The Ultimate Moist Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake: A Timeless Recipe for Decadent Dessert
Step into a world of classic indulgence with this exquisite Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake. Far more than just an old-fashioned treat, this recipe unveils the secret to baking a remarkably soft, incredibly fluffy, and intensely moisture-rich chocolate cake without needing traditional oil or butter. It’s truly the perfect canvas for a luxurious, thick, and sweet layer of homemade chocolate frosting, promising a deeply satisfying experience for every chocolate lover. Prepare to rediscover a beloved baking method that delivers exceptional results, ensuring your cake is not only tender and moist but also bursting with rich cocoa flavor.
Why This Old-Fashioned Mayonnaise Cake Recipe is a Must-Try
Are you tired of dry, crumbly, or dense cakes that leave you underwhelmed? This chocolate mayonnaise cake recipe is your answer. It harnesses the power of a time-tested “secret ingredient” – mayonnaise – to transform your baking experience. This seemingly unconventional addition results in an incredibly moist, wonderfully rich, and decadently flavored chocolate cake that stands head and shoulders above many traditional recipes.
The magic of mayonnaise in baking isn’t a new phenomenon; it’s a culinary hack that gained popularity during the Great Depression in the 1930s, when ingredients like butter and eggs were scarce or expensive. Bakers discovered that mayonnaise, essentially an emulsion of oil, egg yolks, and vinegar (or lemon juice), provides all the necessary fats and binders that a cake needs. When incorporated into the batter, mayonnaise acts as a triple threat:
- Unmatched Moisture: The high oil content in mayonnaise delivers an extraordinary level of moisture, making the cake unbelievably tender and preventing it from drying out, even days after baking. Unlike solid fats, mayonnaise disperses evenly, ensuring every crumb is infused with moisture.
- Richness and Flavor Depth: Mayonnaise contributes a subtle tang from the vinegar and the richness of egg yolks, which surprisingly enhances the overall chocolate flavor without imparting any noticeable mayonnaise taste. Instead, it deepens the cocoa notes, creating a more complex and satisfying profile.
- Fluffy Texture: The emulsified nature of mayonnaise helps create a finer crumb structure, leading to a softer, fluffier cake that practically melts in your mouth. It helps trap air during mixing, contributing to a light and airy texture.
By simply swapping out traditional butter or oil for mayonnaise, you unlock a superior texture and flavor profile. This makes our chocolate mayonnaise cake not just a delicious dessert but a testament to clever, resourceful baking that has delighted generations. Get ready to impress with a cake that redefines moist and decadent.
Essential Ingredients for Your Mayonnaise Cake
Crafting this incredible chocolate mayonnaise cake requires a few simple, everyday ingredients that come together to create something truly special. For precise measurements and the full set of instructions, please refer to the printable recipe card conveniently located at the end of this article. Always start with quality ingredients to ensure the best possible flavor and texture for your homemade treat.
Ingredient Spotlight & Smart Substitutions
For the Moist Chocolate Cake:
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundational dry ingredient providing structure. Sifting your flour can help ensure a lighter, lump-free batter.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This is where the rich chocolate flavor comes from. We recommend using a good quality natural unsweetened cocoa powder for the best depth of flavor. If you only have Dutch-processed, it will work, but the final flavor might be slightly milder.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake and aids in moisture retention, contributing to that tender crumb.
- Baking Soda: Our primary leavening agent. It reacts with the acidic components in the cocoa powder, mayonnaise, and milk (especially buttermilk if substituted) to create carbon dioxide, giving the cake its rise and fluffy texture.
- Salt: A crucial flavor enhancer that balances the sweetness and brings out the deep chocolate notes. Don’t skip it!
- Whole Milk: Provides essential moisture and helps create a tender, cohesive crumb. We’ve found whole milk yields the richest result, but you can successfully substitute with buttermilk for an even tangier depth of flavor and enhanced moisture, or 2% milk if that’s what you have on hand.
- Large Eggs (at room temperature): Eggs play a vital role in binding the ingredients, adding richness, and contributing to the cake’s structure and rise. While this recipe is incredibly forgiving, our testing shows that including eggs helps achieve a perfectly domed, consistently fluffy cake. If you choose to omit them (perhaps due to dietary restrictions or availability), the cake will still be moist and delicious, but it might have a slightly more recessed center and a slightly denser texture.
- Mayonnaise: The star ingredient! Use a good quality, full-fat mayonnaise. This is paramount for achieving the signature moisture and richness. Low-fat or “light” versions simply do not contain the same fat content necessary to impart the desired texture and moistness, and we do not recommend them for this recipe. Real mayonnaise replaces both the oil/butter and a portion of the eggs typically found in cake recipes, creating an incredibly tender, almost custardy crumb. Rest assured, your cake will not taste like mayonnaise!
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the chocolate flavor and adds a warm, aromatic note. Pure vanilla extract is always preferred for the best taste.
