By Dr. Leah Alexander | Published on September 21, 2023 | Last Updated on September 21, 2023
Costco’s food court is a popular destination for shoppers looking for tasty treats. From their pizza to churros, they offer a variety of tasty items on their menu.
One item that stands out among the rest is the incredible chocolate cake. Costco’s chocolate cake has become legendary in its own right, and now you can make a delicious version of it right in your own kitchen!
This article provides step-by-step instructions for creating a moist and fluffy chocolate cake with a rich mousse topping and indulgent frosting.
With just a few simple ingredients and some love, you’ll be able to make your own version of Costco’s famous chocolate cake in no time. Let’s get started!
What is Costco Chocolate Cake?
Costco’s Chocolate Cake is a delicious treat made with two layers of light and fluffy chocolate cake, topped with a rich mousse topping, and finished off with an indulgent frosting.
The cake is moist and flavorful, combining cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate chips in the mousse topping for a decadent flavor. Its signature frosting is smooth and spreadable, which is the perfect complement to the light and airy texture of the cake.
Costco’s Chocolate Cake is beloved for its convenience and affordability. It’s a great choice for occasions such as birthdays or holidays, but it can also be enjoyed any time of year. Whether you’re bringing it to a party or just enjoying it with family and friends, Costco’s Chocolate Cake is sure to be a hit.
Why You’ll Love this Costco Chocolate Cake?
This Costco Chocolate Cake is loved for its delicious flavor and convenience. It’s a simple yet impressive dessert that can be enjoyed at any time of year. The chocolate cake itself is light and fluffy, with just the right amount of sweetness.
The rich mousse topping made with semisweet chocolate chips adds an indulgent layer of flavor to every bite. The signature frosting is smooth and spreadable, which serves as the perfect complement to the light and airy texture of the cake itself.
Lastly, Costco’s Chocolate Cake can be enjoyed on any occasion without breaking the bank. It’s an affordable yet impressive dessert that anyone can enjoy!
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Ingredients
- Eggs: This ingredient will provide structure and leavening in the cake.
- Baking Soda: This ingredient helps to give the cake a slightly light texture.
- Hot Water: Hot water is necessary to dissolve the baking soda, which is essential for ensuring that your cake rises properly.
- Vegetable Oil: This ingredient adds flavor and moistness to the cake, while also helping to keep it from getting too dry.
- Cocoa Powder: This ingredient adds flavor and a rich chocolate color to the cake.
- Sugar: The sugar provides sweetness and helps to create an even texture in the cake.
- Vanilla Extract: This ingredient adds flavor, depth of flavor, and a hint of warmth.
- All-Purpose Flour: This ingredient provides structure and keeps the cake from becoming too dense or heavy.
- Salt: Salt enhances the flavors in the cake while helping to balance out sweetness.
- Baking Powder: This ingredient helps to give the cake a light texture by creating air bubbles that help it rise.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds flavor and a slight tanginess to the cake. It also helps to keep it from becoming too dry.
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips: This ingredient is melted and used in the chocolate mousse topping for a rich, indulgent flavor.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream adds richness to the mousse topping as well as helping to create a light and airy texture.
- Powdered Sugar: This ingredient adds sweetness to the frosting as well as making it thick and spreadable.
- Milk: Milk helps to thin out the frosting so that it’s easy to spread on the cake.
- Unsalted Butter: Unsalted butter adds flavor and richness to the frosting.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1
Prepare the batter
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, baking soda, hot water, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Sift in the flour, salt, and baking powder into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Add the buttermilk and mix until well incorporated.
Step 2
Prepare the mousse topping
- In a medium bowl, combine semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream.
- Microwave for 1 minute or until melted.
- Stir until smooth and set aside to cool slightly.
Step 3
Prepare the frosting
- Place powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk in a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
- Add butter and cocoa powder and mix until light and fluffy. Set aside.
Step 4
Bake the cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Step 5
Assemble
- Place one layer of cake onto a plate or stand.
- Spread cooled chocolate mousse evenly over the top.
- Place the second layer of cake onto the mousse and spread frosting on top.
Tips
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before beginning. This will ensure that everything mixes together evenly and prevents lumps from forming in the batter.
- Be sure to grease and line your cake pans before adding the batter. This will help the cakes release easily and prevent them from sticking to the pan.
- Once the cake layers have cooled completely, it’s important to assemble them as soon as possible. If left too long, they can become dry and crumble when you try to frost them.
- When adding the chocolate mousse topping to the cake, use a thin spatula or butter knife to spread it evenly over the top layer of the cake. This will help ensure that the mousse isn’t too thick or thin in any one spot.
- Let the cake chill for at least 30 minutes before serving, as this will help solidify the frosting and keep it from melting off the cake.
