Chocolate Mocha Cake

If you are a coffee lover, this chocolate mocha cake will quickly become your favorite cake recipe. This recipe is made with a moist chocolate mocha cake, iced in coffee buttercream frosting, and dusted in espresso powder. So if you need a sugar and caffeine fix, give this recipe a try!

Chocolate Mocha Cake

Two of the best things in the world are coffee and chocolate (at least in my world). This cake takes these two delicious flavors and pairs them together to make the perfect cake for coffee lovers.

The dark chocolate cake gets its mocha flavor from instant espresso powder which also enhances the chocolate flavor. The real coffee flavor comes from the coffee buttercream, also made with instant espresso powder. Because we just can’t get enough coffee, let’s add a sprinkle of even more espresso powder.

This cake may give you the jitters, but it is so worth it! Be sure to check out my recipe for mocha cupcakes if you are looking for the same great taste is small, portable form.

Ingredients for Chocolate Mocha Cake

Chocolate Mocha Cake

• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Dark cocoa powder: Use dark cocoa powder for the best chocolate flavor. My favorite is Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder which is a dutch-processed cocoa powder. 
• Baking soda + baking powder
• Salt
• Milk: Room temperature milk or buttermilk.
• Eggs: Large eggs, room temperature.
• Vegetable oil: Or your preferred neutral baking oil.
• Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
• Boiling water: Hot water helps bring the batter together.
• Instant espresso powder: Be sure to use instant espresso powder.

Coffee Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted butter: Room temperature, softened butter.
• Powdered sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar.
• Instant espresso powder: Be sure that it is instant espresso. Espresso grounds will not work in this recipe.
• Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract adds great underlying vanilla flavor.
• Salt: A pinch of salt balances out the frosting.
• Heavy cream: Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream to make the buttercream smooth and creamy.

How to Make Chocolate Mocha Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare three 7-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper circles.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, dark cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt).
3. Add in eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
4. Combine boiling water and espresso powder. Add this mixture to the cake batter and gently whisk until the batter is combined and smooth.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Use a kitchen scale to weigh the batter for even layers.
6. Bake the cake layers for approximately 30 minutes.
7. Cool the cakes in the pan for 15 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to Make Coffee Buttercream Frosting

To make the coffee buttercream frosting, I recommend using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for the best results. You could also use an electric hand mixer.

1. Whip the room temperature butter for about 5 minutes until it is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
2. Add powdered sugar in two batches, mixing on low speed in between each addition.
3. Add in the instant espresso powder, vanilla extract, and salt, continuing to mix on low speed.
4. Drizzle in the heavy cream and continue to mix on low until combined.
5. Turn the mixer to medium speed and whip the buttercream for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the instant espresso powder granules are fully dissolved and the buttercream is smooth.

How to Assemble the Chocolate Mocha Cake

1. Level the cooled chocolate mocha cake layers with a serrated knife.
2. Place one cake layer on a round cake board. Add desired amount of coffee buttercream to the top of the layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
3. Add the second cake layer, more coffee buttercream, and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
4. Add the final cake layer to the top of the cake. Be sure the bottom of the cake layer is facing up.
5. With an offset spatula, add a crumb coat, a thin layer of frosting, to the top and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper to remove excess frosting to smooth the sides. Chill the cake for 20 minutes to firm the buttercream.
6. Add a generous layer of the coffee buttercream to the chilled cake with an offset spatula. Use a cake scraper to remove excess buttercream and smooth the sides of the cake. Chill for an additional 20 minutes.
7. Fill a piping bag fitted with an Ateco 869 piping tip with the remaining coffee buttercream. Pipe a border of buttercream around the top edge of the cake. Use a fine mesh sieve to dust the top of the cake with instant espresso powder.

Check out my baking tutorial blog post on how to frost a layer cake to learn all of the steps involved in filling, stacking, and frosting a basic layer cake to learn more!