This Chocolate Mocha Cake is the ultimate indulgence. A rich dark chocolate cake with a silky mocha Swiss meringue buttercream.
This cake right here? It’s amazing. I mean, it knocked the Momofuku Birthday Cake right out of the #1 spot, and that was a damn good cake.
This Chocolate Mocha Cake is seriously. SO. GOOD.
Rich dark chocolate cake and a silky Mocha Swiss Meringue buttercream, topped with a dreamy chocolate ganache. Does it get any better? I don’t think so.
If you’ve been following Liv for Cake for a while, you know this is one of my oldest (and one of my favourite) recipes. If you haven’t tried it, you NEED to. You will not regret it.
The frosting is my favourite thing ever — you’ll be eating that with a spoon and thanking me later.
How to make this Mocha Cake
For the cake layers, I used my very favourite Chocolate Cake recipe modified slightly for the 6″ pans and I used hot coffee instead of hot water in the cake batter. You can’t really taste the coffee, maybe only slightly, but it does help the chocolate flavour stand out.
I like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder as it’s richer in flavour, but any regular cocoa powder will work just fine.
Mocha Buttercream
THIS, people, is honestly the best thing you’ll ever eat. Silky Swiss meringue buttercream with espresso and chocolate. It is pure heaven!
The recipe calls for instant espresso powder (not granules). This is a very fine powder and should dissolve perfectly into the buttercream.
Some people were having the issue of flecks of espresso powder in their buttercream because it didn’t dissolve fully. This may be due to the brand of espresso powder used. This is the brand I use and it works really well. However, I’ve updated the recipe to include dissolving the espresso powder first in 1 tsp of hot water. It’s optional though.
Can I use Regular Espresso Or regular Coffee?
No, you must use instant coffee that dissolves completely in water.
You could use regular instant coffee vs instant espresso powder, but you’d want to make it quite strong to match the flavour. I haven’t experimented with this myself, but it would really be totally fine. You can add more or less to your liking.
How to do a Drip Cake
I kept the cake decorating simple, as I wanted to do the drippy ganache technique. It’s surprisingly easy (I swear!), the key thing is to get your ganache to the right consistency which may require some trial and error.
Step #1 is to frost the cake evenly and smooth the sides and top. This is probably the most time intensive part if you want to get it perfect (which, obviously, I do).
I used a small offset spatula to roughly frost the cake and then a bench scraper to smooth everything out. This is the part that took the most time.
I had to patch some areas here and there, so it took a while to get it perfect. It really helps if you have a turntable to do this on, so that you can spin it while holding the bench scraper at an angle.
You don’t have to shell out a lot of money on a turntable, but I do not recommend getting a plastic one. They’re not super stable and don’t spin smoothly.
To get those smooth sides, you need a smooth spin! I use a lazy susan from Ikea that works great.
Once I got the top and sides mostly perfect, I popped the whole thing in the fridge and made the ganache.
Once the ganache cooled and thickened slightly, I took out the cold cake and used a teaspoon to drop dollops of ganache along the edges and let it drop down the sides.
I added more/less on certain areas to vary the drips a bit. You can also just pour a bunch of ganache on the top and use your offset spatula to nudge it over the sides, but I wanted a bit more control over the drips, and my research said that the spoon technique was a good approach.
I was worried that the ganache would harden quickly on the cold cake, but I had plenty of time to work with it. Once the drips were good, I poured a bit of ganache on the top to fill that in, and smoothed it with a small offset spatula.
This Swiss meringue buttercream gets very firm in the fridge (like butter does), so you’ll want to leave the cake out for a couple hours before serving so that it can soften up.
When I took photos and cut the cake, it was still hard, so you can see that it’s not totally silky smooth between the layers.
This Chocolate Mocha Cake is insanely good. Like, ridiculous. It is my all-time favourite cake!
I mean, just LOOK at that piece! The cake is dense, moist, and ultra chocolatey. The buttercream is silky, smooth, and has the BEST mocha flavour ever.
You will not be disappointed with this cake. I promise!
More Coffee Flavoured Cake recipes
- White Chocolate Mocha Cake
- Kahlua Cake With Mocha Buttercream
- Vanilla Latte Cake
- Gingerbread Latte Cake
- Eggnog Latte Cake
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake
Notes & tips for this Chocolate Mocha Cake
- The recipe as-is will also work in two 8″ pans. For three 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe.
- To make cupcakes, all you need to do is reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so.
- You can use regular cocoa powder if you don’t have Dutch-process.
- For the frosting, the coffee you use must be instant. See post for more details.
- For the ganache, I let mine set overnight (with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface). It will be too thick at this point, so I microwave it for 10 secs and stir it until it’s the right consistency.
- The drip technique works best on a chilled cake so that the drips set quickly.
- Be sure to check my Swiss Meringue Buttercream post for tips and troubleshooting.
- Learn how to keep your cakes moist using Simple Syrup.
- To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my How to Bake Flat Cake Layers post!
Mocha Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee hot
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
Mocha Buttercream:
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature, cubed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 tsp hot water, cooled
- 3 oz dark chocolate chopped, melted, and cooled
Ganache Drip:
- 3 oz dark chocolate
- 3 oz heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F, grease three 6" round baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line bottoms with parchment.
- Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl whisk all wet ingredients (pour coffee in slowly as not to cook the eggs if very hot).
- Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2-3 mins. Batter will be very thin.
- Pour evenly into prepared pans. I used a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed.
- Bake until a cake tester comes out mostly clean. A total of 30-35mins.
Mocha Buttercream:
- Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.*
- Place bowl over a pot with 1-2" of simmering water and stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch or reads 160F on a candy thermometer (about 3mins).
- Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins))
- Switch to paddle attachment (optional). Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
- Add vanilla, melted chocolate, and espresso powder. Whip until smooth.**
Ganache Drip:
- Finely chop chocolate and place into a bowl. Bring cream just barely to a simmer and pour over chopped chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 2 mins. Stir gently with a spatula until combined and smooth. Allow to cool and thicken slightly before using on cake.***
Assembly:
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with approximately 2/3 cup of frosting and spread evenly. Repeat with remaining layers and apply a thin coat of frosting all over the cake. Chill for 20mins.
- Frost and smooth the sides. Chill for 20mins.
