mixer using the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium to high speed for a few minutes until stiff peaks form and the coffee is a light brown color.
    • Scrape gently into a clean bowl and set aside. Wipe out the mixing bowl and add to it the mascarpone, heavy cream and powdered sugar.
    • Whisk, starting on low speed and gradually increase speed, until mixture is light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
    • With the mixer off, scrape the whipped Dalgona coffee into the whipped mascarpone and whisk on medium speed for 30-60 seconds to combine evenly.

    Fill and Frost the Cake:

    • Be sure the cakes have cooled completely before filling and frosting.
    • Level both cakes by trimming the domed top off with a serrated knife or with a cake leveler. 
    • Frost one layer with about ½ the Dalgona coffee frosting.
    • Top with the second cake layer and frost the top with the remaining coffee frosting.
    • Garnish with chocolate shavings and serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.3g | Protein: 5.4g | Fat: 22.2g | Saturated Fat: 13.4g | Cholesterol: 95.6mg | Sodium: 311.6mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 27.2g
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @kickassbaker on Instagram so I can see!
    Dalgona Coffee Chocolate Cake | kickassbaker.com pin for pinterest with text

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    Filed Under

    Frostings & GlazesLayer CakesIntermediateChocolateCoffee
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      Comments

    1. Chin Yi

      April 21, 2020 at 1:34 am

      Hi, this looks amazing! How do I adapt the recipe to make only 1 layer of the cake and frosting in a 8 inch pan? Thanks 🙂

      Reply
      • Kim

        April 21, 2020 at 2:24 pm

        Thank you so much! I bake two cakes in two 8-inch pans so you can cut the recipe in half for both the cake and the frosting and that should be perfect for 1 8-inch round cake.

        Reply
      • Vicki

        May 14, 2021 at 6:01 am

        Hi, what can i use as substitute for the mascarpone?

        Reply
        • Kim

          May 14, 2021 at 8:55 pm

          Try cream cheese (brick-style, not whipped)!

          Reply
    2. May

      April 23, 2020 at 8:17 pm

      5 stars
      It was such a decadent cake... although we are not big fans of coffee. Very easy to follow recipe. 2 disaster for me though - the mascarpone mixture was lumpy ( did I over-whisk it?)
      2) the chocolate cake was very dense. Was it meant to be? It looked fluffy from your pix... nonetheless we loved it!

      Reply
      • Kim

        April 24, 2020 at 12:28 pm

        I'm so glad you loved it! Perhaps the mascarpone was overwhipped... And yes the chocolate cake is supposed to be lighter and fluffier - try measuring your flour and cocoa powder with the scoop and level technique to ensure there's not too much added (if you don't already do this!)

        Reply
    3. Aimee

      April 29, 2020 at 7:25 pm

      I just got into the dalgona coffee craze so I can’t wait to make this cake! I don’t have 8 inch pans, only 9 inch. Do you think this will result in a much flatter cake?

      Reply
      • Kim

        April 29, 2020 at 7:47 pm

        9 inches will work just fine! The cakes will be slightly less tall than the ones I show in the photos, but they'll work great. I've made this cake in 9-inch pans and it was terrific. Good luck!

        Reply
    4. kelly

      May 03, 2020 at 8:01 am

      hi!! what if i do not have sour cream? what can i substitute with?:-)

      Reply
      • Kim

        May 03, 2020 at 2:27 pm

        hi! you can use plain yogurt as a substitute.

        Reply
    5. Lisa

      May 12, 2020 at 12:48 am

      What can I substitute for mascarpone cheese?

      Reply
      • Kim

        May 12, 2020 at 3:36 pm

        you can substitute cream cheese for the mascarpone or leave it out and just do a whipped cream frosting with the dalgona coffee.

        Reply
    6. B

      May 12, 2020 at 5:32 pm

      5 stars
      This looks DELICIOUS! I've forwarded this to my wife to make. Need to pair it with some dalgona coffee too. Can never have too much!

      Reply
    7. marisa peralta

      May 13, 2020 at 12:18 pm

      Hi, I tried the dalgona frosting recipe substituting mascarpone for cream cheese and sour cream for yogurt and it came out really soft. It didn't work out for me.

      Reply
      • Kim

        May 13, 2020 at 1:40 pm

        I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out for you with those substitutions. I hope you're able to get the ingredients in the recipe and try it again!

