I’ve tried many cake recipes, but the Costco chocolate cake is my favorite. This chocolate sheet cake is a hit for any event. This cake is perfect for a birthday, supper, or self-treat.
I’ll show you how to make a homemade Costco chocolate cake. I’ll also answer some common cake inquiries and give you some tips to make a perfect cake.
Best Costco Chocolate Cake
Costco sells chocolate cake. It is a large chocolate sheet cake with two tiers of chocolate cake, a layer of chocolate mousse, and chocolate buttercream frosting. Chocolate shavings or other decorations cap the cake.
Costco chocolate cake is big, tasty, and cheap. It is a famous dessert for parties, events, and at home. Costco bakers sell the cake in-store, online, or for pickup.
Costco Chocolate Cake Ingredients
Before we get started with the recipe, let’s talk about the ingredients. To make a Costco chocolate cake, you’ll need:
For the cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water
For the chocolate mousse:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips
For the frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
How to Make Costco Chocolate Cake Recipe
Now that we have all our ingredients, let’s start making our Costco chocolate cake. Follow these step-by-step instructions to make sure your cake turns out perfect.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Gradually add the hot water to the batter, mixing until smooth. The batter will be very thin, but that’s normal.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, prepare the chocolate mousse. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until completely melted. Add the melted chocolate to the whipped cream and beat until well combined. Set aside.
Once the cake is done baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan.
Once the cake is cooled, use a sharp knife to level the top of the cake, if necessary.
Spread the chocolate mousse over the top of the cake, making sure to spread it evenly.
To make the frosting, beat the butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract, and beat until smooth and creamy.
Spread the frosting over the top of the chocolate mousse layer, making sure to spread it evenly.
Optional: top the cake with chocolate shavings or other decorations.
Costco Chocolate Cake Variations
While the classic Costco chocolate cake is delicious on its own, there are several variations you can make to change things up and add a unique twist to this classic dessert.
Add 1/2 cup of peanut butter to the cake batter, and swirl in some melted peanut butter chips into the chocolate mousse layer.
Add 1 cup of shredded coconut to the cake batter, and sprinkle some toasted coconut on top of the frosting.
Add 1 cup of fresh raspberries to the cake batter, and top the frosting with fresh raspberries.
Drizzle some salted caramel sauce over the chocolate mousse layer, and sprinkle some coarse sea salt on top of the frosting.
Add 2 tablespoons of espresso powder to the cake batter, and sprinkle some chocolate-covered espresso beans on top of the frosting.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before you start baking. This will ensure that the ingredients mix together evenly and result in a smooth batter.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Mix until the ingredients are just combined to avoid a tough cake texture.
- Use good quality chocolate for the mousse and frosting for the best flavor.
- To make the cake extra moist, brush the top of the cake with simple syrup before adding the mousse and frosting layers.
- Use a sharp knife to level the top of the cake before adding the mousse and frosting layers for a more even cake.
How To Store Homemade Costco Chocolate Cake
To keep your Costco chocolate cake fresh, store it properly. Cake storage tips:
Protect the cake from air and moisture with plastic wrap or metal foil. This keeps the cake fresh.
Refrigerate the cake to preserve it. Refrigerate the cake in a sealed container. Cool temperatures will keep the cake fresh and tasty.
The cake can be frozen, but don’t. Freezing can make the cake dry and tasteless. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and put it in an airtight container to freeze it.
Keep the cake separate in the fridge. This will keep the cake odorless.
Let the cake cool for 30 minutes before serving. This allows the cake to reach room temperature and improves taste and texture.
Costco Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water
For the chocolate mousse
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
For the frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Now that we have all our ingredients, let’s start making our Costco chocolate cake. Follow these step-by-step instructions to make sure your cake turns out perfect.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Gradually add the hot water to the batter, mixing until smooth. The batter will be very thin, but that’s normal.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the chocolate mousse. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until completely melted. Add the melted chocolate to the whipped cream and beat until well combined. Set aside.
- Once the cake is done baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan.
- Once the cake is cooled, use a sharp knife to level the top of the cake, if necessary.
- Spread the chocolate mousse over the top of the cake, making sure to spread it evenly.
- To make the frosting, beat the butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract, and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Spread the frosting over the top of the chocolate mousse layer, making sure to spread it evenly.
- Optional: top the cake with chocolate shavings or other decorations.
Costco Chocolate Cake Recipe is a delicious and easy cake that can be made in a short amount of time. It is perfect for any occasion and is sure to impress your guests.