- Using a small spoon, place dollops of ganache around the top edges of the cooled cake, allowing some to drip down. Fill in the top of the cake with more ganache and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
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Notes
** The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth.
*** You can make the ganache in advance and let it set overnight (with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface). It will be too thick at this point, so I microwave it for 5-10 secs and stir it until it's the right consistency.
Originally published Aug 23, 2015
Nedds says
hi I’d like to make this cake tomorrow..is this possible that the SMBC recipe can still make flower design on top?
Olivia says
Hi Nedds! You mean if it’s pipeable? It works really well for piping flowers 🙂
Karishma Varma says
This looks absolutely delicious! I’m venturing into baking a dark chocolate coffee cake for my partner’s birthday and since it’s jus the two of us, I was wondering if I could half the recipe and just bake it in a 9inch pan? (Gasp, I did say I will leave out layers). Please let me know 🙂
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Karishma! Half of the recipe will work for one 8″ pan. You could do it in a 9″ but the layer will be on the thinner side. Do you have any smaller pans? How tall is your 9″? Also, this cake freezes very well! I always freeze excess and leftovers 🙂
Karishma says
Honestly I’m tempted to just do the layers because it looks gorgeous! Unfortunately, the only cake pan size that I have is a standard 9” springform pan. Would a 9 x 13 size oblong pan do for the entire batter?
Olivia says
I worry about the springform pan — the batter is very thin and I worry it might leak out. A 9×13 would be a better option! You should be able to make the full recipe then. Baking time may differ slightly.
Karishma says
I’m SO tempted to make all the 3 layers. The only pan that I have is a 9” springform pan. Could the entire batter be possibly made in a 9X13 oblong dish? I also have a 10X13 oblong dish. If it’s better to make 2 in 8 inch pans, I can always make the purchase. Please let me know 🙂
Olivia says
I think a 9×13 is your best bet! Make the full recipe using that pan.
Karishma says
Oh my god! I was so excited that I bought 2 8 inch pans to do at least one layer. Please tell me the recipe should still be fine since half could go in one 8 inch? I’m SO excited to be baking this!
Olivia says
Yes! The recipe will work fine in two 8″ pans. The layers will be slightly thinner though, so you may need to reduce the baking time. Let me know how it turns out!
Hannah Schouten says
Hi there, absolutely delicious, I made them into cupcakes however my frosting isn’t light like yours , it turned out very dark. Do you know why ?
Olivia says
Hi Hannah! What kind of espresso powder did you use? And did yo dissolve it with water first?
Mila says
Hi! In most other chocolate cake recipes, they call for natural cocoa powder, because the acid is needed to react with the baking soda. You don’t seem to have this problem, why?
Olivia says
Hi Mila! The buttermilk, coffee, and brown sugar are acidic and react with the baking soda.
Victoria Auldridge says
Hi liv
I made the mocha buttercream frosting. I did something wrong. First I doubled the recipe because I was making a sheet cake. Second I added cream to the frosting by mistake. It seemed to be ok until I took it out for my party. The cake was delicious, but the frosting melted and totally rand off the cake. I was so embarrassed. Help please
Victoria
Olivia says
Hi Victoria! For best results follow the recipe as written. Doubling the recipe should be fine provided everything was doubled correctly. Cream should not be added as it will affect the texture.
Nitya says
If I do not have a stand mixer can I still make this using hand mixer?
Olivia says
Hi Nitya! For the cake itself, it will be totally fine, for the frosting it will be a bit more of a challenge. See this post for details: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Alyssa says
Done this before by hand! It reaches a stage where you think it won’t come together smoothly but just keep on whisking and it will be perfect!
Olivia says
Awesome! Glad to hear it worked 🙂
Sherlin says
Excited to try this! Can I use this as a base of my fondant?
Olivia says
Hi Sherlin! It will be fine covered in fondant, but be sure to chill it well to firm up the frosting.
Sarah says
Made this as cupcakes and they were perfect. I’m not a big chocolate cake lover myself but even I thought it was good. So moist and rich. Someone told me that they were the best cupcakes they had ever had in their life. I didn’t make the frosting because I was short on time but I will make it next time. Thanks for a great (and super easy) recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Sara! Thanks for the awesome feedback. I’m so glad you loved it! 🙂
Angela says
Delicious!!! The flavors were outstanding and the icing was light and creamy! I will say…the icing was a pain lol- and I dirtied way to many dishes in its production- but so worth the trouble- Mom appreciated her birthday cake! It took a long time for the mocha buttercream- the egg white/sugar over the simmering water- to cook to right temp. I did have a very thick glass bowl during production- and maybe the water wasn’t simmering high enough. It was probably 15ish minutes- so I would say don’t freak out! Also I am a lazy creature and just used 2 eight inch cake pans- so mine was short and stocky vs slim and beautiful lol. I think my ganache had set too long as well- as it wasn’t pouring the smoothest- I blame the dog and having to get him outside! It definitely set out more than 2 minutes. I did send this recipe out to the family! So worth it! Xoxos for this wonderful recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Angela! Thanks so much for the wonderful feedback, I’m so happy you loved it! Glass doesn’t conduct heat as well as metal so that’s definitely why it took so long! Glad it turned out delicious regardless 😀
astra says
What can i use to substitute the eggs? 1/2 cup plain yogurt???
Olivia says
Hi Astra! For best results follow the recipe as-is. I haven’t tried baking it with substitutions so I can’t say how it will turn out!
Joe Bob says
Tried this recipe yesterday and it was honestly amazing – everyone in my family loved it!
Olivia says
Hi Joe! Thanks for the feedback, I’m so happy everyone loved it! It’s one of my faves 🙂
samin says
Hi I was wondering wether instead of buttermilk for the cake could I use normal milk?
Olivia says
Hi Samin! For this cake, buttermilk is needed. You can make your own at home by adding 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for 10mins.
Neena says
I am planning to make this soon but only have 9 inch pans. Could a two-layer 9 inch pan work?
Olivia says
Hi Neena! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Bhooma says
For the buttercream, what to use instead of eggs (substitute for eggs)?