        Reply
        • marisa peralta

          May 13, 2020 at 1:54 pm

          I think 2 factors didn't work out for me....I live in a tropical country, so these type of recipes usually don't work. I had to substitute with yogurt because on the first try the sour cream didn't work. And I had to take all of the frosting out because it tasted sour after 2 hours of being refrigerated. So, it didn't work out for me at all, but it looked great.

          Reply
          • Kim

            May 13, 2020 at 8:20 pm

            Ah yeah I see! I'd be interested to hear if you find alternatives that do work for where you live. Good luck!

            Reply
    8. Karin Cody

      May 13, 2020 at 2:28 pm

      I am about to make this cake and wondered if I can substitute the sour cream with buttermilk?

      Also, my 8" pans are not as tall as the ones you use. Should I made some muffins with a little of the leftover batter perhaps?

      Reply
      • Kim

        May 13, 2020 at 3:13 pm

        You can user buttermilk in place of the sour cream - since the recipe calls for 1/2 cup sour cream, I'd try using 1/3 cup buttermilk plus 2 tablespoons of softened butter. Since the buttermilk is more liquidy than the sour cream, you'll need to make up for that with the addition of the butter.

        Yes! You can certainly make some cupcakes using the leftover batter! I have used this recipe for cupcakes many times.

        Reply
    9. Janet

      May 15, 2020 at 5:45 pm

      Ooohhh, I just found my husband’s birthday cake...is it June yet🤣

      Reply
      • Kim

        May 15, 2020 at 7:15 pm

        awesome! he's gonna love it 🙂

        Reply
    10. Karin Cody

      May 15, 2020 at 7:19 pm

      5 stars
      Best cake EVER!!!
      I made this on Wednesday for my girlfriend's 60th birthday. Oh, my....it was the best chocolate cake I've ever made. My husband loved it too. For his birthday in 3 weeks, he wants the chocolate cake with german chocolate icing.
      Can do...and will do!
      Thank you, Kim, for this amazing recipe!

      Reply
      • Kim

        May 16, 2020 at 9:36 am

        I'm so happy to hear this Karin! I'd love your recipe for German Chocolate icing 😉

        Reply
        • Karin

          May 16, 2020 at 6:04 pm

          Absolutely. Where should I send it?

          Reply
    11. Sarika Nautiyal

      May 18, 2020 at 7:03 am

      Kindly suggest .. if I prepare the frosting with only coffee sugar n hot water , will it come out well for frosting or not

      Reply
      • Kim

        May 18, 2020 at 3:35 pm

        I've never tried it that way, so I can't say for sure.

        Reply
    12. vera

      May 30, 2020 at 6:56 am

      hi this looks amazing can I use instant espresso for the frosting ????

      Reply
      • Kim

        June 01, 2020 at 11:45 am

        I don't see why not! Give it a go 🙂

        Reply
    13. Janet

      June 19, 2020 at 4:42 pm

      I baked off these cakes last weekend and have them freezing for Sunday as a father's day treat. I use a scale to measure my ingredients. I was a bit surprised as appearances go I think it may be denser than it should. Either way the batter tasted amazing so I am sure we will enjoy.I am excited about the prospect of the frosting, coffee, mascarpone and sugar, can't go wrong!

      Reply
      • Kim

        June 21, 2020 at 7:57 pm

        I hope it turned out well, Janet!

        Reply
        • Claire

          November 14, 2021 at 12:44 pm

          Kim, I tried making Whipped Dalgona mixed with Cream Cheese & Icing sugar, the whipped Dalgona collapse and become watery. Why is that so ? May I know is your recipe for the Dalgona Frosting.. can it last for one hour after removing the cake from the fridge? I tried applying Whipped Dalgona onto my cake, but the cake become soggy as the Dalgona melts overtime turns Coffee in liquid.

          Is your Dalgona frosting able to stabilize the Dalgona Foam ? appreciate your advise.. Thanks

          Reply
          • Kim

            November 22, 2021 at 7:56 pm

            Hi Claire, I wonder if perhaps the Dalgona wasn't whipped long enough. It should retain it's shape and it shouldn't melt into the cake like that. I would try whipping it longer then making sure that the heavy cream and mascarpone are also whipped into stiff peaks. Good luck!

            Reply
    14. reina

      July 06, 2020 at 11:34 pm

      will the cake be lighter if i use cake flour instead of all purpose?

      Reply
      • Kim

        July 07, 2020 at 12:34 pm

        Yep!

        Reply
    15. Saloni Sheth

      July 09, 2020 at 8:41 pm

      Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose? Does it change anything else for the recipe?

