This 7 ingredient Chocolate-Mayonnaise Cake is moist, simple, and tastes divine! Enjoy it warm with a rich chocolate fudge sauce, chopped walnuts, and vanilla ice cream. If you are looking for a more traditional chocolate cake I recommend my Chocolate Craving Cake or Best Chocolate Sheet Cake!
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
Chocolate Cake is a popular favorite but have you ever tried a Mayonnaise Chocolate Cake? You are in for a real treat. Never have you tasted such a rich moist cake and you’d never guess it has mayonnaise in it.
Mayonnaise is actually just an emulsion of egg yolk, oil, and a little vinegar. Typical cake recipes call for eggs, oil, and even sometimes buttermilk which has vinegar in it and makes the most amazing Double Chocolate Cupcakes. Basically, using mayonnaise is just taking a shortcut by combining multiple ingredients into one.
The mayonnaise cake originated during the Great Depression when people didn’t have as much access to eggs and oil. Brands who made mayo even added the recipe right to the jar! You can see there is no added salt in this recipe and that is because there is salt already in the mayonnaise.
Mayonnaise vs. Miracle Whip
I do recommend using a full-fat mayonnaise for this recipe. Miracle Whip is different than mayo and has a different taste, some would even say seasoned. So, for a sweet baked good like chocolate cake, it is best to stick to traditional mayonnaise.
How to Make Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake:
This cake is so simple to make! It will become your new go-to dessert.
Mix all the dry ingredients together: flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Next, you’ll add in the mayonnaise, water, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Pour the batter into a 9×9 inch greased baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.
After pulling the cake out of the oven you can make the fudge sauce. Just place a cup of chocolate chips in a bowl and pour hot cream over them and cover for 2 minutes. Whisk the chocolate and cream together until smooth and then serve over the top of the warm cake and top with a scoop of ice cream and sprinkle with roughly chopped walnuts.
Can You Freeze a Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake?
Yes, you can! It can be treated just like a traditional cake recipe. Make sure that the cake has fully cooled then wrap it tightly in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Place in your freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw cakes unwrap them and put them on a wire rack at room temperature. They should thaw out in 2-3 hours. I prefer to ice my cakes when they are slightly chilled, but you can frosting it when it is at room temperature as well.
This cake tastes amazing warm but you can definitely eat it at room temperature, but we love ours warm so that the ice cream can melt and the fudge sauce and soak into every nook and cranny.
This cake is the perfect ending to a dinner party with friends. No one can resist a piece of warm chocolate mayonnaise cake topped with fudge and ice cream… at least, I can’t!
This 7 ingredient Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake is moist, simple, and tastes divine! Enjoy it warm with a rich chocolate fudge sauce, chopped walnuts, and vanilla ice cream.
- 2 cups (256g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (44g) cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 cup (237g) water
- 1 cup (232g) mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (179g) heavy cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 6 ounces
- toasted walnuts optional
- vanilla ice cream optional
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.
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Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda together in medium mixing bowl. Add the water, mayonnaise, and vanilla and mix until evenly combined.
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Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out mostly clean.
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Place chocolate chips in a bowl. Heat whipping cream, pour over chocolate chips, and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth.
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Serve cake warm or reheat. Spoon fudge sauce on top of cake, sprinkle with walnuts, top with ice cream. Serve immediately.
Recipe Video
Written by Melanie from Garnish and Glaze.
This cake is fantastic! So moist with a tender crumb. I needed to whip up a cake quickly for an unexpected family dinner, but had no eggs or butter, so I gave this a try. I only had light mayo, but it worked out great. Everyone loved it, thank you so much for the great recipe! I will make it again even if I do have eggs, it was so lovely!
This is exactly like my mom’s recipe!! It was always my choice for my birthday cake. WONDERFUL CHOCOLATE CAKE!! (Mom always used Miracle Whip.)
Can you use this for cupcakes?
Can light mayo be used here?
I have never made this cake, but my older sister has made me one of these cakes ever since I can remember! By the way I just turned 55. They are the best chocolate cake ever! Very moist and lots of flavor!
YOUR A RED * HEAD *** Should have known ~~~ It was 96 degrees today ~ No I didn’t bake today *** Looking forward to CHOCOLATE CAKE!!!
HAHAHAHHA, enjoy it!
I’m vegan, so what can I use in place of the heavy cream for the fudge sauce?
My apologies, I don’t adhere to a vegan diet so I wouldn’t feel comfortable advising you on this.
@Shannon
You can make a great chocolate sauce with melted coconut oil, cocoa pwd, agave or sugar to taste, bittersweet or sweeter. Or just soften your vegan butter of choice, cocoa pwd, confectioners sugar or sugar of choice, a bit of vanilla extract. Blend, whip all, top the cake. Delish. 18-yr vegan here. Also GF, so I’ll use a one-2-one GF flour, it maybe slightly denser, but gooey, yummy.
Worst cake I have ever made. At its highest point it was about 1″ high, cut in halves and it was just solid. Followed the instructions exactly and checked everything. Will never use mayonnaise again.
Hi Kay! Sorry for your experience. This cake has been around for 60+ years and been tested and retested. You may want to check the quality of your ingredients as well as if your oven is heating correctly.
Your recipe was awesome. I baked this chocolate cake and it was perfect.Thanks for sharing. Take care!
Very bland. Used Droste cocoa and followed recipe as written. Texture was good, though. Wouldn’t make again or recommend.
Shannon,I’ve found a non-dairy whipping cream that was coconut or almond based. I can’t remember.I’m not sure where you’re from but I found it at a local grocery store but I’m sure Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s would have it if you have those stores nearby.
Love this cake. Have made it a few times and am having a problem. First cake turned out great. But now the very center takes forever to fully bake. I have to leave a in at least an extra 10 minutes and it still isn’t quite fully baked. Any suggestions?
Oh no! So sorry. Your oven temperature might be a bit off. Try adding 25° to the baking temp and see if that helps. 🙂
How do I reheat this cake. Baking today but it’s for tomorrow night. Grandsons birthday cake. Thank you.
I remember when my sweet Mama used to make mayonnaise cake for us four girls when we were growing up
I’ve followed you recipe exactly, but my cake always sinks in the middle. I’ve tried this a few time snow and seems to happen every time.
What am I doing wrong? How do I fix this??
Hi, Aaron! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. Check your oven temperature for accuracy with an oven thermometer. An oven that is too hot or too cold will have negative effects on baking. In addition, make sure all your measurements are accurate (specifically, not using too much baking soda). I hope this helps, and have a great day!
Has anyone tried this cake in three 9 in round pans? If so how long did you bake them?
I grew up eating this cake and we used miracle whip because that is what mom bought and it is GREAT. Also never had fudge sauce on it, had Mocha Frosting on it. Much better!! and this was the go to birthday cake for all us kids.
I grew up eating this cake, always a favorite. We always liked peanut butter icing on ours
This is the best love it sooo yummy den making this cake go over 60 years