Nutrition Information
How to store Costco Chocolate Cake?
This Costco Chocolate Cake should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 3 days, but the cake is best enjoyed within the first 24 hours of being made.
If you need to store it for longer than that, it can be frozen and eaten within 2-3 months. To thaw the cake, simply place it in the refrigerator overnight and allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
When freezing the cake, be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in a resealable freezer bag. This will help protect it from any air or moisture that could ruin its texture.
The frosting should also be wrapped separately so that it doesn’t become soggy. Once thawed, the cake should be enjoyed within 24 hours.
What other substitute can I use in Costco Chocolate Cake?
Here are some substitute ingredients you can use in this recipe for Costco Chocolate Cake:
- Buttermilk Substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute using regular milk and lemon juice or vinegar. Simply combine 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of either lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes. This will create a thickened liquid that can be used as a substitute for buttermilk.
- Cocoa Powder Substitute: If you don’t have cocoa powder, you can use melted dark chocolate as a substitute. Simply melt 2 ounces of dark chocolate together with 1 tablespoon of butter and let it cool. This will create a thickened liquid that can be used in place of the cocoa powder in the recipe.
- Vanilla Extract Substitute: If you don’t have vanilla extract, you can use almond extract as a substitute. Simply combine 1 teaspoon of almond extract with 1/2 teaspoon of water and it will be an acceptable substitute.
- Heavy Cream Substitute: If you don’t have heavy cream, you can use evaporated milk as a substitute. Simply mix 3 tablespoons of evaporated milk with 1 tablespoon of melted butter to make an acceptable substitute.
- Powdered Sugar Substitute: If you don’t have powdered sugar, you can use regular white granulated sugar as a substitute. Simply combine 1 cup of granulated sugar with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and blend until it has the texture of powdered sugar. This will create a thickened substance that can be used in place of powdered sugar.
- Milk Substitute: If you don’t have milk, you can use coconut milk as a substitute. Simply combine 1 cup of canned coconut milk with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and mix until well combined. This will create a thickened liquid that can be used in place of the milk in the recipe.
Costco Chocolate Cake Recipe
Equipment
- bowl
- Round cake pan,
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 tbsp Clabber Girl Baking Soda
- 1 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2.5 cups brown sugar or white granulated sugar
- 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- 1 cup buttermilk or whole milk
- 1 stick butter
For the Chocolate Mousse:
- 7 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream or half and half
For the Frosting:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, baking soda, hot water, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, sugar, butter and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Sift in the flour, salt, and baking powder into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour in the buttermilk and mix until well incorporated.
- Prepare the mousse topping by combining the semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream in a medium bowl. Microwave for 1 minute or until melted then stir until smooth before allowing to cool slightly.
- Make the frosting by whisking together powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk in a medium bowl. Add butter and cocoa powder and mix until light and fluffy.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Place one layer of cake onto a plate or stand. Spread cooled chocolate mousse evenly over the top and then place a second layer of cake on top. Cover with frosting.
Notes
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before beginning. This will ensure that everything mixes together evenly and prevents lumps from forming in the batter.
- Be sure to grease and line your cake pans before adding the batter. This will help the cakes release easily and prevent them from sticking to the pan.
- Once the cake layers have cooled completely, it’s important to assemble them as soon as possible. If left too long, they can become dry and crumble when you try to frost them.
- When adding the chocolate mousse topping to the cake, use a thin spatula or butter knife to spread it evenly over the top layer of the cake. This will help ensure that the mousse isn’t too thick or thin in any one spot.
- Let the cake chill for at least 30 minutes before serving, as this will help solidify the frosting and keep it from melting off the cake.
FAQs
Is this gluten-free?
No, this recipe uses all-purpose flour which contains gluten. To make it gluten-free, you can use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of regular flour.
Can I make this cake vegan?
Yes, you can substitute the eggs for a flax egg and swap out the butter for vegan butter and the heavy cream for vegan whipped cream or coconut cream.
Can I prepare this cake without an oven?
No, this recipe requires baking in an oven. However, you can use a convection microwave to bake the cake if desired.
Conclusion
Thank you for trying the Costco Chocolate Cake recipe. We hope you enjoyed it and that you were able to make a delicious cake with no problems.
If you have any other questions or comments, please feel free to reach out! Please share this article with your friends and family if you found it helpful.
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Dr. Leah Alexander, M.D., is a board-certified Pediatrician in New Jersey and has been working at Elizabeth Pediatric Group of New Jersey since 2000.
She also has a passion for culinary arts that extends beyond the medical realm. After completing culinary school at the French Culinary Institute, she started Global Palate, LLC, a catering firm, in 2007. She ran her own six-year-old catering company and served small group parties as an owner and executive chef.