Olivia says
Hi Bhooma! This buttercream only works with eggs, but you can try one of these instead:
https://livforcake.com/ermine-frosting/
https://livforcake.com/simple-vanilla-buttercream/
Sonya says
I am planning to make this soon but have never worked with Swiss meringue buttercream before. I noticed you didn’t pipe any on the top of the cake. Can this be piped or is it not stable enough for that. I plan on following your tutorial to help guide me along….wish me luck
Olivia says
Hi Sonya! I didn’t pipe on this one because I wanted to keep it simple. SMBC pipes beautifully! Here are some examples:
https://livforcake.com/white-chocolate-mocha-cake/
https://livforcake.com/nutella-cake/
https://livforcake.com/pecan-pie-cake/
Please let me know how it goes and definitely refer to the tutorial for tips and troubleshooting!
Amanda says
I made this cake and loved it! I am curious about the SMBC recipe though – there’s more butter in this recipe than there is in your standard SMBC recipe. Why is that??
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! It’s just different proportions. On my standard one, I had 2-3 cups butter listed for the longest time, but that was confusing to people so I changed it! This one wouldn’t make enough buttercream if there was less butter.
Sandra says
The chocolate cake layers are phenomenal. Some people add simple sirup after baking, especially when assembling the cake a day or two later – I don’t think it needs it. Day two and it is still incredibly moist and juicy (if a cake can be juicy).
Also – great little tip – I swapped out the vegetable oil for apple sauce (1 to 1 ratio) and it turned out perfect.
As for the Swiss meringue buttercream …love the level of (not-too) sweetness, but it was too buttery and heavy for me. Even after drinking a glass of water my mouth feels greasy (weird!) and my stomach is not happy. And I only had a small slice!
Some other very highly rated recipes for this type of buttercream include only HALF of the butter compared to this recipe…I will definitely try that instead next time. (ergo the one point deduction)
Also – if you’re making this cake in a humid and non-air conditioned house in the summer (as I am), be prepared that it might take multiple whisking breaks, to pop the meringue base into the fridge to cool down, before you get stiff peaks. It took me almost an hour… what an ordeal haha.
Olivia says
Hi Sandra! Glad to hear you loved the cake! The buttercream should not taste overly buttery. It should be light and fluffy. It’s possible it just needed a bit more whipping to fluff it up. Did you use a stand mixer or were you whisking it by hand? I ask because it shouldn’t have taken an hour to whip/cool.
Aparajita says
Best chocolate cake Ever!!!!! I have been making my version of chocolate cake since forever. Sometimes, the oil would get too much, other times it would becoming soggy when adding whipped cream frosting g .. but not this one. Thankyou for finally ending my search. I can now rest in peace
Olivia says
Hi Aparajita! So happy you found this recipe. Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
Joie says
My SBM turned out perfect! The cake is moist and yummy. Thank you for sharing your tips and recipes😋
Olivia says
Yay! So happy you loved it 🙂
Hank says
I made this cake the other day and it was outstanding, as advertised. I wanted to make a three layer 8″ cake, and your recommendation to increase the recipe by 1.5 was spot on. The cake looked and tasted spectacular. Well done! Thank you for sharing it!
Olivia says
Thank you Hank! I’m so thrilled that you loved it 🙂
Joie says
Hi Olivia. In making the SBM, Would it make a difference if I use just the whisk and not change to the paddle attachment?
Olivia says
Hi Joie! The whisk will incorporate more air into the frosting. You’ll need to knock some out with a spatula for ease of frosting the cake.
Joie says
Many thanks!😊
Hank says
Made this cake today for my family, who knows from chocolate cakes. WOW!! It looks spectacular, but tastes even better! So good! I am a huge fan of Swiss meringue buttercream, and the mocha flavor shone through. The ganache is a brilliant addition. THANK YOU for sharing this recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Hank! Thank you so much for the amazing feedback! I’m so happy you loved it 😀
Maria says
Hello! Thanks for the recipe! Can I use canola oil instead of vegetable oil? Are they pretty much the same or will it affect the cake? Thank you.
Olivia says
Hi Maria! That will be fine. Let me know how you like it!
Joy says
Hi,
Can i use cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate?
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Joy! For the frosting? Yes, that will work as well.
SpringJubilee says
Hey! Thank you so much for this incredible cake recipe. The buttercream was, no joke, one of the best frostings I’ve ever had! ONCE again, thank you so much for this recipe and making it so detailed and simple instructions. I will definitely be making again!!
Olivia says
Hi SpringJubilee! I am so happy you loved it! That buttercream is my all time fave 😀
Sophie says
If I am frosting the cake and making the cake layers on the same day, do I need to (or can I) spray some simple syrup on my cake layers???
Olivia says
Hi Sophie! Yes, you can if you like but it’s not necessary 🙂
Aanchal Gupta says
hi, I made the cake layers yesterday and they turned out amazing, just felt like they were a little bitter for my taste, thinking of adding sugar syrup while assembling. I made three 8 inch layer cakes.
How much buttercream will I need? the recipe calls for 3 eggs in buttercream, how to 1.5X it?
Olivia says
Hi Aanchal! I would actually 2x the buttercream recipe for a three layer 8″ cake. Change the Servings to 24 to get the amounts.
Aanchal Gupta says
Hey, i just made my meringue buttercream and it came out perfect!!!! it didn’t get soupy nor it curdled, at first I panicked that I might be doing something wrong but in the end when taste tested it, it was lovely, soft and fluffy.. perfect sweetness…super loved it!!! Thanx a ton for your quick replies and guidance. I am going to share my complete cake pic with you on insta 🙂 once again thank you very much 🙂
Olivia says
Yesss! So happy to hear that! Glad it worked out well and I’m so happy you love it 😀 I can’t wait to see the pic! xo
Christy says
If I am making the cake layers and frosting all in the same day, do I need to (or can I) spray some simple syrup on the cake layers? Thank you! ❤️
Olivia says
Hi Christy! You don’t need to but you totally can. It will be fine either way 🙂
Bogger says
How long can the cake be kept at room temp after it’s frosted and dropped with ganache??? I just want a little timeline so I know when to frost the cake
Olivia says
Hi Bogger! The cake can be left at room temp for a couple days. I prefer to chill my cakes though and take them out 2-3 hours before serving.
CW says
Best cake I’ve ever made, thank you! The buttercream is amazing and easy and not too sweet. The cake is moist. The ganache makes me feel fancy. Definitely recommend.