- Hot Water: A secret weapon for chocolate cakes! Hot water helps to “bloom” the cocoa powder, intensifying its flavor and creating a deeper, darker chocolate profile. It also helps to thin the thick batter to the perfect consistency.
For the Decadent Chocolate Frosting:
- Salted Butter (softened): Provides the creamy base for our frosting. Using salted butter beautifully balances the sweetness of the powdered sugar. Ensure it’s softened to room temperature for a smooth, lump-free frosting.
- Vanilla Extract: Complements the chocolate and adds another layer of flavor.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: For intense chocolate flavor in the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar (confectioners’ sugar): Essential for a smooth, thick frosting texture. Sifting can prevent lumps.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Adds richness and helps achieve that luscious, fluffy consistency. You might adjust the amount slightly to reach your desired thickness.
Frosting Quantity & Alternatives: This recipe calls for a generous amount of frosting, designed to give you that wonderfully thick, luscious layer. If you prefer a thinner topping or are looking to reduce the sweetness slightly, you can certainly halve the frosting recipe; you’ll still have ample to cover the cake. Not a traditional chocolate-on-chocolate fan? Feel free to get creative with other delicious frosting options! Our favorite alternatives include a tangy cream cheese frosting, a classic, smooth vanilla buttercream, or even a rich peanut butter frosting, inspired by our fudge brownies recipe, for an irresistible flavor combination.
How to Bake the Perfect Mayonnaise Cake
These step-by-step photos and detailed instructions are designed to guide you visually through the process of making this delightful cake. For a convenient printable version of the complete recipe, including all precise measurements, simply Jump to Recipe at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare Your Baking Dish: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Take a 13×9 inch baking dish and generously spray it with a nonstick cooking spray. Ensuring your pan is well-greased is key to easy cake removal later. Set this prepared dish aside.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisking thoroughly ensures all ingredients are evenly distributed, preventing pockets of unmixed leavening or salt, which is crucial for uniform rise and flavor.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the whole milk, room temperature large eggs, mayonnaise, and vanilla extract. Whisk these wet ingredients together until they are well blended and smooth. The mayonnaise will create a creamy, emulsified base for your cake.
- Combine & Add Hot Water: Gradually begin incorporating the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. At this stage, the mixture will be quite thick and somewhat stiff – this is perfectly normal. Next, slowly and carefully pour the hot water over the mixture as you continue to stir. The batter will visibly transform, becoming wonderfully smooth and a rich, uniform consistency. Continue mixing until just combined; overmixing can lead to a tougher cake.
EXPERT TIP: Blooming Cocoa with Hot Water – Using hot water in chocolate cake batter is a classic technique. It serves two crucial purposes: first, it helps to dissolve and fully hydrate the dry ingredients, ensuring a smooth batter. More importantly, the heat helps to “bloom” the cocoa powder, releasing its full, deep chocolate flavor and aroma. This step is essential for an intensely chocolatey cake.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the luscious chocolate cake batter evenly into your prepared 13×9 baking dish. Use a spatula to spread it gently to the edges.
- Bake Until Done: Place the baking dish into your preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a wooden toothpick into the very center of the cake. It should come out with a few moist crumbs attached, but not wet batter. Avoid overbaking, as this can dry out the cake.
- Cool Completely: This step is critical! Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before attempting to frost it. Attempting to frost a warm cake will result in melted frosting and a messy presentation. Patience here will be rewarded!
- Prepare the Chocolate Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened salted butter, vanilla extract, and unsweetened cocoa powder until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Next, alternately add the powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream, beating after each addition, until all ingredients are fully incorporated. Continue to beat until the frosting is wonderfully smooth, light, and fluffy, reaching your desired consistency.
- Frost & Serve: Once the cake is completely cool, spread your magnificent chocolate frosting generously over the entire surface. You can use an offset spatula to create beautiful swirls or a smooth, even layer. Cut the frosted cake into neat squares and serve this delightful, moist chocolate mayonnaise cake to rave reviews!
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips for Mayonnaise Cake
While mayonnaise itself contains eggs, adding additional eggs to this recipe is recommended for optimal results, though not strictly required. Through extensive testing, we’ve observed that the two large eggs specified in this recipe significantly contribute to the cake’s light, fluffy texture and help maintain an even, consistent rise across the entire surface. When eggs were omitted, the cake still emerged moist and flavorful, but it tended to have a slightly recessed center and a denser crumb. So, if you’re aiming for that perfectly airy and level cake, keep the eggs in! However, if you need to skip them for dietary reasons or don’t have them on hand, you’ll still achieve a delicious and moist cake, albeit with a minor alteration in appearance and texture.
