Mocha Cake Recipe
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5
568 reviews
Excellent
Mocha Cake Recipe
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The Mocha Cake Recipe produces a moist layered cake with chocolate and coffee flavors woven through the batter and buttercream. The cake layers are tender and rich, relying on cocoa powder blended with hot coffee for their mocha profile. Coordinating mocha buttercream and ganache finish the cake with smooth, creamy frosting and a glossy chocolate drip.
Description
This mocha cake uses cocoa powder combined with very hot coffee to dissolve the cocoa, imparting a pronounced mocha flavor to the tender chocolate cake layers. The batter includes flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract. The cake is baked in three 9-inch round pans.
The buttercream frosting incorporates butter, confectioners sugar, cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, vanilla, heavy cream, and salt, delivering a mocha-flavored creamy layer for frosting. The ganache topping made with chopped dark chocolate and heavy cream forms a smooth glaze, sometimes adjusted with extra cream for a drip effect.
Chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans add a textured garnish. The cake benefits from a crumb coat to capture crumbs and chilling before final icing. This results in a moist, rich cake suitable for celebrations or mocha lovers.
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Ingredients
For the Cake:
- ½ cup cocoa powder 40g, unsweetened
- 1 cup coffee 240mL, very hot
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
- 2½ cups granulated sugar (500g)
- 2½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil (240ml)
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature (240ml, whole
- 3 large egg room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Buttercream:
- 2 cups butter 450g, unsalted
- 2 pounds confectioners sugar (900g)
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Ganache:
- ½ cup dark chocolate chopped (90g)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (60mL)
For the Assembly:
- ½ cup chocolate-covered espresso beans chopped (95g)
Instructions
For the Cake Layers:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter three (9-inch) round cake pans or spray with baking spray, and line the bottoms with parchment paper. (I highly recommend using cake strips for a more even bake.)
- In a medium bowl, sift the cocoa powder. Whisk in the hot coffee until the cocoa is dissolved. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- To the cooled cocoa mixture, add the oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Pour the mocha mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until fully incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the cakes are springy to the touch and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. (If you have to bake the cakes on separate oven racks, carefully rotate them after 20 minutes of baking.) Let cool completely in the pans. Run a knife around the edge of the cakes to loosen them and invert them onto a wire rack. Remove and discard the parchment paper.
For the Mocha Buttercream:
- In a large bowl, sift together the confectioners’ sugar, salt, cocoa, and espresso powder. (If you want the buttercream to have a stronger espresso taste, add as much as you would like!)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip the butter on medium speed for about 5 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar mixture. Add the vanilla and drizzle in the heavy cream while beating. Beat until the frosting is fluffy and easily spreadable.
For the Ganache:
- Microwave the cream on high for 20 to 30 seconds until very hot but not boiling. Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over top. Set aside for a few minutes and whisk together. If there’s a few bits of unmelted chocolate just microwave it for 10 seconds on half power and whisk again. If your kitchen is cool, hold the ganache warm over a double boiler or set in a warm water bath.
For the Assembly:
- Spread about 1 cup of buttercream on the first layer, add a swirl of the ganache on top, then a sprinkle of chopped espresso beans. Add the second layer on top and repeat the process. Top with the remaining cake layer and cover the top and side of the cake with buttercream. Chill for 20 minutes.
- To make the ganache drip on top of the cake, rewarm the remaining ganache for 15 to 20 seconds in the microwave until slightly runny. (You may need to add an additional tablespoon or two of cream.) Transfer it to a piping and drip the ganache down the sides of the cake. Drizzle the remaining ganache over the top of the cake, and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Chill until set.
- Pipe dollops of buttercream on the edge using a large closed star tip. Top each dollop with a whole chocolate-covered espresso bean, if you like.
Notes
- Weigh flour carefully or spoon and level to avoid dryness in the cake.
- Use room temperature ingredients for better mixing and texture.
- Apply a crumb coat and chill the cake before final frosting to prevent crumbs and stabilize layers.
- Adjust ganache drip with warm heavy cream to get the right consistency for decorating.
- Make extra buttercream for piping decorations if desired, increasing quantity by 25-50%.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
1391kcal
(70%)
Carbohydrates
183g
(61%)
Protein
10g
(20%)
Fat
72g
(111%)
Saturated Fat
34g
(170%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
15g
(88%)
Monounsaturated Fat
18g
(90%)
Trans Fat
2g
(100%)
Cholesterol
169mg
(56%)
Sodium
749mg
(31%)
Potassium
315mg
(7%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
146g
(292%)
Vitamin A
1412IU
(28%)
Vitamin C
0.1mg
(0%)
Calcium
119mg
(12%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 10servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1391 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 1391kcal | 70% |
| Carbohydrates | 183g | 61% |
| Protein | 10g | 20% |
| Fat | 72g | 111% |
| Saturated Fat | 34g | 170% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 15g | 88% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 18g | 90% |
| Trans Fat | 2g | 100% |
| Cholesterol | 169mg | 56% |
| Sodium | 749mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 315mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 146g | 292% |
| Vitamin A | 1412IU | 28% |
| Vitamin C | 0.1mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 119mg | 12% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
568 reviews
Excellent
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