26 October 2026, Johannesburg – Few things go together quite like coffee and chocolate. From a rich chocolate cake with a hint of espresso to a creamy mocha enjoyed alongside a slice, the combination makes a compelling case for taking a little time out to indulge.
This National Chocolate Day, Jacobs is celebrating the pairing with a recipe for chocolate cake with espresso, where brewed Jacobs Freeze Dried Instant coffee adds another layer of flavour to a chocolate classic.
It’s an easy way to bring coffee into your baking, whether you’re preparing something for a weekend get-together, sharing cake with friends or simply looking for an excuse to put the kettle on and enjoy a homemade treat.
Recipe spotlight: Chocolate Cake with Espresso
Ingredients
You will require
- 2 springform cake tins, each 20 cm in diameter
- 100g soft butter, plus more for the cake tins
- 275g of sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 200g of flour
- 75g of cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 125ml of brewed, cooled Jacobs Freeze Dried Instant coffee
- 125ml of milk
- Vanilla Extract
- For the buttercream
- 125g of cold butter, diced
- 25g of cocoa powder
- 125g powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons of milk
- Good quality dark chocolate for garnishing
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180° C. Grease the cake tins and cover the bottom with baking paper. Beat the butter and sugar with a whisk until frothy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each egg thoroughly before adding the next one. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a second bowl. Stir in the cooled coffee, milk and vanilla essence in a third bowl.
- While stirring, add the flour and the coffee mixture to the butter-egg mixture and mix everything into a smooth dough. Fill the dough into the two cake tins.
- Bake the cakes at 180° C in the oven until golden brown, approximately 30-35 minutes. The cakes are ready when they spring back to light finger pressure and no more dough sticks to a stick, when placed into the cake.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool in the cake tins for a few minutes, then remove and allow to cool on cooling trays.
- For the butter cream, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the cocoa powder and simmer for 1-2 minutes stirring, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Add the powdered sugar to the cocoa butter and mix thoroughly. Stir in the milk one tablespoon at a time until a smooth, shiny mass has formed, allowing it to cool (it will thicken).
- Spread half of the buttercream onto one of the cakes. Put the other cake on top, and spread the rest of the cream on to the second cake.
- Finally, use a peeler or grater to remove pieces from the chocolate. Garnish the cake with the chocolate shavings.
Store: This cake will remain fresh for 4-5 days, if stored correctly in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place.
Treat yourself
For those who enjoy experimenting with their coffee, Jacobs’ Cadbury Mocha range, available in Classic, Caramel and Wholenut, offers another way to bring chocolate and coffee together. The Dubai Chocolate Cappuccino, with notes of pistachio, saffron and cardamom, offers a more adventurous alternative.
Whether you prefer your coffee alongside a slice of cake or with chocolate already in the cup, National Chocolate Day is a good excuse to try a new pairing.