      Reply
      • Kim

        July 10, 2020 at 10:32 am

        I have not personally done this in this recipe, however, in general, you can substitute whole wheat for some of the all-purpose with no change to the recipe. If you wish to substitute all the all-purpose for whole-wheat, you may want to substitute 7/8 a cup of WW per 1 cup of AP flour. Good luck!

        Reply
    16. Zaidi

      August 08, 2020 at 9:58 am

      5 stars
      Excellent ! Loved it and made it for my 6th Wedding Anniversary!! Thank you for your kickass recipe !

      Reply
      • Kim

        August 08, 2020 at 1:16 pm

        Ahhh I'm so happy to hear this! And honored that you made this cake for your anniversary! Happy anniversary to you and your spouse!!

        Reply
    17. Maria Paula

      August 16, 2020 at 4:04 pm

      5 stars
      I did the cake two times. First time turned out perfect! ( beginners luck? ) second time..was a disaster .. . Although I used a different oven, the tooth picked came out clean when out of oven. , but was a disaster when unfolding the cakes when I was gonna put them on the wire rack. ...when I was trying to see what did I do wrong or different from first time I found something confusing:: recipe says let the 2 cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes before turning them down on a wire rack. Then on step 4 says to take them out from the pan .. so when was I supposed to remove them from the pan? After 10 minutes or after ? Thanks

      Reply
      • Kim

        August 16, 2020 at 4:15 pm

        Hi Maria! You're right, that instruction was confusing. I have updated the recipe (thank you for pointing that out!). I recommend allowing the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes then removing and placing on wire racks to cool completely before leveling the cakes then filling and frosting them. I hope that helps and I hope the cake comes out better for you next time!

        Reply
    18. Lucas Martin

      November 11, 2020 at 2:16 am

      Delicious recipe! I'm a coffee lover and like to experiment with coffee to make delicious things. Thank you for sharing the delicious recipe of "Dalgona coffee chocolate cake". Thank you for all the detailed instructions.

      Reply
      • Kim

        November 11, 2020 at 7:51 pm

        So happy you like it!

        Reply
    19. Victoria

      November 13, 2020 at 1:54 am

      Can I make this recipe ahead of time? How long can I store in the refrigerator before it should be served?

      Reply
      • Kim

        November 13, 2020 at 7:19 pm

        Yes for sure! I'd recommend storing the cake unassembled in the fridge if you're making it ahead of time. Wrap each (completely cool) cake layer tightly in plastic wrap and store the frosting covered in a separate container. You can whisk the frosting a bit with a mixer after removing it from the fridge if it needs it. Then assemble and serve

        Reply
    20. Lauren

      November 24, 2020 at 11:13 pm

      Hi, how long will the frosting hold up?

      Reply
      • Kim

        November 25, 2020 at 3:22 pm

        Hi Lauren! It'll hold up about 3 days from my experience. Good luck!

        Reply
    21. Shayna

      March 05, 2022 at 7:59 pm

      Tried this cake out for my husbands bday! Was a little confused by cake instructions. Specifically step 4. Says add granulated and brown sugar but no measurement in cake ingredients for granulated sugar. What should the measurement be?
      Other than that it seemed to turn out great!

      Reply
      • Kimberlee Ho

        March 06, 2022 at 4:44 pm

        The instructions have been updated - I appreciate you letting me know! We recently went through a change and some data gt lost, unfortunately. The sugar measurement is 1 cup.

        Reply
        • Shayna E

          March 13, 2022 at 3:29 pm

          5 stars
          Thank you so much !! The cake was absolutely delicious either way 😊

          Reply
          • Kimberlee Ho

            March 14, 2022 at 12:20 pm

            Wonderful to hear!

            Reply
    22. Veronika

      March 16, 2023 at 10:45 am

      Hi, I totally enjoyed backing the recipe. The Dalgona is a magic! Unfortunately, our Dalgona was SOOOOO sour :D. And when I added just a fifth of it into the mascarpone cream, it also became SOOO intense :D. Thining how to improve it. Or when frosted on the cake, it will be the right taste together? Honestly, I am a little bit scared to put it on top. Oh and btw, I was using metric measures.

      Reply
      • Kimberlee Ho

        March 19, 2023 at 12:39 pm

        I'm sorry to hear it was so sour for you! This hasn't been my experience. I wonder if it could be the type of coffee you're using? More mascarpone will definitely balance out the flavor so I wouldn't be afraid of adding all the cream.

        Reply

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