Olivia says
Hi CW! Thanks for the amazing feedback. I’m so glad you liked it!
Sreekala says
Turned out amazing!!! Thank you so much for the detailed instructions! My ganache did not have as much shine. What could be the reason? I used nestle tollhouse semi sweet morsels for the ganache.
Olivia says
Yay! So happy you liked it 🙂 The ganache loses some of its shine after it sits for a bit or if the cake is chilled. But using higher quality chocolate will help with that too! I like Callebaut 🙂
Aanchal Gupta says
Hi, gonna be making this for friends anniversary! I have some doubts! I read I have to re whip the buttercream before frosting (after thawing). so is this buttercream stable after frosting, I mean wont it texture change on the cake (i mean when cake is out ,after 4-5 hours)?
Also, I will be making cake layers 2 days in advance, how should i store them in fridge? do i need to spray sugar syrup on them?
Olivia says
Hi Aanchal! Once the frosting is on the cake it’s totally fine. It’s only if the frosting has been sitting in the bowl for a while or after it’s chilled and thawed that it needs a rewhip. If the cake is out for 4-5 hours the frosting will be very soft, but otherwise delicious. For the cake layers, I would double wrap them in plastic wrap and stick them in the freezer. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly. If you like you can drizzle simple syrup on the layers during assembly to add more moisture. It’s no critical though!
Aanchal Gupta says
hey, thank you very much for such a quick reply, I am thinking of avoiding sugar syrup as it will add sweetness and my group kind like things less sweet, but worried that cake might become firm! :-p
Also, I am super nervous for i am making this kinda buttercream first time. ( I am a first time baker kinda). i don’t have a candy thermometer, any tips for eggs and sugar mix thing?
Olivia says
The cake will first up in the fridge (the frosting too), but left at room temp for 2-3 hours should bring it back to a perfect texture. Have a read through this post for a tutorial on how to make this buttercream :).
Aanchal Gupta says
thank you so much for the guidance , bless you ! stay safe !
Sophie says
I read somewhere that Swiss meringue buttercream can lose its structure if you let it sit too long, so I was wondering if it’s okay to chill the entire cake after making and decorating it??? thank you!! 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Sophie! Yes, that’s totally fine. It doesn’t really lose its structure so much that it needs a good rewhip if it’s been sitting in the mixer bowl for a while (15mins +). Once it’s on the cake you’re totally fine.
Bria Jones says
Hi, My mom bought me these layer cake pans for my birthday and I’m thinking about trying them out on this recipe. Birthday cake for my husband so if it turns out looking terrible no big deal as long as it still tastes good! Just wondering if you have any insights for using pans like these? They say they take the same amount of batter in a typical box cake. There are five 6×0.75in pans. Thanks!
https://www.wilton.com/5-piece-6-inch-tier-rific-cake-pan-set/2105-0112.html
Olivia says
Hi Bria! Each of these cake layers is about 2″ tall, for a total of 6″ or so. 5 x 3/4″ layers would only be about 3.75″ so there will be too much cake batter. Are you able to make cupcakes with any excess batter? That would be easiest. Note that the batter rises at LOT so don’t fill the pans more than half full. You should also reduce the baking time as they won’t take as long to bake. Let me know how they turn out!
Bria Jones says
Thanks! I ended up putting about 6oz of batter in each pan and only had enough left for 4 cupcakes. Did 1.5x the icing just to be safe and had more than enough! Nestle put out espresso flavored chocolate chips which I used in place of the dark chocolate for some extra coffee flavor! Turned out great!
Olivia says
Oh yum!! I need to try and find those here. So glad you loved it 🙂
rina says
can you give me the exact measurement for a layer cake please and also for the buttercream. Thanks 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Rina! Do you mean by weight? There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients.
Angela Ha says
I’m looking at making this tomorrow but only have two 6inch pans just wondering how much these cakes rise as I don’t want to overfill the pans (I was planning on using the remaining batter for cupcakes)
Olivia says
Hi Angela! These cakes actually rise a LOT, like 2x in height (the batter will be very thin). I wouldn’t fill the pans more than half full. If your pans are 3″ tall that will help! Baking time will be longer though.
Bobby Rooney says
Is it possible to use a sugar substitute such as splenda or liquid stevia?
Olivia says
Hi Bobby! I’ve never tried that myself with this cake, but I would give it a go. It might affect the texture a bit but it should still be delicious 🙂
Jo says
Hi Liv! Can I cover this with fondant? How tall will this be if I use 8 in pans? Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Jo! Yes, you can cover it with fondant but be sure to chill the cake first so the frosting is firm. The recipe will work for two 8″ cake pans, but the layers will be thinner. I can’t say for sure as I’ve never measured it, but maybe about 4″ tall when stacked and frosted?
Jo says
Thanks for the reply, Liv! I want to achieve 6” stacked cakes for my base fondant. Will 16 servings be enough for me to achieve that? Thanks! And if I cut the middle cake in to 2 and put the ganache, will it ruin my fondant? Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Jo! I would 1.5x the recipe then (change the Servings to 18) and use three 8″ pans. The ganache between the cake layers should not be a problem!
Jo says
Thank you, Liv! I tried the 16 servings and it gave me 3 1” cakes. I will try the 18 servings later and see how it turns out,. 🙂 About the buttercream… will it be okay if I substitute a portion of the butter for shortening since we have hot and humid weather 93 F and up. Will it be stable under fondant as gilling and frosting? Should I just fill it with Mocha SMBC and frost it with ganache? If so, what should be the ratio given the 18 servings recipe for an 8×6 cake? Thank you.💖
Olivia says
You know what, I would 2x the recipe then. Change the Servings to 24. That should give you 2″ tall cakes. For the buttercream, I haven’t tried using shortening myself so I’m not sure how it would work. I think if it’s just a portion of the butter then it might be ok. Frosting with ganache would definitely be safer though as it sets quite firm and stays that way for the most part.
Jo says
Hi Olivia! I’m wondering if I can cover tthis with fondant?
Olivia says
Hi Jo! Yes, that will work fine! Be sure to chill the cake first so the frosting is firm.
Roselle says
hi! i want to make this for my husband’s birthday. i just wonder if it’s ok for my other kids who are 5 & 8 years old respectively?
