Easy Chocolate Football Cake for the Super Bowl
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Today I’m sharing an easy way to make a Chocolate Football Cake that’s perfect for Super Bowl celebrations. This fun, football-shaped cake makes a great centerpiece for your game-day spread and is guaranteed to get everyone’s attention before the first slice is even served.
It’s a simple way to turn a classic chocolate cake into a festive, themed dessert for your party for the big game. Best of all, the recipe is easy to adapt—double it if you’re feeding a bigger crowd or want extra cake for leftovers. It’s a crowd-pleasing dessert that’s just as fun to make as it is to serve.
This football cake is made with a rich, moist, homemade chocolate cake. That said, if you’re short on time or just want to keep things extra simple, you can absolutely use a boxed cake mix instead and still end up with a fun, festive dessert. The homemade version does take a little extra time, but it’s well worth the effort—the texture and flavor really shine and make this Super Bowl cake feel extra special.
Ingredients for the Easy Chocolate Football Cake
- FLOUR
- SUGAR
- COCOA POWDER
- BAKING SODA
- BAKING POWDER
- SALT
- EGG
- CANOLA OIL
- BUTTERMILK
- HOT WATER
- BUTTER
- POWDERED SUGAR
- VANILLA
- MILK
- SHREDDED COCONUT
- GREEN FOOD COLORING
Instructions for the Easy Chocolate Football Cake
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9-inch round cake pan by lightly greasing the bottom and lining it with a circle of parchment paper. Then grease and flour the sides of the pan. This extra step makes it much easier to remove the cake cleanly after baking.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Add the eggs, oil, and buttermilk, stirring until well combined. Slowly pour in the hot water and stir just until the batter is smooth and combined—be careful not to overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a wire rack, remove the pan, and allow the cake to cool completely before decorating.
While the cake cools, make the frosting. In a separate bowl, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until light and fluffy. Set aside about ½ cup of the frosting for decorating the football laces later. Add the cocoa powder to the remaining frosting and mix until smooth and fully combined.
To shape the cake, use a serrated knife to cut a strip about 1½ to 2 inches wide down the center of the cake. Remove this strip and set it aside for another use. Place the two remaining pieces on a serving platter and gently push them together to form a football shape. Frost the outside of the cake with the chocolate frosting, smoothing it as evenly as possible.
Transfer the reserved white frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a round tip and pipe the football laces and stripes on top of the cake. For the finishing touch, place the shredded coconut in a resealable bag with a few drops of green food coloring. Shake and knead the bag until the coconut turns green, adding more food coloring if needed. Spoon the “grass” around the football cake on the serving platter.
Tip: The center strip of cake you removed doesn’t need to go to waste. Cut it into squares, frost them, and top with football cupcake toppers for an extra game-day treat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes. You can bake the cake up to a day in advance. Wrap it tightly, refrigerate, then frost and decorate the day you plan to serve it.
Can I use a boxed cake mix instead of making the cake from scratch?
Absolutely. A boxed chocolate cake mix works just fine and makes this recipe even easier. Prepare it according to the package directions for a round cake and continue with the shaping and decorating steps.
What size pan should I use?
A 9-inch round cake pan works best for shaping the football. Using a different size may affect the final shape.
Can I make this cake larger for a crowd?
Yes. You can double the recipe and make two football cakes, or bake two round cakes and decorate them separately for larger gatherings.
How do I keep the cake from crumbling when I cut it?
Make sure the cake is completely cooled before cutting and shaping. Using a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion helps keep the cake intact. You can chill the cake in the fridge before slicing, to keep the cake from crumbling.
Can I skip the coconut “grass”?
Yes. Coconut grass is optional, but it adds a fun touch. You can also use green frosting or sprinkles instead.
How should leftovers be stored?
Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Tips & Tricks
- Use a boxed cake mix if you’re short on time. It’s a great shortcut and works just as well as homemade cake for this recipe.
- Line the cake pan with parchment paper to make removing the cake easier and prevent sticking.
- Chill the cake briefly before shaping if it feels too soft—it makes cutting cleaner.
- Reserve frosting before adding cocoa so you have white frosting ready for the laces.
- Use a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off if you don’t have piping tips.
- Don’t overmix the batter once the hot water is added to keep the cake tender.
- Save the center cake strip for bonus treats—cut it into squares, frost, and add football toppers.
- Decorate on the serving platter to avoid transferring the cake after frosting.
For more recipes like this, try:
Easy Chocolate Football Cake for the Super Bowl
Real Mom Kitchen
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- ½ cup canola oil
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup hot water
Frosting
- ½ cup butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla
- 3-4 Tbsp milk
- ¼ cup cocoa
Grass
- 1-2 cups shredded coconut
- green food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 inch or 9 inch round cake pan and set aside. I like to lightly grease the bottom and place a piece of parchment into the bottom of the pan, then grease and flour the sides. This helps make sure you can easily remove the cake from the pan.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, cocoa baking soda, baking powder, and salt for the cake. Whisk together until combined.
- Add the eggs, oil, and buttermilk to the bowl and stir to combine. Add in the hot water and stir just until combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake for 10 miniutes and then invert to a cooling rack and remove the pan. Then allow the cake to cool completely.
- In another bowl, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until well combined and fluffy. Set aside 1/2 cup of the frosting. Add the cocoa powder to the remaining frosting and blend together.
- To assemble the cake, use a serrated knife and cut a 1 1/2-inch to 2-inch-wide strip down the center of the cake. Remove the strip and set it aside for another use.
- Place both sides of the cake on a serving platter and push together to form a football shape. Frost the outside of the cake with the chocolate frosting.
- Place the white frosting in a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe lines and laces on the cake.
- Place the shredded coconut in a resealable bag with a few drops of green food coloring. Shake and knead the bag until the coconut looks like grass (add more coloring as needed). Carefully spoon the green coconut “grass” on the serving platter around the football cake.
Notes
Nutrition
This is a Real Mom Kitchen original recipe inspired by Steph Gigilotti.
