Moist Chocolate Malt Cake with Ovaltine Frosting

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This rich and moist chocolate cake uses Ovaltine in the frosting for a malted twist you’ll love.
Make-ahead friendly and perfect for celebrations!

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Cake

This is the OG chocolate cake recipe — the one that accidentally changed everything. About ten years ago, while prepping dessert for a dinner party, I ran out of actual chocolate mid‑recipe (rookie move, I know). In a moment of mild panic and creativity, I grabbed some leftover chocolate malt Ovaltine from the pantry. One thing led to another… and what came out of the oven was the most decadent, moist, and surprisingly light chocolate cake I had ever made.

This Ovaltine chocolate cake has had quite a journey since then. It’s the recipe that landed me a feature on VoyageHouston, racked up thousands of views on Instagram, and became my most requested dessert for birthdays, celebrations, and “just because” occasions. The more I make it, the better it gets — and over time, I’ve picked up a few small but important tricks that help each ingredient shine and give this cake its signature depth of flavor.

Now, full disclosure: this is not a quick, last‑minute chocolate cake. This is a labor‑of‑love chocolate cake recipe — more of a “bake the cake today, frost it tomorrow” situation. But don’t let that scare you off. If you’re looking for a truly rich, moist homemade chocolate cake, this one is absolutely worth the time and effort.

You don’t need any special equipment to make it. A stand mixer makes things easier (because arms), but a hand mixer works just fine. This cake is a tried‑and‑true family and friends favorite, and once you make it, you’ll understand why. If you try it, I’d love to hear what you think!

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Cooking Method: Baking

Courses: Dessert

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 8

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
¾ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1 cup whole milk
2 tsp distilled white vinegar
1 cup neutral oil (canola oil recommended)
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup hot brewed coffee (enhances the chocolate flavor)

Chocolate Malt Frosting

1½ cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
¾ tsp salt
4 cups powdered sugar ((yes, it’s a lot — this is a GOOD cake, not a diet cake))
¼ cup milk
¾ cup heavy cream
⅔ cup Ovaltine chocolate malt powder ((found in the hot cocoa aisle at most grocery stores))
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

Bake the Chocolate Cake

1
Preheat your oven to 330°F (170°C).
It may sound oddly specific, but trust me — this temperature helps the cake bake evenly and stay moist.
2
Sift the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3
Whisk the wet ingredients.
In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, milk + vinegar, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended.
4
Add dry ingredients to a stand mixer.
Place the sifted dry ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer. (You can also use a hand mixer — just be careful with the hot coffee in the next step.)
5
Mix wet into dry.
Start the mixer on low speed and slowly pour in the wet mixture. Once combined, increase speed to medium and beat for 3–5 minutes until the batter is smooth and fully integrated.
6
Add hot coffee.
Reduce the mixer speed to low. Slowly pour in the hot brewed coffee, then turn off the mixer and gently fold the batter by hand. Avoid mixing on high speed with hot liquid — safety first!
7
Divide and bake.
Line two round baking pans with parchment paper. Pour the batter evenly into both pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Make the Chocolate Malt Frosting

8
Start with butter, cocoa, salt, and milk.
In a clean mixing bowl, combine the unsalted butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, and milk.
9
Beat until creamy.
Mix on medium speed for 3–4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
10
Add powdered sugar.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, while the mixer runs. (Your kitchen may get a little powdered-sugar-snowstorm messy — sorry in advance.)
11
Mix Ovaltine and cream.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and Ovaltine chocolate malt powder. Resist the urge to lick the spoon… or don’t.
12
Finish the frosting.
Add the Ovaltine-cream mixture to your chocolate base and beat for another 3–4 minutes until the frosting is light, smooth, and fluffy. Yes, it’s taste-test worthy.

Assemble the Cake

13
Cool and layer.
Let your cakes cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, slice each cake horizontally to create 4 layers in total.
14
Frost and stack.
Spread a generous layer of frosting between each cake layer. Stack them evenly and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting.
15
Decorate and serve.
Smooth the frosting or swirl it for texture. Add sprinkles, shaved chocolate, or a drizzle of ganache if you're feeling extra. Slice and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Servings 8

Amount Per Serving
Calories 1092.07kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 53.88g83%
Saturated Fat 30.18g151%
Cholesterol 166.99mg56%
Sodium 66.11mg3%
Potassium 480.37mg14%
Total Carbohydrate 155.65g52%
Dietary Fiber 8.3g34%
Sugars 118.13g
Protein 11.02g23%

Vitamin A 1520.73 IU
Calcium 105.57 mg
Iron 4.61 mg
Vitamin D 1.58 mcg
Vitamin E 2.37 mg
Vitamin K 8.64 mcg
Thiamin 0.31 mg
Riboflavin 0.4 mg
Niacin 2.54 mg
Vitamin B6 0.1 mg
Folate 75.11 mcg
Vitamin B12 0.43 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 0.63 mg
Phosphorus 268.77 mg
Magnesium 115.61 mg
Zinc 1.97 mg
Selenium 20.17 mcg
Copper 0.81 mg
Manganese 0.95 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Pro Tips for the Best Chocolate Cake Experience

Make it ahead - it gets even better.
This cake actually thrives with a little rest. Prep it the day before your event and let it sit overnight in the fridge. The texture becomes even more moist, and the flavors deepen beautifully.
Shelf life is great (but good luck getting that far).
Technically, this cake stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 7 days; but in my house, it rarely lasts more than 48 hours. Let me know if you ever make it to Day 3... I’ll be impressed.

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