Moist Chocolate Coffee (Print View)
A fluffy cake with bold chocolate and coffee notes, finished with silky buttercream packed with coffee flavor.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chocolate Coffee Cake
01 -
1 cup (237 ml) very hot coffee
02 -
¾ cup (180 g) sour cream, room temp
03 -
½ cup (118 ml) milk, room temp
04 -
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
05 -
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
06 -
2 large eggs, room temp
07 -
½ cup (118 ml) canola or vegetable oil
08 -
¼ cup (57 g) melted unsalted butter
09 -
1½ cup (150 g) white sugar
10 -
½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
11 -
1 teaspoon salt
12 -
½ teaspoon baking soda
13 -
2 teaspoons baking powder
14 -
¾ cup (60 g) Dutch cocoa powder
15 -
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
→ Chocolate Coffee Syrup
16 -
6 tablespoons (90 ml) plain water
17 -
6 tablespoons (75 g) white sugar
18 -
¼ cup (59 ml) coffee, brewed
19 -
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
20 -
¼ cup (20 g) sifted cocoa powder
→ Coffee Buttercream
21 -
3 tablespoons (45 ml) espresso (make this by mixing 3 tbsp instant espresso powder with 1½ tbsp warm water)
22 -
2 tablespoons (30 ml) heavy cream
23 -
20 tablespoons (283 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
24 -
5-6 cups (600-720 g) powdered sugar, sifted
25 -
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
26 -
¼ teaspoon salt
# Directions:
01 -
Set your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 8-inch cake pans lightly and line the bases with parchment.
02 -
Grab a big bowl and whisk salt, flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and baking soda together until it looks even.
03 -
In a different large bowl, mix oil, melted butter, granulated and brown sugar, eggs, milk, sour cream, and vanilla with a whisk until it's smooth.
04 -
Slowly add the dry mix into the wet mixture by sifting it in. Alternate with pouring the warm coffee: first some dry mix, then coffee, repeating until all is just combined.
05 -
Split the batter evenly between the two pans (around 675g in each). Bake for 33-38 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack and cool completely for 30-60 minutes.
06 -
As the cakes cool, make the syrup. In a saucepan, whisk sugar, water, coffee, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Boil over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until thickened a bit and reduced to about ½ cup. Let cool.
07 -
Trim off the top of each cake to make them flat, if you'd like. This helps soak up the syrup better.
08 -
Brush 2-3 tablespoons (30-45 ml) of the now warm or cooled syrup onto each cake layer. Pop the cakes into the fridge for 1-2 hours to chill before frosting.
09 -
Beat room-temp butter on low for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Stop and scrape the sides if needed. Mix in vanilla, espresso, heavy cream, and salt until combined. Add powdered sugar little by little, beating each time. Once all sugar's in, beat on medium-high for 30-60 seconds for fluffiness.
10 -
Apply a little bit of frosting to the serving plate to hold the base cake steady. Put the first layer down, spread frosting over the top and edges slightly, then place on the second cake layer. Frost the top and sides with a thin, smooth layer (the crumb coat).
11 -
Put the almost-frosted cake into the fridge for 20-30 minutes to firm up the crumb coat. Once it's set, go ahead and frost it fully.
# Notes:
01 -
This cake layers chocolate and coffee flavors beautifully! It's got a moist cake base, a coffee-chocolate syrup for extra richness, and a smooth coffee buttercream topping.