Chocolate espresso cake is the ULTIMATE mocha lovers dessert! It's rich, chocolatey, fudgy, and MOIST - and there's no shortage of coffee and chocolate flavor! The cake layers are brushed with a coffee soak for even more espresso goodness and it's all frosted with the silkiest espresso fudge frosting. This showstopper of a cake is bakery worthy, but all the components are so so easy to make.
If you love chocolate cake and mocha lattes, then this is THE recipe for you! This cake has 3 main components that all pack some intense chocolate + coffee flavor and give the cake an incredibly moist and fudgy texture!! As always, you can find the full recipe details towards the bottom of this post, but to start, let's take a closer look at the different parts.
chocolate coffee frosting
This recipe starts with the fudgy chocolate coffee frosting. It needs some time in the fridge so it can set up to a spreadable consistency. Starting with it first will allow everything to come together at more or less the same time.
I can't gush enough about this frosting! It's super creamy, may be the easiest frosting I've ever made, and doesn't require an electric mixer. It's like a combination of chocolate buttercream frosting, chocolate ganache, and cream cheese frosting (but without the cheese)! It's not too sweet, not too bitter, but still VERY chocolatey. The ONLY downside is having to wait for it to set in the fridge, but once it does, it's the most deliciously fudgy and velvety frosting EVER.
The frosting starts by dropping almost all of the ingredients into a large bowl except for the heavy cream and sugar. Next, the heavy cream and sugar are heated together in a pot until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is lightly simmering. Finally, the hot cream is poured over the other ingredients and whisked until everything is smooth and glossy.
The frosting will be way too soft to use right away. So once everything is melted together, it needs to go into the fridge until it sets to your desired consistency. It usually reaches the perfect thickness by the time the cake is made, baked, and fully cooled. You can also make the frosting ahead and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to use it - just set it out at room temperature for a few minutes beforehand to make it easier to spread.
how to make chocolate espresso cake
Next up in the recipe is the espresso chocolate cake. It takes inspiration from my favorite classic chocolate cake recipe with a few tweaks to make for an extra fudgy cake that can stand being soaked in coffee without falling apart. It's so incredibly easy to whip up and comes together in one bowl. All you need to do to make the cake batter is whisk together dry ingredients, whisk in the wet ingredients, and then add hot coffee to the whole thing. It bakes up so incredibly moist and fudgy with an almost melt in your mouth quality to it!
coffee soak
Even though we have coffee in both the cake and frosting, this cake felt like it could still use a little extra kick of flavor when I first tested it. So to bring forward an added layer of fresh coffee taste, we're brushing the cake layers with a simple chocolate coffee mixture. You could skip the coffee soak and the cake will still be perfectly delicious, but this is what really takes this cake to the next level and it makes the flavor truly shine. Making the coffee soak is as simple as whisking all the ingredients together to dissolve. Then let it cool slight before using!
how to assemble chocolate espresso cake
Once all the components are made and cooled, it's time for the final stretch: decorating! Start by leveling off the tops of the cakes if needed - you can crumble the scraps and use them to decorate the cake or consider them a chef's treat. Next, slice each cake layer in the middle horizontally to create a total of 4 thinner layers of cake. If you have a cake leveler, it makes this job super easy, but a sharp serrated knife also works.
To layer, place one of the cakes onto a turntable then brush about ¼ of the coffee soak on top. Spread on a thin layer of frosting then stack another cake on top. Repeat this process until all the cakes are layered.
If at any point the cake becomes difficult to stack or work with, pause and pop it into the fridge for a few minutes to allow everything to harden before continuing. Once the cake is stacked, I highly recommend doing a crumb coat on the outside to seal in the crumbs and make it easier apply the final layer of frosting on the outside. After the crumb coat is done, pop the cake into the fridge for 20-30 minutes or until the outside frosting has hardened before spreading on the final bit of frosting.
FAQs
What coffee should you use?
The coffee flavor will be front and center in this recipe, so it's important to pick one that you actually enjoy drinking. It's also important to use instant coffee and not regular coffee granules to ensure it dissolves properly.
What's the best chocolate to use?
For the best flavor and meltiness, try to use good quality bars of chocolate for the frosting! Depending on the brand, regular chocolate chips may have a protective coating that prevents melting and will lead to a gritty or chunky frosting. The best chocolate for melting will typically be labeled "Baker's" or "couverture" chocolate.
Can you use one type of chocolate for the frosting?
