Recipe Background
Chocolate Mayo Cake uses mayo for moistness; balance with cream cheese frosting.
This cake surprises with its unexpected ingredient: mayonnaise. It’s not just a quirky addition; it transforms the crumb into something spectacularly moist and tender. When baked, the cocoa and cinnamon create a warm, inviting aroma, like a whisper of winter spices. The flavor is rich and decadent, with a complexity that makes each bite feel like a small indulgence. Enhancing this experience is the cream cheese frosting, which provides a tangy contrast to the sweet, chocolatey base.
While preparing, don't shy away from really letting those eggs and sugar become a pale, ribboned mixture. This step ensures a lightness in the cake that balances its dense richness. Once in the oven, the batter fills your kitchen with the comforting essence of chocolate—perfect for sharing with friends or keeping all to yourself.
Ideal for casual gatherings or just a quiet afternoon treat, this Chocolate Mayo Cake invites conversation and joy. Serving up a slice reveals a cake so soft it nearly melts, with just the right amount of frosting to elevate but not overwhelm. Its simplicity and allure make it a timeless dessert, embraced by anyone who appreciates the blend of good humor and great flavor.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- shortening for greasing the pan
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for flouring the pan
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1 2/3 cups light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/3 cups hot water
For the chocolate cream cheese frosting:
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 (32-ounce) package powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 5-6 tablespoons heavy cream
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Using the shortening and extra flour, grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan.
- Whisk together the flour, 2/3 cup of the cocoa, the baking soda, the cinnamon, the table salt, and the baking powder in a medium bowl.
- Beat the eggs, the brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla at medium-high speed (using a hand-mixer or a stand mixer) until the mixture is very light brown and ribbons form when the mixture is lifted, about 3 minutes.
- Add the mayonnaise to the egg mixture and beat at low speed until combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture gradually, adding thirds of it at a time and alternating additions with thirds of the hot water. You should begin and end with additions of the flour mixture and beat at low speed until just blended after each addition.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake the cake until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.
- Cool the cake completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
- Beat the cream cheese, the butter, and the remaining vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and the remaining cocoa.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar mixture to the butter mixture, alternating additions of thirds of the powdered sugar mixture with additions of thirds of the heavy cream and beating at low speed until 5 tablespoons of the heavy cream have been used. If needed, add more heavy cream, 1 teaspoon at a time to get the mixture to the right consistency.
- Increase the mixing speed to medium and beat the frosting until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cake.
- Slice and serve.
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