How to Make Ina Garten’s Chocolate Cake With Mocha Frosting

To make Garten’s chocolate cake, which serves 12, you’ll need: 

• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature  
• 2 cups of sugar 
• 1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) of unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour 
• ⅔ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder 
• ⅔ cup of half-and-half 
• ⅔ cup of the hottest tap water 
• 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract 
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt 
• 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder 

To make the frosting for a 9-inch-by-13-inch cake, you’ll need: 

• 12 ounces of bittersweet chocolate 
• 1 ¼ cups of heavy cream 
• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, diced and at room temperature 
• 1 tablespoon of Kahlúa
• 2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder 
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract 

I buttered the bottom of a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan, then lined it with parchment paper. Once that was done, I buttered and floured the entire pan. 

“There’s no point in making a cake if you can’t get it out of the pan,” Garten said in the “Barefoot Contessa” episode where she demonstrated this recipe. 

I sifted the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. 

I added the hot tap water, cocoa powder, and espresso powder to a liquid measuring cup and whisked them together.

Then I added the half-and-half and whisked again until the mixture was smooth. 

First, I placed the sugar and butter into the bowl of my electric mixer, which was fitted with the paddle attachment. 

I knew the mixture was ready once it had turned light and fluffy. 

The eggs should be added one at a time, on medium speed, until they’re incorporated and the batter is smooth. 

Garten says the flour and chocolate mixtures should be added alternately in thirds, starting and ending with the flour mixture.

I used a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl and make sure the batter was well mixed.

Now it was ready to bake.

Garten says the cake should bake for 25 to 35 minutes.

When your cake tester (or knife) comes out clean from the center, you’ll know it’s ready.

I let it sit for about 45 minutes. By the time my frosting was ready, the cake had cooled.

First, I chopped my chocolate into ¼-inch pieces, per Garten’s instructions.

Garten explained in the “Barefoot Contessa” episode that she uses the instant espresso powder to help enhance the chocolate flavor.

Garten says you should heat the cream to a simmer.

I continued to stir the mixture until the chocolate had melted. 

If your chocolate isn’t melting, don’t stress! Garten says you can just pop it in the microwave for 15 seconds.

I stirred everything until the mixture was smooth. 

Garten says you shouldn’t leave the frosting in the fridge for longer than 30 minutes. It should be cool, but not cold.

Garten says to mix your frosting on high speed for about 15 to 20 seconds, until the mixture forms soft peaks. Make sure not to overbeat it or the frosting will curdle.  

I should note I struggled a bit to get the right consistency with this frosting. When I first took it out of the fridge, the frosting just didn’t look thick enough. I let it chill for another 10 minutes before I beat it with the mixer, but it still didn’t look as whipped as it did in the “Barefoot Contessa” episode. 

The flavor was still delicious, and the frosting spread easily on the cake, so don’t worry too much if you’re having similar issues. 

I carefully flipped my cake onto a serving board, then removed the parchment paper. 

Garten says you should use a metal spatula to evenly spread the frosting over your cake. 

I loved the old-fashioned charm of the thick squares with frosting on top. While it didn’t have the centerpiece appeal of Garten’s mocha icebox cake, it still looked super inviting.

I loved the moist texture, which reminded me of Beatty’s Chocolate Cake. I’ve had many chocolate cakes that are too dense and heavy, but Garten’s recipe has a springiness and lightness that really help balance everything. And while it’s not overly sweet, the instant espresso powder brings out that chocolate flavor in both the cake and its mocha frosting. 

I will say that I didn’t love the mocha frosting as much as the buttercream in Beatty’s Chocolate Cake. The consistency of the buttercream paired better with the cake, and the flavor was more memorable. If I make this again, I might try swapping the frostings. 

Garten’s chocolate cake with mocha icing is a bit easier to make than her Beatty’s Chocolate Cake recipe, although I’d pick the latter if the two had to go up against each other. 

But this chocolate cake is still a delicious dessert that is sure to impress anyone with a sweet tooth, and it’s a great option when you have a little less time — and want to do fewer dishes.  

And if you’re looking for a super easy dessert to whip up on a hot summer’s day, look no further than her tiramisu or mocha icebox cake.