Chocolate Malted Cake Recipe (2024)

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This chocolate malted cake recipe brings all the flavors of your favorite milkshake into a rich velvety chocolate cake. Get in touch with your inner milkshake loving self with a slice of this cake!

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My grandma was a fabulous baker and cake was one of her specialties.

Since her passing, I honor her by having switched from store bought cakes for occasions like my sons’ birthdays to making them homemade cakes.

And son 3’s favorite is definitely this chocolate malted cake recipe.

Several layers of moist chocolate cake with a hint of malt flavor are separated by a smooth and creamy chocolate malt frosting.

Garnished and topped with malted milk balls, each slice in an homage to the chocolate malted milkshakes I love as a kid and that son 3 loves now.

What does chocolate malt taste like?

Chocolate malt has a roasted mellow flavor from roasting the malt grains (generally barley) themselves.

It’s delicious!

Ingredients

To make this you’ll need a set of ingredients for the cake and one for the frosting.

For the cake itself you’ll need:

Flour– All purpose
Sugar– Granulated
Cocoa powder– Unsweetened
Baking powder and baking soda– For leavening
Salt– To balance the flavors
Milk
Malted milk powder– You can generally find this in the baking aisle.
Oil– Canola oil
Eggs
Sour cream– Keeps the cake moist and tender
Vanilla– Real vanilla extract

And for the frosting you’ll need:

Butter– Softened
Cocoa powder– Unsweetened
Heavy cream– Don’t substitute a lower fat dairy.
Malted milk powder
Sugar– Powdered
Malted milk balls– Like Whoppers. For garnish.

How to Make

Let’s break this chocolate malted cake down into 3 parts- making the cake, making the frosting, and assembling the cake.

To Make the Cake

To make the cake, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer until they are just evenly combined.

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and malt powder until completely combined.

Then turn the stand mixer onto medium speed and slowly pour in the milk mixture into the dry ingredients.

Beat in the eggs and oil, just until the mixture’s smooth.

Then, beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract, just until the mixture’s once again smooth.

Pour the cake batter into 2 or 3 greased and floured 9 inch cake pans, depending on your desired thickness and number of layers.

Gently tap the pans down on a flat surface to pop any air bubbles.

To Make the Frosting

Once the cakes are completely cool, cream together the butter and cocoa powder until smooth in the bowl of a stand mixer.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cream and malt powder until evenly combined.

Then, pour the cream mixture into the mixer, whipping at low speed, until evenly combined.

Beat in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, continuing to whip at low speed, until the frosting has come together and is fluffy.

Assembling the Cake

Once you’ve made the frosting you can put the cake together.

Spread the frosting evenly between the cake layers and on top and sides of cake and smooth it with an icing spatula.

Freeze the cake for 10 minutes and use the spatula again to smooth out any minor imperfections.

Garnish with malted milk balls, if desired, around the bottom and top edges and in the middle.

Slice and enjoy!

Storing

Store the cake in a cake saverin the fridge for up to 4 days.

Tips and Tricks

Scrape down the sides of the bowl when making the cake to make sure all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated, but don’t over mix the batter!
The cook time will be closer to 20 minutes if making 3 cake layers instead of 2.
Make sure the butter is at a room temperature before you make the frosting so it whips well.

Other Cake Recipes

This chocolate malted cake recipe is a favorite for fans of the classic milkshake!

Make it for your next celebration and enjoy!

Looking for other cake recipes?

Try these:

Chocolate Malted Cake Recipe

This chocolate malted cake recipe brings all the flavors of your favorite milkshake into a rich velvety chocolate cake. Get in touch with your inner milkshake loving self with a slice of this cake!

3.44 from 23 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 722kcal

Author: Meaghan @ 4 Sons R Us

Ingredients

For The Cake

2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 cup malted milk powder
1 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

For The Chocolate Malt Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup malted milk powder
5 cups powdered sugar
malted milk balls, for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Make The Cake

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add theflour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix them just until evenly combined.
2 1/4 cups flour, 1 1/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and malt powder until completely combined.
1 cup milk, 1 cup malted milk powder
Mixing on medium, slowly pour in the milk mixture until evenly combined. Mix in the eggs and oil, just until the mixture's smooth.
1 cup canola oil, 3 large eggs
Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract, just until the mixture's once again smooth.
1 cup sour cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract
Grease & flour 2-3 9" cake pans, depending on your desired thickness/number of layers. Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared pans. Pat the pans down on a flat surface to remove any air bubbles. Bake the cakes at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each comes out clean.
Let the cakes rest in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to ensure the cake has 'released'. Flip the cakes out over wired racks and let them cool completely.

To Make The Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and cocoa powder until smooth.
1 cup butter, softened, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and malt powder until evenly combined.
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup malted milk powder
Pour the cream mixture into the mixer, whipping at low speed, until evenly combined.
Gradually add in the powdered sugar, continuing to whip at low speed, until the frosting has come together and is fluffy.
5 cups powdered sugar

To Assemble The Cake

Spread the frosting evenly between the cake layers and on top and sides of cake. Use a long, flat spatula to smooth them out. Freeze the cake for 10 minutes and use the spatula again to smooth out any minor imperfections.
Garnish with malted milk balls, if desired, around the bottom and top edges and in the middle.
malted milk balls, for garnish

Notes

Scrape down the sides of the bowl when making the cake to make sure all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated, but don't over mix the batter!
The cook time will be closer to 20 minutes if making 3 cake layers instead of 2.
Make sure the butter is at a room temperature before you make the frosting so it whips well.

Nutrition

Did you make this recipe?Share it on Instagram @4sonsrus or tag #4sonsrus!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full Disclosure Policy for details. As always, all opinions are my own.

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