Every baker needs a great chocolate cake recipe in their repertoire and this Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake is perfect for you. This is an old-fashioned recipe like those your grandmother would make when you were a child. Rich and luscious, everyone will be asking for seconds!
And before you put your nose in the air, don’t be put off by the name. Remember that for the most part mayonnaise is oil and eggs, two ingredients commonly found in baked goods. It adds creaminess and moisture to the cake and I promise, even if you hate it, you cannot taste the mayonnaise!
Getting ready to frost the cooled cake
This cake originated during the Great Depression when eggs, milk, and butter were scarce. Mayonnaise made a great substitute and gives you a streamlined ingredient list. Similar to a buttermilk cake, this is a cake that everyone loves. There is usually a scramble for the last piece, LOL.
Freshly frosted chocolate mayonnaise cake
Be sure you use real mayonnaise in this recipe (full fat or light is fine) and not Miracle Whip or salad dressing which has a very distinct flavor that wouldn’t go well with the chocolate.
There is some vinegar in the mayonnaise and this will combine with the acid in the cocoa to activate the baking soda giving you the rise you’re looking for in a cake. Do not use extra-dark or Dutched cocoa here as you may wind up with soapy tasting cake because it doesn’t contain enough acid and doesn’t play well with extra-dark cocoa!
I love sheet cakes because they are so easy to make and simple to transport if you are taking dessert to a dinner party, picnic, or potluck. Plus everyone loves them – double win!
I adore a luscious chocolate frosting and chose to frost my cake. It is fantastic and just what I was hoping for! If you are short of time or want a lighter dessert you can forego the frosting and simply sprinkle the top with confectioners’ sugar. If you want to get fancy, you can use a stencil that relates to a season, holiday, or event for some fun decorating.
If you are making this cake for a larger crowd, you can double the recipe and bake it in a 7×11-inch pan. Be sure you butter the pan before baking!
The hardest part of this cake is waiting for it to cool before frosting and then letting it rest before cutting. But trust me, it will be worth every minute of waiting!
This recipe also makes cupcakes if you prefer individual treats. Add enough more confectioners’ sugar to the frosting to get to good piping consistency (I added about 1 cup) and pipe it into beautiful ruffled rose shapes easily with a 1M piping tip!
Give this Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake a try and I’ll bet your family asks for it for special occasions and birthdays! It is so lovely, lush, and satisfying that even your most devout chocoholics will enjoy every bite!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake:
- Cake: GF flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, water, mayonnaise, vanilla
- Frosting: Sour cream, semisweet chocolate, milk chocolate, butter, vanilla, salt, confectioners’ sugar
PRO Tip:
Be sure you use natural cocoa powder (like Hershey’s regular brand) and avoid Dutch-process or extra dark cocoas. They do no play well with baking soda and your cake could wind up tasting soapy!
PRO Tip:
Baking is more about science than art (except for decorating!) and being accurate in your measurements is critical to both success and consistency. Use a scale to measure/weigh your ingredients. It isn’t too expensive and you’ll get comfortable using it quickly. Once you do you’ll find it is easier and faster than using cup measures and far more accurate!
How to make Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake:
- In the bowl of your stand mixer or large bowl if using a hand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, and baking soda. Add the water, mayonnaise, and vanilla. Beat until smooth with no streaks.
- Pour into a buttered and parchment-lined 9×9-inch (23×23 cm) baking pan. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes, then use the parchment sling to carefully lift the cake out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If you are frosting the cake, melt the chocolate chips with the butter in the microwave, stirring until completely smooth. Whisk in the room temperature sour cream until completely incorporated. Whisk in the salt and vanilla. Transfer to the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl if using a hand mixer. Put the sugar in a fine wire strainer and sift it over the chocolate mixture. Beat until smooth, shiny, and lighter in color. Chill for about 10 minutes to firm up slightly.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake with an offset spatula, swirling to create a beautiful design on top. Chill an hour or two before slicing into squares. Let come to room temperature and serve.
PRO Tip:
If you want to save a little time or want a lighter dessert, you can skip the frosting and just serve the squares of cake sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar. Use a stencil if you want it to look fancier. You will be completely satisfied and delighted with the plain cake. You can also serve squares on top of a little raspberry sauce, like Fran’s brand.
PRO Tip:
The easiest way to line the baking pan with parchment is to turn it over so the bottom of the pan is facing up. Lay a sheet of the parchment over the pan and press along the edges, pinching each edge until you have an outline of the pan. Turn the pan over and the parchment will slide down inside it easily. Crimp the corners if needed and leave two ends longer so you can lift the baked goods out of the pan easily.
PRO Tip:
To get the cleanest slices of cake, use a slender sharp knife and run it under hot water before wiping it dry and making a slice of the cake. Wash, heat, and dry before each cut you make.
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Kitchen scale
- 9-inch square baking pan (23×23 cm)
- Parchment paper
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Offset spatula
Gluten-Free Tips:
*You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.
You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake (GF)
Every baker needs a great chocolate cake recipe in their repertoire and this old-fashioned Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake is perfect for you. Rich and luscious, everyone will be asking for seconds!
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups (240g*) gluten-free all-purpose flour* or regular all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp (44g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup (227g) water
- 1 cup (227g) regular or lite real mayonnaise
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (my preference) or vanilla extract
Frosting (optional)
- 1 cup (240g) sour cream, at cool room temperature
- 1 cup (180g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (180g) milk chocolate chips
- 1 stick (113g) unsalted butter, sliced, at cool room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 to 3 cups (227g to 340g) confectioners' sugar, whisked or sifted
Instructions
1. Make the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly butter a 9x9-inch (23x23 cm) baking dish and line with parchment paper, leaving two opposite ends longer to act as a sling when you take the cake out of the pan. Lightly butter the parchment.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl if using a hand mixer, whisk together by hand the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Add the water, mayonnaise, and vanilla. Beat until evenly blended and smooth with no streaks or lumps.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Place the cake pan on a wire rack to cool.
4. Let the cake cool in the pan completely before frosting. If you want to work on a flat surface, use the parchment sling to carefully lift it out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Once cooled you can frost the cake or simply sprinkle squares with powdered sugar to serve.
5. To Make the Frosting (optional): Measure out the sour cream and allow to warm up from refrigerator temperature to cool room temperature.
6. Put the both types of chocolate chips and sliced butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir the chocolate and butter until completely smooth. If needed, heat in 15 second bursts, stirring in between, until completely smooth. Transfer to the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl if using a hand mixer.
7. Mix in the sour cream, salt, and vanilla until completely incorporated and smooth.
8. Add the whisked or sifted confectioners’ sugar to the bowl. Beat on low until smooth and shiny, then increase the speed to medium and beat until slightly lightened in color, about 1 minute. Add more sugar if needed to get a good spreading consistency. Refrigerate 10 minutes to thicken slightly.
9. Spread over the cooled cake using an offset spatula, making swirls or other decorative patterns in the thick frosting if desired. Chill about 1 hour. Lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment sling and set on a cutting board. Slice the cake and let it sit on the counter to warm up a bit then serve.
10. Store the leftover cake, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze for longer storage.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
* You can adjust any recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup without a spout until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela's, Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.
You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Cake adapted from a recipe by Amanda of I Am Baker
Frosting adapted from a recipe by Jenni of Pastry Chef Online
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 258Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 338mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 2gSugar: 8gProtein: 5g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
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