Coffee-Chocolate Cake

The election was called Saturday. The reaction in my house was: Derek exhaled (the man holds tension in his silence; the exhale was seismic). Marcus said, "Finally." Curtis said nothing but ate a second piece of pie, which from Curtis is celebration. Jasmine and Zoe danced in the living room. Isaiah shot baskets in the driveway, which is his response to every emotion. The house felt lighter. Not fixed — lighter. The difference between a weight removed and a weight redistributed. The work continues. But the exhale was real.

Andre called from LA, ecstatic. His Netflix show was renewed for a second season. The news came the same week as the election results and Andre said, "America chose well this week — politically AND comedically." He is insufferable. He is my brother. He is on Netflix. The family group chat (yes, we have one now; Derek set it up; it's called "The Table" because of course it is) exploded with congratulations and the particular brand of Jackson family roasting that means "we love you and also we will never let you forget that time you tripped on stage in 2018."

Made a weekend celebration spread: jerk chicken (Claudette's recipe, now mine), rice and peas, fried plantains, and a chocolate cake that Zoe and I baked together. Zoe is becoming a baker — she watches YouTube tutorials with the intensity of an engineering student and produces results that are increasingly professional. She made the chocolate frosting from scratch. It was smooth and rich and better than mine. I told her so. She beamed. The baking gene skipped me and landed on Zoe and the landing is beautiful.

Zoe picked this one — or really, she built it herself from a YouTube tutorial and her own instincts, and I just stayed out of the way. After a weekend that gave us so much to exhale about, this coffee-chocolate cake was the right ending: deep, rich, and made with the kind of focused intention Zoe brings to everything in that kitchen now. If you’re baking it with someone who loves you, let them make the frosting. Trust me on that.

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 12

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the chocolate frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
Mix wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, cooled coffee, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
Combine the batter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth and fully incorporated. The batter will be thin — that’s normal.
Bake. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 32–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting. Beat softened butter with cocoa powder until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with heavy cream, beating on medium-high speed until the frosting is thick, glossy, and spreadable. Add vanilla and a pinch of salt. Adjust consistency with additional cream one tablespoon at a time.
Frost and serve. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a generous layer of frosting on top. Stack the second layer and frost the top and sides until smooth. Slice and serve at room temperature.

Nutrition (per serving)

Coffee-Chocolate Cake — The One Zoe Made Better Than Me