Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Indulge in chocolate decadence with this easy, moist chocolate mayonnaise cake recipe. With just a few simple ingredients that you likely have on hand, you can bake up the most luscious, tender chocolate cake that beats even gourmet bakery creations.

An Unexpected, Tried and True Method for Baking Cakes

While mayonnaise may seem like an unlikely ingredient for baking cakes, using mayo, such as Miracle Whip or another full-fat regular mayonnaise, adds rich flavor and keeps the cake incredibly soft and moist.

The mayonnaise essentially acts similarly to oil or butter in the cake batter.

When combined with eggs in traditional cake recipes, the oil and egg components create a tender crumb.

Tips for Baking the Perfect Moist Chocolate Cake

Follow these helpful tips for getting the texture just right when making this easy chocolate mayonnaise cake:

Use full-fat mayonnaise instead of low-fat or light varieties to achieve the ideal moist, tender crumb.

The full fat content prevents the texture from becoming too chewy.

Avoid overmixing the batter once the wet and dry ingredients come together.

A few small lumps are fine. Too much mixing develops excess gluten, leading to a tougher cake crumb.

Bring eggs, if using, and any liquid ingredients to room temperature before mixing the batter.

This prevents the fat from seizing up.

Spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level off the top using a knife or other straight edge.

Do not scoop flour directly from the container into the measuring cup.

Too much packed flour can lead to a dry cake.

Check for doneness before the recommended bake time by inserting a toothpick into the center.

It should come out clean when the cake is fully baked through.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup warm water