Get ready for the comeback of my all-time favorite cake! Whenever someone asks me, “Which cake should I try first?” I always recommend this one because it’s unbelievably delicious. Picture this: the ultimate chocolate cake—moist, rich, creamy, and oh-so-chocolatey. Topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting, you can enjoy it straight from the fridge or warm it up!
The Best Chocolate Malt Cake With Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 260g
- 1 ½ cups sugar 330g
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder 65g
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil 135g
- 1 cup milk 240g
- ½ cup malted chocolate powder 50g – I use Ovaltine
- 2 tsp instant coffee
- ½ cup boiling water 120g
- ½ cup sour cream 120g
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter 113g
- 8 oz cream cheese 226g
- 3 cups powdered sugar 360g
- ½ cup cocoa powder 50g
- 2 tbsp Ovaltine chocolate powder optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F, and prepare 2 9” cake pans with parchment paper and butter.
- In a big bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (except malted chocolate powder) using a hand whisk.
- Combine milk with malted chocolate powder in a cup.
- Add egg, oil, and Ovaltine milk to the dry ingredients. Whisk until combined.
- In a separate cup, mix boiling water with instant coffee, then whisk it into the cake mixture.
- Lastly, fold in the sour cream—don’t overmix!
- Divide the batter into 2 pans and bake for 25-30 minutes (check with a toothpick after 25 min).
- Cool the cakes on a wire rack.
Now, for the frosting:
- Whisk butter and cream cheese until creamy, add cocoa powder and optional Ovaltine, then gradually whisk in powdered sugar until light and silky.
- Once the cakes are cooled, trim off the tops and cut each into 2 halves, giving you 4 layers.
- Assemble the cake by layering chocolate cake, frosting, and repeating. Use the remaining frosting to cover the edges and top.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving!
Notes
- The cake won’t taste like coffee, so don’t skip it.
- Don’t replace malted chocolate powder.
- Don’t skip the sour cream; if you don’t have any, make your own.
- Measure flour carefully—better to use a scale and weigh in grams.