If you love chocolate, this cake is for you.
If you love espresso, this cake is for you.
If you love espresso & chocolate, this cake may be accompanied by a celestial chorus.
Really, there is not much more to say about this chocolate espresso cake. I know it’s mid-January, and normal people are still thinking about detox diets, new year’s resolutions and new juicers. So I apologize in advance, but even if you don’t make this cake today (which you should), print & save the recipe for a cake-worthy event. The Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day are just around the corner. As far as birthday cakes go, this one is tops.
The decadent espresso icing won my coffee snob connoisseur husband over. And, either the Littles are going to be early adopters of a morning coffee routine, or the rich chocolate simply danced across their young palates out-pleasing the espresso flavor.
Loosely adapted from an Ina Garten recipe, I added espresso knowing it would please Husband a million times over. I topped the cake with chocolate cover espresso beans. Sadly, I remembered this little garnish after I bravely fought off ten paws to snap this photo. I also have it on good authority this cake tastes sublime for breakfast with a regular old cup of joe.
Double Layered Chocolate Espresso Cake
The marriage of chocolate and espresso never tasted so good. This rich, moist double layer cake is perfect for any occasion, grand or small.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
Ingredients
- For the Cake:
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cups cocoa powder (I use Dagoba Organic Chocolate)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk, lightly whipped
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican vanilla
- 1 cup brewed hot coffee
- For the Chocolate Espresso Frosting:
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate
- 2 sticks butter, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
- In a standing mixer bowl, stir together on low the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, combine the whipped buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly add to the dry ingredients. Mix on low until combined. Add coffee and stir just to combine.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, melt the chocolate in microwave. Be careful not to overheat and burn. Stir the chocolate until just melted and set aside.
- In a standing mixer bowl, beat the butter with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg yolk and Mexican vanilla and continue beating until the mixture is well combined and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Turn the speed to the lowest setting and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once combined, raise the speed to medium and beat until smooth.
- Dissolve the espresso powder in 2 teaspoons of hot water or the brewed coffee. On low speed, add the melted chocolate and the espresso. Mix until blended, but do not whip!
- Spread icing immediately on the cooled cake.
Celestial chorus INDEED! This looks phenomenally delicious! I can never pass up the opportunity to make a chocolate cake. 🙂
Stephanie – I know, right? And chocolate AND coffee. Enjoy…
Oh, wow. I am one of those sugar-detoxing people right now, but, against my better judgment, I will have to pin this for future indulgence. It looks AMAZING!
Dark chocolate is a great substitute for other sweet treats that are full of sugar and contain little in terms of nutritional benefit. This type of chocolate is actually good for you and can compete with super food vegetables such as broccoli. Hard to believe isn’t it? But it is true and science backs it up.