Mayonnaise is a truly remarkable “secret ingredient” in baking, primarily because it’s an emulsion packed with fat, eggs, and a touch of acid (usually vinegar or lemon juice). When substituted for traditional fats like oil or butter, it performs several key functions: it infuses the cake with incredible moisture, ensuring a tender, soft crumb that stays fresh longer. It also adds a depth of richness and helps emulsify the batter, leading to a finer, more uniform texture. Crucially, no, your cake will absolutely not taste like mayonnaise! The flavors meld and transform during baking, with the mayonnaise simply providing a neutral fat and binder. For the best results, always use real, full-fat mayonnaise. Low-fat or “light” versions often contain more water and less fat, which will compromise the cake’s desired moistness and texture significantly.
Proper storage is key to enjoying your moist chocolate mayonnaise cake for as long as possible. If frosted with our recommended chocolate frosting, you can store the cake covered with an airtight lid or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. This keeps the frosting firm and the cake fresh. Alternatively, for slightly shorter enjoyment, the cake can be left covered on the countertop at room temperature for up to 3 days, especially if your kitchen isn’t too warm. Always ensure it’s well-sealed to prevent it from drying out.
Absolutely! Chocolate mayonnaise cake freezes beautifully, making it an excellent option for meal prepping desserts or saving for a special occasion. To freeze, first ensure the cake has completely cooled to room temperature. You can freeze it either frosted or unfrosted. For best results, wrap the entire cake or individual slices tightly with several layers of plastic wrap, then an additional layer of aluminum foil. This double-layer protection helps prevent freezer burn. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator (if frosted) or at room temperature (if unfrosted) before serving.
Yes, this versatile chocolate mayonnaise cake recipe can easily be adapted for cupcakes! Simply line a cupcake tin with paper liners and fill each about two-thirds full with batter. The baking time will be significantly shorter, usually around 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with moist crumbs. Keep a close eye on them to prevent overbaking. This recipe should yield approximately 24-30 standard-sized cupcakes, perfect for parties or individual servings.
Serving Suggestions for Your Delightful Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
While our chocolate mayonnaise cake is perfectly crowned with a generous, thick layer of fluffy chocolate frosting, its versatility means it pairs beautifully with an array of other toppings! Don’t hesitate to customize your dessert experience. Consider serving it with a luscious cream cheese frosting for a tangy contrast, a classic vanilla buttercream for a timeless appeal, a rich chocolate fudge frosting for ultimate decadence, or even a creamy peanut butter frosting for an irresistible flavor combination. A glossy ganache can also elevate its elegance.
This cake is a treat on its own, but for a truly comforting experience, serve it alongside a tall, frosty glass of milk, a steaming cup of coffee, or even a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Whether you prefer it at cozy room temperature to appreciate its tender crumb or slightly chilled for a firmer bite, this chocolate mayonnaise cake is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser for any occasion, from casual family gatherings to special celebrations.
Explore More Decadent Chocolate Recipes
If you’ve fallen in love with the rich flavors of this chocolate mayonnaise cake, we invite you to explore more of our irresistible chocolate creations. Dive into these other delightful recipes perfect for any chocolate enthusiast:
- Chocolate Lasagna
- Chocolate Poke Cake
- Chocolate Mint Brownies
- German Chocolate Cake
- Double Chocolate Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
I love to bake and cook and share my kitchen experience with all of you! Remembering to come back each day can be tough, that’s why I offer a convenient newsletter every time a new recipe posts. Simply subscribe and start receiving your free daily recipes!
Mayonnaise Cake
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup whole milk you can use buttermilk or 2% as well
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water
Frosting
- 1 ½ cups salted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
Things You’ll Need
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13×9 baking dish
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Hand mixer
Before You Begin
- You can halve the frosting recipe and still have plenty to cover the top of the cake, you’ll simply have a thinner layer of frosting.
- If you do not have eggs, you can leave them out of the recipe. Keep everything else as is. The cake will turn out moist and delicious, but slightly recessed through the middle.
- Some mayonnaise cakes skip the eggs, oil, and milk. I found this version to be more crumbly. The milk really does add some binding to hold the cake together with a nice moist crumb. You can substitute buttermilk or 2% milk. We used whole milk.
- Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, or covered on the counter for 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
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Whisk together the flour, 1⁄2 cup cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt.
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In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, mayonnaise, and vanilla extract.
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Begin stirring the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients (mixture will be very thick). Gradually pour the hot water over the mixture and continue stirring to form a smooth batter.
TIP – Hot water is a traditional technique used to help break down dry ingredients in a cake batter. It also helps to break down the cocoa powder and develop the chocolate flavor – you’ll often see this technique specifically in chocolate cake recipes.
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Transfer cake batter into the prepared baking dish.
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Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbles.
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Allow the cake to cool completely.
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To make the frosting, beat together the butter, vanilla, and cocoa powder until smooth and glossy. Rotate adding the powdered sugar and heavy cream until all ingredients have been incorporated and the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
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Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Cut into squares and serve.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.