Quick Coffee Chocolate Cake: Measured in Tablespoons, With a No-Cook Chocolate Pudding Cream on Top

You can make this quick coffee chocolate cake without a scale. It is a “spoon-measure” recipe: a small cocoa sponge moistened with coffee milk and topped with a light chocolate pudding and whipped cream frosting.

The cream needs no cooking and takes about 5 minutes. The trick is how you combine the chocolate and the pudding. How do you keep the cream from splitting and keep it fluffy?

How Do You Make a Quick Coffee Chocolate Cake?

Bake a cocoa “spoon-measure” sponge and drizzle it with warm coffee milk. Whip the cream. Gently combine store-bought chocolate pudding with cooled melted chocolate, then fold it into the whipped cream. Spread it over the sponge.

At a Glance

• Prep time: 15 min
• Baking time: 25 min (+ 1 hour chilling)
• Servings: 9 pieces (8×8-inch / 20×20 cm pan)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: about 260 kcal per piece
• Trend: Quick cake / No scale needed

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) pan and dust it with flour.
2. Put the eggs, salt, vanilla and granulated sugar in a bowl. Whisk briefly.
3. Pour in the oil and milk and whisk again.
4. In a second bowl, mix the flour, cocoa and baking powder. Sift this mixture into the wet ingredients.
5. Whisk everything into a smooth, thin batter. Pour it into the prepared pan.
6. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 25 minutes. Check with a toothpick.
7. Warm the milk for the soak and dissolve the coffee in it. Prick the still-warm sponge with a fork and drizzle it evenly with the coffee milk. Let it cool completely.
8. Make the cream: Melt the chocolate over simmering water and let it cool completely to room temperature (it must not be hot).
9. In a bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks.
10. In a second bowl, mix the chocolate pudding with the cooled chocolate. (If you want to decorate, set one spoonful of this mixture aside.)
11. Using a spatula, gently fold the chocolate-pudding mixture into the whipped cream (do not use a mixer).
12. Spread the cream over the cooled sponge. Decorate with the reserved chocolate-pudding mixture and chill for at least 1 hour.

Video Recipe

Tips

• Cream that does not split: Never mix cold pudding with hot chocolate. The chocolate would set immediately and form lumps. Both need to be at room temperature before you combine them.
• Pan size: This is a “5-tablespoon” recipe, so the batter is shallow. Use a small pan (8×8 inch / 20×20 cm). In a large pan the sponge would be too thin.
• Pudding: Use a thick, creamy ready-made chocolate pudding. A thin or runny pudding will make the cream too soft.

Easy Variations

• Fruit cake: Arrange fresh raspberries or strawberries on top of the finished cream.
• Extra coffee: For a stronger flavor, add a teaspoon of instant coffee to the chocolate-pudding mixture as well.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Can I use regular cooked pudding? Yes, but you have to cook it (for example from a mix) and let it cool completely under plastic wrap. The advantage of ready-made cup pudding is that it is already thick and set.
• Do I have to soak the cake with coffee? No, but it is recommended. A cocoa sponge is fairly dry, and the coffee soak makes it moist and juicy.
• Why is my sponge so thin? This recipe is meant for a small pan. If you used a large baking sheet, the batter spread into a layer that is too thin.

This cake tastes like a fancy café dessert. Store it in the refrigerator, where the soak keeps it moist for 2 days.

The recipe is based on a version by Ricette dolce facili, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.

Enjoy! Try more recipes from our kitchen.