I like to use a mix of dark and semi-sweet chocolate in the frosting for the perfect balance of sweet and bitter. You could just use 10 oz of dark or semi-sweet chocolate if you prefer, but it will slightly affect the sweetness.
Can you substitute the dark brown sugar in this cake?
Light brown and granulated sugar work in place of the dark brown sugar, but I recommend sticking with dark brown if you can. It offers more moisture and creates a better cake texture.
How do you serve chocolate espresso cake?
The nice thing about the cake being oil based is that it will remain soft and spongy even after it's sat in the fridge. So you could easily serve it straight from the fridge. That being said, although the cake will stay soft, the frosting will solidify slightly in the fridge. If you want to serve the frosting with a softer consistency, let the cake sit out at room temperature about 30 minutes before serving to allow it to warm up slightly.
How do you store mocha cake?
Keep this cake stored in the fridge until you're ready to serve it. This cake will keep for up to 1 week.
check out these other chocolate recipes!
• Chocolate Mousse Cake
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Bars
• Tiramisu Brownies
• BEST Gooey Brownies
• Nutella Chocolate Lava Cookies
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
Print
Chocolate Espresso Cake
- Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 1 (8") cake
Description
Chocolate espresso cake is the ULTIMATE mocha lovers dessert. It's rich, fudgy, and MOIST - and filled with coffee and chocolate flavor!
Ingredients
For the espresso fudge frosting:
- 7 oz 70% dark chocolate, chopped*
- 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped*
- ½ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (340g) heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
For the chocolate espresso cake:
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (220g) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240g) full fat sour cream
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240mL) boiling water
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
For the coffee soak:
- ¼ cup (60mL) boiling water
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
Espresso fudge frosting:
- In a large bowl, combine dark chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, cocoa powder, butter, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium pot, combine heavy cream and sugar. Place over medium heat and warm until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is lightly simmering.
- Pour the hot cream over the other ingredients and whisk together until melted, smooth, and glossy. The frosting will be very runny at this point.
- Place the frosting into the fridge for 3-4 hours or until thickened to a spreadable consistency - it usually sets up in the time it takes to make, bake, and cool the cakes, so you could get started on them right away.
Chocolate espresso cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease 2 (8") round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Lightly dust the sides with flour and tap out any excess.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined.
- Add in the vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until streak free. The batter will be quite thick at this point.
- Measure out 1 cup of boiling water and dissolve instant espresso powder in it.
- Pour the hot coffee over the thick cake batter and whisk until combined.
- Divide the batter into your 2 cake pans.
- Bake the cakes in the center of your preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in the pans. Then lay a piece of parchment paper over each cake and flip onto a wire rack - this cake is VERY moist, so the parchment paper will help keep it from sticking to your wire rack.
- Cool the cakes completely to room temperature before layering.
Coffee soak:
- In a small bowl, whisk together boiling water, espresso powder, cocoa, and sugar until everything is dissolved. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to cool to room temperature.
Assemble:
- Before layering the cake, make sure the frosting has set up to a thick enough consistency to work with. If it hasn't, keep checking on it in the fridge every 30 minutes until it's firmed up. If it's gotten a little too firm, set it out on your counter for a few minutes to allow it to soften.
- Once the cakes have fully cooled, use a cake leveler or serrate knife to level the tops of the cakes and then slice each cake in half horizontally to create 4 thinner layers.
- To frost, lay down one cake layer and then brush some of the coffee soak on top. Spread a thin layer of frosting on top, then repeat this process to stack all the cakes.
- Lightly frost the outside of the cake with a thin layer of frosting to create a crumb coat and seal in the crumbs. Next, chill the cake in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes to allow the crumb coat to harden before covering the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting. Decorate with chocolate curls if desired and keep the cake in the fridge until serving.
Notes
* For the best flavor and texture, use good quality bars of chocolate for the frosting. Avoid regular chocolate chips because some brands place a protective coating on the chips to help them keep their shape, which can cause the frosting to clump or taste gritty. The best chocolate to use for melting is typically labeled "Baker's" or "couverture" - Lindt chocolate bars also melt really nicely (I used their 70% cocoa bar for the dark chocolate). If you prefer to use just dark or semi-sweet chocolate, you can use 10 oz of either one but it will slightly alter the sweetness of the frosting.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Cakes
Enjoy!
Reilly Drye says
first review i ever left on a recipe. this cake was so good i had to write one. the most decadent, moist, chocolatey cake i ever ate.
Mimi says
Hi Reilly! Thank you for your lovely review! I’m so happy you liked the cake!! ❤️