I adapted Nanny’s Black Midnight Cake into a Chocolate Layer Cake crowned with rich dark chocolate frosting that’s perfectly sweet yet surprisingly moist and light.

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Nanny’s Black Midnight Cake is the sort of cake people whisper about after dark, the one that looks simple but refuses to be boring. I call it my Epic Chocolate Cake though Nanny would roll her eyes at that name.

The crumb is impossibly light while still being wildly chocolatey, thanks to unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder and a splash of hot brewed strong coffee that wake up every corner of the cake. Topped with a glossy Dark Chocolate Frosting it somehow tastes like a secret you almost remember.

I bake it when I need a little theatrical comfort and it never disappoints.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: mostly carbs, low fiber, gives structure and tender crumbs.
Granulated sugar: pure sweetener, adds moisture and sweetness, no vitamins, high carbs.
Cocoa powder: deep chocolate flavor, antioxidants, low fat, can be a little bitter.
Butter: adds richness and mouthfeel, saturated fats raise calories, makes frosting silky.
Buttermilk: tangy, tenderizes crumb, adds protein and calcium, helps baking soda work.
Eggs: bind ingredients, add protein and moisture, give structure and lift, they vary.
Coffee or hot water: boosts chocolate, adds depth, wont always taste like coffee.
Dark chocolate: melts into batter for extra richness, has antioxidants, but adds fat and sugar.

Ingredient Quantities

2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour

2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp fine salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temperature

1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil

1 cup (240 ml) hot brewed strong coffee or boiling water

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 oz (115 g) bittersweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped (optional for extra depth)

1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened

3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar, sifted

3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder for frosting

6 oz (170 g) dark or bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream, plus more if needed

2 tsp vanilla extract for frosting

1/2 tsp fine salt for frosting

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350 F 175 C and grease and flour two 9 inch round pans or line with parchment circles; tap out excess flour.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened dutch process cocoa, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp fine salt until uniform.

3. In another bowl whisk 2 large room temperature eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 2 tsp vanilla until smooth; don’t overmix, just bring it together.

4. If using the optional 4 oz finely chopped bittersweet chocolate, stir it into 1 cup hot brewed strong coffee or boiling water until mostly melted; otherwise just use the hot coffee or boiling water alone.

5. Pour the wet egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on low until no large flour streaks remain, then slowly stir in the hot coffee with melted chocolate; the batter will be thin and that is fine, it makes the cake super moist and light.

6. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smooth tops, and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter. Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. For the frosting, beat 1 cup unsalted butter softened until creamy and slightly fluffy, then add 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa gradually on low so it does not fly everywhere.

8. Add 6 oz melted and cooled dark chocolate, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp fine salt; beat on medium until smooth and spreadable, adding an extra tablespoon or two of cream if it seems too stiff or chilling briefly if too soft.

9. Level cakes if needed, place one layer on a plate, spread a generous layer of frosting, top with second cake and finish frosting top and sides. Chill 15 to 20 minutes to set if you want clean slices. Serve at room temperature and enjoy the deep chocolate flavor.

Equipment Needed

1. Two 9-inch round cake pans, greased and parchment-lined
2. Mixing bowls (one large for dry, one medium for wet)
3. Whisk and rubber spatula, for mixing and scraping the bowl
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (sturdy whisk works too if you must)
5. Dry measuring cups, measuring spoons and a 2-cup liquid measuring cup
6. Fine-mesh sieve for sifting cocoa and powdered sugar
7. Heatproof bowl plus a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl for melting chocolate
8. Wire cooling rack and a sharp knife for leveling the cakes
9. Offset spatula or bench scraper for spreading and smoothing the frosting

FAQ

Why is it called Nanny's Black Midnight Cake?

Because it comes out very dark and rich. The dutch-process cocoa, dark chocolate and hot coffee make the batter almost black and give a deep chocolate taste that's kinda intense, like a midnight bite.

Can I skip the coffee or use hot water instead?

Yes you can use boiling water if you must, but brewed strong coffee really boosts the chocolate flavor. Decaf works fine too. If you use water the cake will still bake the same, but it's slightly less complex.

Do I have to use buttermilk? Any good substitutes?

Buttermilk adds acidity and moisture and helps the baking soda work. Swap 1 cup buttermilk with 1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar, let it sit 5 minutes. Regular milk alone will work but the rise and crumb might change a bit.

The recipe calls for finely chopped chocolate – is that required?

No, it's optional. The chopped chocolate gives little melty pockets and extra depth, but the cake is great without it. If you add it, chop small so it melts evenly into the batter.

