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Chocolate Mocha Cake
Ai Willis

Mocha Cake Recipe

4.67 from 3 votes
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Servings: 16 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 512
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Chocolate Cake
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • ¾ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup oil
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons instant espresso
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Simple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons amaretto, or water
Coffee Buttercream Frosting
  • 1½ cups unsalted butter
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon instant espresso
  • 1 teaspoon warm water

Method
 

Chocolate Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 338°F (170°C) and grease and line the bottoms of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the cake flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, canola oil, sour cream, milk, coffee, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
  4. Pour evenly into the two pans and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes.
  5. Let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before taking it out or the cake pan onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Simple Syrup
  1. Combine the sugar and amaretto in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Coffee Buttercream Frosting
  1. Combine the instant espresso and warm water in a small bowl and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, cream the unsalted butter until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the sifted confectioner's sugar and continue to beat.
  4. Add the vanilla extract, concentrated espresso mixture and beat until combined.
Assembly
  1. Slice the domes off the cake and soak both cakes with the simple syrup using a pastry brush.
  2. Put one cake on a turntable (or a plate) and spread some of the coffee buttercream. Top with the other cake and give the entire cake a very thin coating of frosting. Keep it in the fridge for about an hour, uncovered.
  3. Cover the chilled cake with the remaining coffee buttercream frosting and decorate with chocolate covered coffee beans.