Olivia says
Hi Roselle! You can swap the coffee in the cake recipe for hot water, but the buttercream does have espresso powder in it.
shivam says
It looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Olivia says
Hi Shivam! So glad you liked it 🙂
Élodie says
Hi Liv!
Just wondering if you have an additional crunchy/salty option you’d recommend for in between layers? Im looking to breakup the sweetness of the cake a little.
Thank you ☺️
Elodie
Olivia says
Hi Élodie! You could add some chopped nuts or pretzels if you like 🙂
Carrie says
Made this in cupcake form and all I can say is OMG!! So rich and amazing. Only problem I had was they disappeared so quickly that I only got to have one. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Olivia says
Hi Carrie! Yay! So happy you love this one too.
Cristina says
This recipe is a BOMB! My two daughters birthday, so I had to make two different cakes. My younger daughter wanted a red velvet cake, and my older daughter wanted a chocolate or mocha cake. As I was looking for recipe, I stumbled on yours and it was interesting and it was just perfect for her favorite cake combined. I have to tell you that it was a success! It was really good and everybody loved it especially my husband! And, today was the first time that I made layered cakes and decorated a cake. I couldn’t even believe myself that I did it. I love how the frosting turned out and it was so smooth! This recipe is to keep! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful cake recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Cristina! I am so happy you loved this one as much as I do. Thank you for the amazing feedback!
Eve Bayona says
Hi Olivia! Just wanna know what would be the measurement if I want to use two 7″ pan. Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Eve! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Kim A says
The recipe calls for “three 6″ round baking pans”. Are these 2″ deep or 1 1/2″ deep pans? Thanks.
Olivia says
Hi Kim! My pans are all 2″ deep. I think the batter would overflow pans that are 1 1/2″ deep.
Kathryn says
Made this for a friend’s birthday and it came out so delicious! The cake is moist and flavorful. I’ve never made SMBC but it came out perfect (thanks to all of the tips). Made homemade bake even strips out of tinfoil and a paper towel and they helped to keep the cake flat.
Overall, 10/10!
Olivia says
Hi Kathryn! Yay! I’m so happy to hear all of this. Glad you loved it as much as I do 🙂
lauren says
hi! if i wanted to use 8 inch cake pans how long should i bake it for? also should the frosting amount be the same?
Olivia says
Hi Lauren! Baking time would be a bit shorter as the layers will be thinner. Maybe -5mins or so? The frosting makes JUST enough to cover the cake as is, so I would increase it. You can change the Servings to 16 or use these amounts:
4 large egg whites
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups unsalted butter room temperature, cubed
1 1/3 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 Tbsp instant espresso powder
4 oz dark chocolate chopped, melted, and cooled
Actually, if you want thicker 8″ layers you could just set the Servings to 16 and use those amounts for the cake and frosting :).
Raegan says
Looking forward to trying this recipe! I was hoping to make it in a bundt pan – do you think I should change the amounts at all? Thank you!!;
Olivia says
Hi Raegan! If you have a normal 10-12 cup Bundt pan then I would recommend you 2x the recipe. This one will work fine for a 6 cup Bundt pan. You’ll need to increase the baking time either way. And be sure not to fill the pan more than half full as the batter rises a LOT.
Anisha says
Made this twice (the first time my SMBC came out grainy but I was able to fix that problem by beating the egg whites before adding the sugar)
It’s a delicious recipe but I was wondering, is there anyway to make the SMBC a little less sweet and with a stronger espresso flavor? I want to just experiment with the amounts of sugar and espresso powder but I’m afraid of messing up the texture. Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Anisha! So happy you loved it. You can definitely add more espresso powder to it to enhance the flavour. I wouldn’t reduce the sugar too much as you’ll affect the structure of the meringue, but you can also add a pinch of salt to the buttercream to help cut some of the sweetness.
Ellen says
Hi Olivia!
I made this cake yesterday for my dad’s birthday, and it was a hit! I doubled the recipe to make a 3 layer 8 inch cake. It was just delicious, and all my family loved it. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Olivia says
Hi Ellen! So happy you all loved it. Thank you for the great feedback 🙂
Cristen says
Hi, would you think work if the ganache in between cake layers as opposed to on top as a drip?
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Cristen! I would make a thicker ganache to go between the layers — a 2:1 ratio of chocolate:cream, but that would be delicious!
Brooklynn says
This recipe was amazing. I had so much fun making it! The cake turned out moist and fluffy and the buttercream frosting was flavorful and the texture was heavenly!
Olivia says
Hi Brooklynn! So glad you loved it 🙂
Tabby Martin says
Hi Liv,
Apologies but I don’t drink coffee so i don’t know much of my fine espresso powder I should mix with water to ensure it makes up 3/4 cup of strong coffee. Please could you suggest the ratio of fine espresso powder to hot water?
Thank you! x
Olivia says
Hi Tabby! I actually never make actual coffee with espresso powder myself. I would try maybe 1 Tbsp? But honestly you could just use hot water instead of hot coffee to make the cake as well.
Jen says
I am not sure if it is in the long chain of comments somewhere but what kind of espresso powder did you use? I am going to use this recipe to make a wedding cake in September for a couple who love the mocha flavor.
Jen says
Sorry I see the link in the recipe now 🙂
Olivia says
No problem! Any kind should work as long as it’s a fine powder and instant 🙂
Arlina says
Hello Ma”am. is it ok to use salted butter? I will bake it tomorrow and I have only salted butter in my fridge.
Olivia says
Hi Arlina! I would not use salted butter for the frosting, personally. It will affect the flavour too much.
Claudia says
Hey!
I would love to make that cake for my mothers birthday. Would it be best to make it a day before? How long will the cake last in the fridge?
Thanks!
Claudia
Olivia says
Hi Claudia! The cake will be good for 2-3 days in the fridge. Any longer and it will start to dry out. Be sure to take it out 2-3 hours before serving so it can come to room temp and the frosting can soften.
Shina says
I’ve tried this recipe last Friday for my boyfriend’s mom’s birthday. Their family absolutely loved it! Although I did make use of two 8.5 – 9″ pans, the recipe still worked like a charm!! Love this recipe.. One of the best recipes so far!