My cake turned out dry. How do I prevent that?

Don't overbake, check a few minutes early. Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling it, don't pack. Use the oil as written for moistness, and if needed brush the layers with a simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water warmed) before frosting.

The frosting seems too soft or runny, how do I fix it?

Chill it briefly in the fridge 10 to 20 minutes to firm up. If still loose, add more sifted powdered sugar a little at a time or stir in a bit more cooled melted chocolate. If it's too stiff, thin with a tablespoon of cream at a time until spreadable.

Nanny’s Black Midnight Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Buttermilk: For 1 cup, stir 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice into regular milk to make 1 cup, let sit 5 minutes at room temp. Or use 1 cup plain yogurt thinned with 2–3 tbsp milk. Same tang, works fine.
Vegetable oil: Swap 1:1 with melted unsalted butter for richer flavor, or use canola/avocado oil 1:1 for a neutral swap. If you want lower fat, replace up to half the oil with unsweetened applesauce but the cake can be a bit denser.
Granulated sugar: Use light brown sugar or coconut sugar 1:1 for deeper, caramel notes and a moister crumb. If you try honey or maple syrup use about 3/4 cup for each cup sugar and reduce other liquids by ~3 tbsp.
Eggs: Per large egg, mix 1 tbsp ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes till gelled. Good for binding but cake will be slightly denser and more rustic.

Pro Tips

1) Let the eggs and buttermilk sit out till theyre room temp, about 30 minutes. Cold eggs can make the batter seize or bake unevenly, its a small step but it really helps texture and rise.

2) If you add chopped chocolate stir it into the hot coffee so it melts and flavors the batter, that deepens the chocolate and gives a silkier crumb. Let that coffee chocolate mix cool a little before you add it to the egg mixture so you dont cook the eggs.

3) Dont overmix once the flour is in, stop when you dont see big streaks of flour. The batter will be thin and thats fine, thin batter = moist cake so dont try to fix it by beating more.

4) For frosting smoothness sift the powdered sugar and cocoa first and add cream a tablespoon at a time till its spreadable, if it gets too soft chill it for 10 to 15 minutes. Do a light crumb coat and chill briefly before the final coat, it makes slicing clean pieces way easier.

Nanny's Black Midnight Cake Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I adapted Nanny’s Black Midnight Cake into a Chocolate Layer Cake crowned with rich dark chocolate frosting that’s perfectly sweet yet surprisingly moist and light.

Servings

servings

Calories

845

kcal

Equipment: 1. Two 9-inch round cake pans, greased and parchment-lined
2. Mixing bowls (one large for dry, one medium for wet)
3. Whisk and rubber spatula, for mixing and scraping the bowl
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (sturdy whisk works too if you must)
5. Dry measuring cups, measuring spoons and a 2-cup liquid measuring cup
6. Fine-mesh sieve for sifting cocoa and powdered sugar
7. Heatproof bowl plus a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl for melting chocolate
8. Wire cooling rack and a sharp knife for leveling the cakes
9. Offset spatula or bench scraper for spreading and smoothing the frosting

Ingredients

2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (240 ml) hot brewed strong coffee or boiling water
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz (115 g) bittersweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped (optional for extra depth)
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar, sifted
3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder for frosting
6 oz (170 g) dark or bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream, plus more if needed
2 tsp vanilla extract for frosting
1/2 tsp fine salt for frosting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F 175 C and grease and flour two 9 inch round pans or line with parchment circles; tap out excess flour.
In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened dutch process cocoa, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp fine salt until uniform.
In another bowl whisk 2 large room temperature eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 2 tsp vanilla until smooth; don't overmix, just bring it together.
If using the optional 4 oz finely chopped bittersweet chocolate, stir it into 1 cup hot brewed strong coffee or boiling water until mostly melted; otherwise just use the hot coffee or boiling water alone.
Pour the wet egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on low until no large flour streaks remain, then slowly stir in the hot coffee with melted chocolate; the batter will be thin and that is fine, it makes the cake super moist and light.
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smooth tops, and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter. Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting, beat 1 cup unsalted butter softened until creamy and slightly fluffy, then add 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa gradually on low so it does not fly everywhere.
Add 6 oz melted and cooled dark chocolate, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp fine salt; beat on medium until smooth and spreadable, adding an extra tablespoon or two of cream if it seems too stiff or chilling briefly if too soft.
Level cakes if needed, place one layer on a plate, spread a generous layer of frosting, top with second cake and finish frosting top and sides. Chill 15 to 20 minutes to set if you want clean slices. Serve at room temperature and enjoy the deep chocolate flavor.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.