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Chocolate Number Cake

Chocolate Number Cake Recipe

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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 480
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup hot strong coffee
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups icing sugar, sifted
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (for buttercream)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Fresh berries, macarons, or sprinkles for decorating

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment. Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
  2. In a jug, whisk eggs, buttermilk, oil, and 2 tsp vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients until combined, then mix in hot coffee. The batter will be thin.
  3. Pour batter into the pan, tap once, and bake 24 to 28 minutes until a toothpick has moist crumbs. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then lift onto a wire rack and cool completely.
  4. Beat butter on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually add icing sugar, then 2 tbsp cream, 1 tsp vanilla, and salt. Beat on high 2 minutes until light.
  5. Print and cut out a large paper number. Place on the cooled cake, trace with a toothpick twice, and cut out both numbers with a serrated knife.
  6. Pipe buttercream dots over one cake number, place the second number on top, then pipe swirls around the edge. Fill the centre with berries or decorations and serve.

Notes

Cool the cake fully before cutting, about 2 hours. For the cleanest slices, chill the assembled cake 20 minutes before serving. The coffee can be replaced with hot water; it does not add coffee flavour, only depth.