Olivia says
Hi Shina! So happy to hear you loved it 🙂
Emma says
Just finished assembling it and it turned out great! I have tried to make swiss meringue buttercream a handful of times and it always turns out terrible, but your troubleshooting tips really helped me and it couldn’t have turned out better! I’m sure everyone will love it tomorrow. Thanks 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Emma! I’m so glad to hear that you had a successful SMBC!! That seriously makes me so happy. I hop everyone loved it!
Laurie says
Gorgeous looking cake! Plan to make this next week for husband’s birthday. I can see the 3 6” layers translate to 2 8” layers and that I should double the SMBC, but will adding some corn syrup to ganache keep it shiny? I’ve made pound cake pourable ganache before, and they stay glossy for a few hours, but for the rest of the life of the cake, they look sad.
Olivia says
Hi Laurie! Corn syrup will help the ganache stay shiny, as will butter, but those will both change the texture of it. It shouldn’t hurt to add a tsp or so though. I prefer to make my ganache with just chocolate and cream though.
Laurie says
Thanks so much! Your cakes always look so gorgeous.
Liz D says
Hi! I want to make this cake for my dad’s birthday and I was wondering if anyone knows how the swiss meringue buttercream holds up in hot temperatures? I’ve been reading about meringue buttercreams online and some say it’s ok for hot weather and others say it’s not.
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Liz! How hot are we talking and for how long? Swiss meringue buttercream gets quite soft in high temps and does not hold up as well as an American buttercream.
Andrea says
Hi Olivia
It’s my birthday on Monday and want to make this for my special day, however I was wondering if I could use 3 x 7” pans as I only have one 6” pan and would I need to double the quantity of batter? Can’t wait to make it, looks delicious. Looking forward to your reply.
Olivia says
Hi Andrea! You could for sure but the layers will be thinner. If you don’t mind that then it’s totally fine. You’ll need to reduce the baking time as well. You could try to 1.5x the cake batter too, but don’t fill the pans more than half full as the batter rises a LOT.
Emily says
In the chocolate cake, can you use regular unsweetened cocoa powder rather than the Dutch-infused cocoa powder?
Olivia says
Hi Emily! Yes, this should be fine. It will affect the color and flavour slightly but should work.
lizeth says
Is this cake shortened or shortened?
Olivia says
Hi Lizeth, I don’t understand your question. Can you clarify?
Karin says
Hi, I want to make this cake in 3 x 8 inch pans. Is it best to increase the amount of ingredients with 1,5? I’m also going to put some toffee crunch in the cake and between the layers and I am going to pipe some flowers on top so I will make a bit more buttercream. Is it also better to dissolve the espresso powder in a bit of hot water before putting it into the buttercream?
Olivia says
Hi Karin! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I would probably double the recipe. I haven’t had issues with my espresso powder, but if yours is a tad grainier there isn’t any harm in dissolving it in a “little” bit of water (1-2 tsp max). Be sure to cool it before adding to the buttercream.
Karin says
I made a version of this cake with toffee crunch between the layers. We loved it! I would sent you a picture of my version if I could 😋. Thanks for the inspiration!
Olivia says
Sounds delicious! Love that addition 🙂
Erin says
Hi Olivia,
Just wondering whether I can substitute sour milk for the buttermilk in this recipe? Thanks.
Olivia says
Hi Erin! I often use homemade sour milk instead of buttermilk, so it should be fine!
sonia says
Can this cake be made into a 2 layer cake using a half sheet pan? Would I triple the quantity?
Olivia says
Hi Sonia! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Lisa says
Made this today. Absolute perfection!!! Used 2 9 inch and cut those layers in half for a four layer. My dad used to always bring out a layer cake like this from an Astoria bakery. Since he is gone now i have tried to buy something similar bur never the same. This was wonderful and nostalgic….. Thank you its delish!!!
Olivia says
Hi Lisa! I am seriously so happy to hear that! I’m glad you loved it as much as I do 🙂
Jan says
What if I wanted to turn these into cupcakes? Whats the recommended baking time?
Olivia says
Hi Jan! Start checking them at about 15mins or so.
Cheryl says
Hi – did you try these as cupcakes? Wondering about doing the same!
Jenna Fettig says
I just made this recipe into cupcakes. They turned out perfect cooked for 16 minutes at 350. I used a standard size and filled them 3/4 full – they were perfectly over rounded without any spillage. Yield was 19 cupcakes exactly.
Olivia says
Hi Jenna! Thanks so much for your tips!!
Ananya says
Hey Lisa
Just wanted to know if you increased the amount of batter for the cake? If so, by how much?
Barbara says
We just tried this cake today and everybody loved it. I only had 9 in cake pans but the cakes baked beautifully. Only word of warning to people using bigger pans is the frosting was just barely enough to cover the cake. I am sure the amount works better for the 6 in pans the recipe calls for. I covered the scant areas with more ganache and no one other than me noticed, but it was not easy to get a cleanly frosted cake. If I make this again I may try making extra frosting or getting smaller pans first.
Olivia says
Hi Barbara! So happy to hear that everyone loved it, thanks for the tip about the frosting!
Asha says
What do I do if I don’t have buttermilk
Olivia says
Hi Ahsa! You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for 10mins.
nevin says
Hi, This cake looks amazing 🙂
I was just wondering: to chill the cake. Does that mean in the fridge or freezer?
thank you 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Nevin! Either works! Freezer you wouldn’t need to chill it as long. You just want the buttercream to firm up a bit.
Stefanie says
Hi there,
I want to try the mocha frosting in this recipe, and it will be my first time making a Swiss meringue! I was wondering if the recipe could be made with meringue powder instead of egg whites. Do you have any suggestions for what steps I should take to use that substitute?
Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Stefanie! I haven’t tried it with meringue powder myself so I can’t say. Since it’s your first time making a Swiss meringue, I would stick with the recipe as is so you know what it should be like 🙂
Heidi Garcia says
Hi! I am not sure if the question has been asked, but my Kitchen Aid has the stainless steel bowl…is this what you place in the water bath? Or should I use a separate bowl? Making the frosting tonight, can’t wait!!
Olivia says
Hi Heidi! Yes, mine has a metal bowl too and it’s what I use. I hope it went well!
