Mocha Buttercream Chocolate Espresso Cake Recipes

MOCHA CUPCAKES WITH ESPRESSO BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin tin with paper liners.
• Make the Cupcakes: In a measuring cup, whisk the espresso powder into the brewed coffee until completely dissolved. Add the milk and vanilla extract; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of the coffee mixture, mixing each until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, give the batter a final stir to ensure everything is incorporated.
• Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting the cupcakes.
• Make the Frosting: In a small bowl, whisk the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved; set aside.
• Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high speed until it is completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary. Frost the cupcakes as desired (I used the Wilton 1M decorating tip).

CHOCOLATE MOCHA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350. Spray 3 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray.
• Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper, spray the paper with cooking spray and set pans aside.
• Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl. (If your cocoa powder has a lot of clumps in it then sift it before mixing with the flour.) Whisk to combine, then set aside.
• Combine the sugar, butter, and vegetable oil in a large mixing bowl and whisk vigorously to combine. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
• Use a rubber spatula to mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then slowly mix in the coffee, stirring until just incorporated. (Take care to scrape the bottom of the bowl while you're mixing to ensure all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.)
• Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 26 to 32 minutes, until the cakes spring back when touched gently with your fingertip.
• Let cake layers cool in pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and carefully remove. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting. Take care not to over-bake or the cake layers will be dry!
• Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl until smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
• With mixer on medium speed, gradually beat in the heavy cream.
• Once all the cream has been added, turn the mixer to high and beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks, then beat in the espresso powder and vanilla until fully combined.
• Refrigerate while you work on the frosting.
• Place the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until very smooth.
• Add 4 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar, the cocoa powder, 6 tablespoons of the milk or cream, and the espresso powder, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low until combined, stopping a few times to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• Turn mixer to medium and beat until frosting is very smooth. Add additional powdered sugar if frosting is too thin and additional milk or cream if it is too thick.
• Use a long serrated knife to trim your cake layers if they've domed. Set one layer on a cake stand or cardboard cake circle.
• Transfer about 1 cup of frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe a thick circle of frosting around the edge of the cake layer. Spread half of the filling inside the circle.
• Top with a second cake layer and repeat the process of piping and filling the circle.
• Use the remaining frosting to frost your cake. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before adding the drip. (If you're not adding the chocolate drip then you can decorate the cake and serve now.)
• Heat the heavy cream in the microwave for 30 to 40 seconds, until very hot but not boiling.
• Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 3 minutes. Whisk until completely smooth.
• Transfer the ganache to a plastic squeeze bottle (or a large zip-top plastic bag with one corner snipped off). Squeeze a circle of ganache around the edge of the cake, applying a little extra pressure at certain points to create drips.
• Carefully spread the remaining ganache over the top of the cake. If desired, decorate the top of the cake with chocolate-covered espresso beans. Refrigerate to set the ganache, then slice and serve.
• Uneaten cake can be stored (covered) in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer (tightly wrapped) for up to 3 months.

CHOCOLATE MOCHA CAKE WITH BUTTERCREAM MOCHA ICING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one 13x9x2 inch pan. In a large mixing bowl, blend the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the coffee, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. (batter will be thin) Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30-40 minutes or until wooded toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Either, cool 10 minutes and remove cake from pan to wire rack to cool completely. Or, cool the cake completely in the pan before icing it.
• Butter Cream Mocha Icing.
• In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and Crisco until well blended. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and milk mixture. Mix the milk into the coffee; add to mixture. Beat for 3-4 minutes until smooth and creamy. If icing seems a little too thick, add a bit more coffee or milk.

ONE BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH MOCHA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 (F) and place your oven rack in the center position. Prepare two 6-inch round cake pans by spraying liberally with non-stick cooking spray and line the bottoms of each cake pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined.
• Add 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup cocoa powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and continue whisking until the batter is smooth and the dry ingredients have just been incorporated into the wet ingredients. Be careful not to overmix or your cake will be dense and I will cry for you; it's okay to have one or two small flour streaks left in the batter.
• Transfer the batter into your prepared cake pans and bake until just firm, around 20 to 22 minutes. When the cakes are ready, a skewer inserted into the center of each cake should come out clean and the tops should bounce back when gently poked with a finger.
• Once the cakes are finished baking, transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, before inverting the cakes out of the pans to cool completely before frosting.
• In a large, heatproof metal bowl, combine 1.5 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate and 1 tablespoon instant coffee or espresso powder. Place the heatproof metal bowl over a saucepan filled with water, making sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Melt the chocolate by bringing the water to a boil and constantly stirring the chocolate with a whisk.
• Once the chocolate is completely melted, whisk in 2 sticks unsalted butter and 2 cups confectioner's sugar, whisking until combined and the mixture has lightened to a pale brown. If too soft to spread, chill the frosting until spreadable, whisking occasionally. If not, use immediately.
• Place 1 cup of the frosting on top of one cake, using an icing spatula to create an even layer. Sprinkle 1 cup mini chocolate chips on top of the frosting, before nestling the second cake on top of the chocolate chips. Use the remainder of the frosting to frost the cake completely.

