click the stars to rate!
Chocolate Mocha Cake
Yield: 12 servings
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!
Equipment
- Stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment
Ingredients
Chocolate Mocha Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (65 g) dark cocoa powder
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) baking soda
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) baking powder
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) salt
- 2 (2) eggs room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk room temperature
- ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (237 ml) boiling water
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) instant espresso powder
Coffee Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp (2 tbsp) instant espresso powder
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) vanilla extract
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- ¼ cup (59 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
Chocolate Mocha Cake
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare three 7-inch round cake pans using nonstick cooking spray and parchment circles.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, dark cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add in the room temperature eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk until the dry and wet ingredients are well combined.
- Add the espresso powder to the boiling water. Pour the water into the cake batter and gently whisk until the water and cake batter are combined and smooth.
- Divide cake batter between the three prepared 7-inch cake pans. Use a kitchen scale to create even layers. Bake the cakes for approximately 30 minutes in the oven until the cakes spring back when gently touched or toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove pans from the oven and allow the cake layers to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Coffee Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter for 5 minutes on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides occasionally, until the butter is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
- Add one half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed setting until fully combined. Add remaining powdered sugar and continue to mix on low until incorporated.
- Add the instant espresso powder, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on low until combined.
- Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream while mixing on low speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure the frosting is well mixed.
- Once the heavy cream is added, turn the speed on the mixer to medium and mix for an additional 3 to 5 minutes until smooth. If there are still instant espresso powder granules present, turn the mixer on low speed and continue to mix until they are fully dissolved.
Assembling the Chocolate Mocha Cake
- Level the cooled chocolate mocha cake layers with a serrated knife.
- Place one cake layer on a round cake board. Add desired amount of frosting to the top of the layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula. I like to use a large cookie scoop to portion the buttercream for even layers of frosting between cake layers.
- Add the second cake layer, more coffee frosting and spread the frosting evenly with an offset spatula. Add the final cake layer to the top of the cake. Be sure the bottom of the cake layer is facing up.
- 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 buttercream and to smooth the sides. Chill the cake for 20 minutes to firm the buttercream.
- Add a generous layer of frosting to the chilled cake with an offset spatula. Use a cake scraper to remove excess frosting and smooth the sides of the cake. Chill for an additional 20 minutes.
- Use a piping bag fitted with an Ateco 869 piping tip to create a border of the coffee buttercream around the top edge of the cake. Use a fine mesh sieve to add a dusting of instant espresso powder on the top of the cake.
Notes
Store the chocolate mocha cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cover exposed cake with plastic wrap to prevent the cake from drying out. Serve the cake at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
Made This Recipe?
Please leave a comment with a star rating to let me know how you enjoyed the recipe!