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Chocolate and Coffee Cake

Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

Chocolate and Coffee Cake

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp espresso powder
  • 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanila extract or vanila paste (my preference)
  • 1 cup strong coffee

Coffee Cream Frosting

  • 2 1/2 cups cream cheese
  • 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup strong coffee, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Chocolate Ganache

  • cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate, chopped into pieces
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp corn syrup

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour the bottom and sides of two 8" baking pans . Line the bottoms with parchment paper . Set aside.
    Chocolate coffee cake: In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder and stir to combine. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl with a stand or handheld mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat sugar, oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla* just until combined. Stir in dry ingredients to combine. Slowly mix in hot coffee until combined. The batter will be very thin. Divide batter into the two prepared baking pans equally. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake. I baked mine for 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Then remove from pan and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool to room temperature.
    Coffee cream frosting: In a large mixing bowl with a stand or handheld mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until creamy. Sift in powdered sugar and mix until combined and sugar is dissolved. Add cooled coffee and stir until incorporated. Stir in heavy cream and mix until creamy. 
    Assemble the cake: Cut a thin layer off the tops of your cakes to create a flat surface. Then cut each cake in half horizontally. Place one cake layer on a cake stand, turner or serving plate. Spread 1/4 of the frosting over the cake later. Repeat two more times. Place last cake layer on top and lightly frost the outside and the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Chill at least 4 hours in the fridge or overnight.
    Chocolate glaze: Place chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Place heavy cream and corn syrup in another heatproof bowl and microwave until very hot, almost boiling for about 1-2 minutes or heat over the stovetop being careful not to scorch. Pour over chocolate and let stand 1-2 minutes. Whisk until smooth, and the chocolate is completely melted. Let stand for about 10-15 minutes. Test the consistency of the glaze down the side of the bowl. It should drip. The longer it stands, the thicker it gets. If it is too firm, re-warm it a few seconds in the microwave. Once it reached the desired consistency, it's ready to spoon on top of the cake.
    Remove cake from the fridge and spoon the glaze little by little around the sides and let it drip off the sided. Do this with a small spoon and do one drip at the time. Then spoon or pour the rest of the glaze on top of the cake (maybe you don't need all) and level with an offset spatula. Place cake in the fridge for 15 minutes or so to allow the glaze gets to get firm. Store leftovers in an airtight container.


Keyword cake, chocolate, chocolate and coffee cake, chocolate cake, dessert