MOCHA CAKE

Steps:

• For the chocolate cake, begin by preheating the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease and line the base of four 6-inch (20cm) cake pans.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, buttermilk, coffee and hazelnut extract until they're well combined. Sift the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and fold them together just until the last streak of flour is combined.
• Distribute the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans (about 11 oz per 6-inch pan). Bake for 30 minutes, until the center of the cake springs back when it's poked or a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Remove the cakes from the pan and allow them to cool completely.
• Begin by thoroughly cleaning the aluminum bowl and the whisk attachment of the stand mixer (they can't have any fat residue when making meringue). Once they're clean and dry, place the egg whites and the granulated sugar in the bowl.
• In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup (118mL) of water to a simmer. Keep the water simmering on low heat and place the bowl with the egg whites and sugar on top of the saucepan, creating a double boiler. Whisk the egg whites and sugar over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar granules are dissolved. You can feel it between your fingers if the sugar is fully dissolved or you can use a candy thermometer and bring the mixture to about 140°F (60°C).
• When the sugar granules are fully dissolved in the egg whites, remove the bowl from the heat and place it on the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed, until stiff peaks form and the meringue no longer feels warm. This usually takes about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile combine hot water with espresso powder and mix them until it's dissolved. Set it aside to cool.
• Slowly add in the softened butter to the meringue, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time. Once the butter is incorporated, continue beating on medium speed for a few minutes until it emulsifies into a buttercream. It may go through phases of looking soupy and/or curdled before it emulsifies but it should come together within 5-10 minutes.
• After the buttercream comes together, add in the espresso mixture and the hazelnut extract and mix until they're fully combined.
• This is optional but if you want to remove the air bubbles from the buttercream, switch to a paddle attachment and turn the mixer on low speed for 5-10 minutes. This will make it easier to get a smooth finish when you're frosting the outside of the cake.
• Trim the tops of the cooled cakes (only if they're domed) and then slice each one in half to get double the layers. Frost each layer with a layer of coffee buttercream, about a 1/4-inch thick, and repeat for the other seven layers.
• If you feel like the cake is getting unstable at any point, place it in the refrigerator for about 30-60 minutes, then finish frosting it. The buttercream gets firm in the fridge so make sure to gently smooth out the edges if any buttercream squeezes out between the layers.
• When the cake is fully stacked, refrigerate for 1-2 hours and then finish frosting the top and sides of the cake. Chelsweets has a great tutorial on how to frost a cake if you've never frosted a layered cake before.
• To get the design that I did, simply place a small spoon or a small offset spatula against the frosted cake and then slightly move it upwards as you're spinning the turntable. Do the same with the top of the cake but start on the outside and move inside. Top with chocolate shavings and toasted hazelnuts.

MOCHA BUTTERCREAM CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CAKE

Steps:

• FOR CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CAKE:.
• Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease and line two 9-inch-round baking pans with wax paper.
• Microwave small chocolate pieces in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 45 seconds, stir.
• If pieces retain some of their original shape, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
• Beat brown sugar, butter, eggs, instant coffee and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl for 3 minutes.
• Gradually add melted chocolate and continue beating for an additional minute.
• Beat flour mixture into creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk.
• Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake for 33 to 38 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run knife around edges of cakes.
• Invert onto wire racks; remove wax paper. Cool completely.
• Brush cakes with Coffee Glaze over cake layers.
• Spread Mocha Buttercream Frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.
• FOR COFFEE GLAZE:.
• Microwave granulated sugar, water and instant coffee in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 30 seconds.
• Stir until sugar and coffee are dissolved.
• FOR MOCHA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:.
• Microwave small chocolate pieces in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 45 seconds; STIR.
• If pieces retain some of their original shape, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Dissolve instant coffee in milk in glass measure.
• Beat butter, vanilla extract and salt in large mixer bowl for 3 minutes.
• Beat in melted chocolate until blended, scraping occasionally.
• Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in coffee mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired spreading consistency.

COFFEE AND MOCHA BUTTERCREAMS

Steps:

• Bring 1 3/4 cups sugar and water to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then wash down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil, without stirring, until it registers 220 to 225°F, 15 to 20 minutes.
• At this point, while continuing to boil syrup, beat whites with espresso powder, vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt in mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating, and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks.
• When syrup reaches soft-ball stage (238 to 242°F), immediately pour syrup in a slow stream down side of bowl into whites (avoid beaters) while beating at high speed. Beat until completely cool, 25 to 30 minutes. With mixer at medium speed, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition (see cooks' note, below) and until buttercream is smooth. (Mixture may look curdled before all butter is added but will come together at end.)
• Transfer 2 cups buttercream to a small bowl and stir in chocolate. If buttercreams are too soft to spread, chill, stirring occasionally.