Hannah Lee says
Yum!! Best Cake Ever. It’s definitely going to become a go to recipe. Thank you!!
Olivia says
So happy to hear that!
Sophie says
Hi this is my first time posting ever! im a professional baker and teacher. But love this recipe, its amazing thank you. Im assuming I can swap the Plain flour for Self raising flour, and omit the baking soda and baking powder too. Do you suggest I still add a little bicarb to activate the buttermilk though? Or will the Self Raising work fine alone? Any thoughts?
Thanks
Sophie
Olivia says
So glad you liked it Sophie! I haven’t baked with self-raising flour before, so I can’t say if it would work or not. My gut says that there wouldn’t be enough raising agent in it though.
Amanda says
Hi Olivia,
I am in the process making this delicious cake. I am making it dairy free, so far the cake came out very nicely and tastes great. I’m using vegan butter for the icing and was curious what the consistency of the icing (using real butter) should be. Mine is pretty runny, currently letting it set up in the fridge. THANKs!!
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! I’ve never used Vegan butter, but I do think it would impact the texture quite a bit. How firm is the butter itself in the fridge? If it’s spreadable like margarine, I’m afraid it won’t turn out exactly as it should. That being said, Swiss meringue buttercream can become runny if the butter is too soft when added or if the meringue is still slightly warm. Usually chilling for 20mins and rewhipping fixes this. Let me know how it turns out!!
Amanda says
Hey! I used Earth Balance Vegan butter sticks, it turned out great! Tasted a bit different but it was a huge hit! No one could tell it was dairy free (besides me 😆)
Olivia says
Awesome, glad to hear it!! 🙂
Sandy says
Hi liv…I don’t know if my last comment was posted but just wanted to know if this cake is ok to make 2 days in advance?I wanted to bring it to my friend’s bday…And do you use dutch process cocoa?or any cocoa is fine?Thank you
Olivia says
Hi Sandy! I use Dutch process, but any cocoa would work fine.
Sandy says
Hi i wanted to make this as a birthday cake for my friend do you think I can make it ahead?Like 2 days before her bday?Would it affect the taste or the moisture if I let it sit at the fridge for 2 days?
Olivia says
Hi Sandy! The fridge tends to dry cakes out, but I think it will probably be ok for a couple days. This cake is especially moist so I think you’ll be fine!
Cynthia says
I read somewhere that freezing the cake while wrapped in saran and foil will keep the cake for up to a month (or so). Would you recommend this for this cake? I’m trying to plan this out so that I can bake the cakes one weekend and assemble the next. Any thoughts?
Olivia says
Hi Cynthia! I wrap and freeze all my cake layers (just in saran wrap though) as I tend to spread out my baking. With your plan I think freezing would work perfectly!
Emily Sherrill says
I would love to make this cake but all I have are 9×13 pans, how should I adjust he recipe for them?
Olivia says
Hi Emily! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I hope that helps!
Tina Fransson says
I am baking this ASAP! Sorry if someone has already asked this, but what’s type of espresso powder do you use?
Olivia says
Hi Tina! I use this one from Nescafe: https://amzn.to/2Jkkoax
Tessa says
Hello Liv! What kind of dutch cocoa do you use for your chocolate cake? We have red alkalized cocoa (22-24% fat) and black alkalized cocoa (10-12%) at Bulk Barn. Which one would be best or can I use them interchangeably for your recipe? Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Tessa! The one I use most often is Rodelle cocoa from Costco http://rodellekitchen.com/explore-baking-ingredients/gourmet-baking-essentials/organic-baking-cocoa I’m not totally sure how that compares to either of those as I’ve never used red! I wouldn’t use all black cocoa though, there is not enough fat. If that’s all you have, maybe a mixture of both?
Tessa says
I tried both and there’s quite a difference between the cake. Both are dense and moist but the one with higher fat content (red cocoa) was fluffier. It has more height as well. I’ll try to find your cocoa at Costco and compare. Will update you 🙂
Olivia says
Awesome, thanks for the update! I look forward to your next results 🙂
Casey says
Hi , i really want to try this cake..but its quite hard for me to find buttermilk in here . Anyway Can i remove buttermilk from this choco cake recipes?
Olivia says
Hi Casey! You can easily make your own — add 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 10mins.
Justine Rosewarne says
In a word…YUM! This is sooo good! Thanks so much for the recipe! Made it for my daughters birthday and she loved it!
Olivia says
Yay! So glad you guys liked it 🙂
Irene M says
This is a wonderful cake. This is my second time making this and each time my co workers rave about it. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
Olivia says
Thanks so much Irene! This is still one of my faves to this day 🙂
wishacupcake says
Amazing idea of combination, can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.
Juliana says
Hello!
I love the look of this cake and want to make it for my husband’s birthday however I need some inputs from anyone here…
My husband is a diabetic and I would need to adjust this recipe. Did anyone try this before? If yes – how did it come out? Any suggestions??
Thank you,
Juliana
Michelle A says
Olivia, this is a great recipe. I made it last year in a double recipe. We loved it but was too rich for a single slice of cake.i am making it again this year, but i am going to make this as cupcakes. My question is have you any idea how many cupcakes this cake recipe will make?
Olivia says
Hi Michelle! I’ve never made this into cupcake myself, but I’d guess about 18 or so? Keep in mind the cupcakes will rise a lot, so don’t fill the liners more than 1/2 or 2/3 full. Let me know how they turn out!
joanne says
I bake the mocha chocolate cake 2 weeks ago for girls night out. It was amazing. taste good and cake was very moist. i only reduce sugar but i always do in any of my baking
Olivia says
Hi Joanne! So happy to hear that you liked it! 🙂
Fia says
Hi, Olivia!
I saw, in your tips, that you like to use the Evenbake strips to help get flatter cake layers. I searched, but can’t find any for 6″ pans. Will the 8-9″ size work on 6″ pans as well?
(This cake looks fab btw! I’ll be making it for my Honey’s 37th in a couple weeks.)
Olivia says
Hi Fia! The Regency ones I link to are a bit too big for 6″ cake pans (I’ve tried), but you could try the Wilton ones since they might be more adjustable! http://amzn.to/2y3n5HR I hope you like the cake!
