Chocolate Coffee Cake
This coffee cake recipe is a make-ahead Chocolate Coffee Cake to prepare the night before, and bake in the morning. Awaken to the aroma of chocolate cake for breakfast! Serve with your favorite fruit and, of course, a fresh cup of coffee!
This Chocolate Coffee Cake combines a chocolate buttermilk batter with sliced almonds and chocolate chips, into an irresistible buttery cinnamon chocolate morning cake. Oh, it’s so good for the weekend, and delicious served with scrambled eggs and bacon.
Chocolate Coffee Cake
Of course, the thing that makes a coffee cake a coffee cake is the topping, and the almonds and chocolate together make it nice and crunchy on top. Just drizzle the butter on top right before baking. Each bite has the perfect combination of cinnamon and chocolate for a great breakfast cake!
Why I love this recipe
- This chocolate coffee cake is the easiest coffee cake recipe you can make. It’s moist, rich and loaded with chocolate flavor. It needs no frosting and is perfect for hosting breakfast or brunch guests.
- My recipe today is easy, you can make it the night before, and then pop it in the oven in the morning.
- This cake reminds me of the holidays, and cozy mornings. It’s a joyous time to invite friends and family into our home. Any act of love can really make you happy, which can increase or spark that joy in your life.
Gather these ingredients
- Flour
- Sugar
- Buttermilk
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Cocoa
- Cinnamon
- Baking soda + baking powder
- Salt
Ingredients for the topping:
- Brown sugar
- Sliced almonds
- Chocolate chips
How to make chocolate coffee cake
- Prepare: Grease and flour a 9×13 baking pan.
- Mix: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, buttermilk, butter, brown sugar, and eggs. Mix by hand; add the cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Spread into the greased 9×13 pan.
- Mix: In a separate bowl, mix the dry topping ingredients (brown sugar, almonds, chocolate chips) and sprinkle over the batter.
- Refrigerate overnight (or follow the steps of adding butter and baking, if you plan to serve right away).
- In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle the cake with melted butter.
- Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35 minutes until the top is rich golden brown.
- Cool for 15 minutes.
- Serve: Cut into squares and serve!
Tips and substitutions
- Make it your own. You can add chopped walnuts or pecans to the topping in place of almonds.
- Add a pinch of cardamom. Yum!
- Optional to leave out the cinnamon if you like a more buttermilk and chocolate flavor.
- Nuts are optional, too, but gives the nice crunch on top!
How to store the Chocolate Coffee Cake
- Refrigerator: Store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Let the cake cool and then wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container.
- Counter: Let cake cool to room temp, then wrap in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container.
- Cake stand with lid: You can also store in a cake stand with a lid on top, on the counter for 2-3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze this coffee cake in pieces by wrapping each piece in plastic wrap and freezing for up to 3 months. Let defrost on countertop for about an hour to come to room temperature before enjoying.
While I have many favorite cake recipes, I can say, this is a coffee cake I love making for company and special occasions. It gets lots of compliments and requests for the recipe, and it’s so dang easy.
ENJOY!
More chocolate cakes to try:
- Sour Cream Chocolate Banana Cake
- Best Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Toffee Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
Get the Recipe:
Chocolate Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ⅔ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp. cocoa
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
- ½ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ cup butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 baking pan.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, buttermilk, butter, brown sugar, and eggs. Mix by hand; add the cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix well and spread into the greased 9×13 pan.
- In a separate bowl, mix the dry topping ingredients (brown sugar, almonds, chocolate chips) and sprinkle over the batter.
- Refrigerate overnight (or follow the steps of adding butter and baking, if you plan to serve right away).
- In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle the cake with melted butter.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35 minutes until the top is rich golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve!
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Can’t wait to try – this will make my mornings easier for preparing for bed and breakfast guests!! Thank you for sharing!!
Enjoy the rich flavors of chocolate and coffee in every bite of this scrumptious chocolate coffee cake. It’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth and impress your family and friends.
Yummy, no coffee needed!
Our family adores this recipe as it is easy, filling, and not overly chocolatey (which can sometimes be too sweet).
Anyone looking for a moist, not too sweet cake with fruit? You HAVE to try Sandy’s Yogurt Cake (we make it with freshly frozen whole cranberries!). Again, easy, and absolutely tasty!
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. I cooked it for family and friends on New Year’s Day using a gluten-free flour mix, and it was such a hit that I’ve made it twice since then! It’s going to be a keeper! New Year’s greetings!
Did you forget to add coffee to chocolate coffee cake? ;)
No coffee! Often a breakfast cake is called “coffee cake.” :)
Thanks for posting this recipe. I made it New Years Day for family & friends using a gluten free flour mix and everyone loved it so much, that I have made it twice since then! It is a keeper! Happy New Year!
This recipe looks delicious and I agree so much with your post. Sometimes finding an excuse to invite friends over is a great way to get out of a funk…and find some joy! Wishing you LOTS of joy this holiday season!
Bake ahead is the best! What a great recipe and great tips as always. Joy, joy, JOY!
Oh I’m loving this cake! And your thoughts on JOY…like Liz said, it’s about perspective. And what you said…finding what makes you happy!
Yum. Looks so good! I think keeping a realistic perspective helps my attitude. Taking in where we are at in life, what is happening around us and adjusting accordingly, and being okay with making adjustments.
A good way for myself is to take time with Jesus everyday. Talk with Him, read scripture, pray for others. The day may or may not go well, but I have joy and peace. I cannot wait to make this cake! :D Thanks Sandy!
Love this cake, and even more, your heart behind entertaining as always. Wishing you a holiday season filled with so much joy, friend! :)
The cake looks scrumptious and the holidays truly are about a joyful attitude.
Gorgeous make ahead coffee cake! Love recipes you can make in advance! xo
Yes!! just perfect…
I so enjoy coffee cake of any kind. Love that you can do this the day before.
I think perspective is everything when it comes to finding joy in the every day. We are all just so darn lucky and blessed. Love this, Sandy!
Ahh my God ! Mouth Watering one.. very nicely put up here.