Arceli says
Hi Olivia,
I just started to learn baking last month and started to search for cake recipes online and finally found your recipes and thought would give them a try.I did and indeed all of it turned out great and delicious.I could not believe myself ( blueberry cheesecake cookie cups,mocha chocolate and Strawberry chocolate ,I want to share the pics with you but i dont know how) I received great compliments primarily from my husband (who just turned out to be a cake lover),family and friends here in Edmonton.I think this month I baked your
mocha chocolate cake 3 times for the demand was high hehe🤗 I want to try the ferrero rocher cake this Christmas.Thank you for sharing with us these elegant and wonderful recipes.All the best for you.
Olivia says
Wow! I am so happy to hear that you have tried so many of my recipes (and that you love them 🙂 ) I would love to see your pictures! You can email me at livforcakeblog[at]gmail[dot]com. Also, I am from Edmonton! I grew up on the NE side near Londonderry Mall 🙂
Arceli says
Hi Olivia,
I sent the pics to your email.I baked the mocha chocolate in 2 8 inch pan and made 4 layers😂 Wow! We live just 10-15 mins from londonderry mall🤗 By the castlesdowns area (Newcastle)…Thank you again🤗Tomorrow i will try to bake your oreo cake recipe for my 5 yr old son🤗 and I am sure he would love it.
All the best for you…
Olivia says
I had friends that lived in Castledowns! I don’t get back to Edmonton very often, but I loved growing up there in the 80s :). I hope your son loves the Oreo cake!! It’s a good one 🙂 xo
Amelia says
Hi Olivia! Do you sift your cocoa powder before measuring? I’ve been converting to grams and measuring ingredients using a scale. Nice cocoa powder can be so expensive so I want to make sure I’m not using too much. Any tips would be much appreciated!
Olivia says
Hi Amelia! I measure first and sift after 🙂
Romina says
Hi Olivia this is the first time I’m writing to u.. I tried 3 of ur cakes this is my favourite family love tiramisu cake too… and I really don’t no how u come up with such awesome recipes… I love the mocha butter cream how long can we keep it? I mean cake in room temperature? And how long in refrigerator? If I make extra butter cream can I freeze it? Thanks in advance
Olivia says
Hi Romina! Thank you so much, I’m so glad you like my cakes! The cake should keep at room temperature for a couple hours and in the refrigerator for a couple of days. The longer it is in the fridge the more it will dry out. You can freeze the buttercream for sure. Just be sure to bring it to room temperature and rewhip it before using.
Becca says
Hi,
I would like to make this for a charity event at work, but I only have 8 inch cake tins. would I need to increase the proportions and cooking times (if so, by how much) or would the current recipe be good to make 2 layers (in which case I would double it up and make 4)?
Olivia says
Hi Becca! The recipe as is will work for two 8″ cake tins.
aya says
can i cut the recipe into half and make one 8″ cake pan? or 2/3 for two 6″ cake pan?
Olivia says
Hi Aya! Yes that would work fine.
Anna says
I made this cake yesterday and it was amazing. I loved how it wasn’t too sweet at all. It was the right amount of chocolate to coffee. This is the third cake recipe that I have made from your blog and they never seem to disappoint!
Side note: I made 3 8″ cakes by doubling the cake recipe. I did not double the frosting though I made 1 1/2 of the buttercream recipe and it was plenty with extra.
Olivia says
Hi Anna! So glad to hear you liked this one (and others!! :)). Good tip on the doubling and frosting amounts.
LG says
This cake sucks. I made it twice and it hardly rose each time. All fresh ingredients. I’ll stick to my standard choco cake recipe and trusted recipes. Never had a cake fail before, what a waste.
Olivia says
I’ve made this recipe countless times and never had a problem (as have other people). The batter is very thin and rises a lot, if yours didn’t then something must have been off with the measurements or the ingredients.
Estelle says
Came across this recipe when doing a search for mocha cake. It was incredible! First time I’ve made swiss meringue buttercream but I’l definitely use that method again as it is super delicious. I served this at a dinner party and everyone loved it. I’m not a big chocolate cake fan (nor is my mother) but we both loved it.
Thank you for a great blog post 🙂
Olivia says
Swiss meringue buttercreams are my fave! I’m so glad you liked it too :). Thanks for the feedback, Estelle! 🙂
Alex says
I’ m sorry again for asking. I am just wondering at what height of the pan should I stop pouring the batter?
Olivia says
Hi Alex, this cake batter is very thin and rises a lot. Don’t fill the pans more than halfway. This recipe works for three 6″ round pans or two 8″ round pans that are 2″ tall.
Alex says
I’m so sorry for having a lot of questions. I would also like to ask what kind of vegetable oil should I use? If there is no vegetable oil what substitute is suitable for it? I’m sorry again. I love the looks of your cake and I’m sure that it will taste as great as it looks!
Olivia says
Hi Alex! No worries, you can use vegetable oil, or canola oil, or grapeseed oil. Nothing with too strong a flavour like olive oil though.
Alex says
Hi! I would like to ask the one that you wrote the 25mins. Rotate the pan what do you mean? Do you mean within the half of 25 mins. Turn the pan or after 25 mins.?
Alex says
If I want to reduce the sweetness, how many cups of sugar for the cake should I use?
Olivia says
The cake isn’t crazy sweet as it is with the buttermilk and coffee. You can try reducing the sugar by 1/4 cup.
Olivia says
Hi Alex! I bake the cakes for 20-25mins, then turn them in the oven and swap the sides they are on (helps promote even baking). Then I continue to bake until they are done, an extra 10-15mins.
Mckenzie says
Hi!! I was wondering if I did this recipe in three 9″ cake pans, what should the baking time and temperature be?
Assuming I would need to double the recipe and spread evenly in all three pans? 🙂
I appreciate it in advance!
Olivia says
Hi Mckenzie! Ideally you would double the recipe and use three 8″ pans. It will still work in 9″, but your layers will be a bit thinner. As such, you’ll want to reduce the baking time a bit! I would start checking them at 25mins to see how they’re doing.
Adie says
Hi,
This cake and buttercream recipe can I cover the cake with fondant?
Thank you
Olivia says
Hi Adie! Yes, you can cover it with fondant. I just recommend chilling the cake first so that the frosting is firm.
Hiba says
I was wondering if I could half the recipe for cupcakes and it would still work cuz I really want to try it today, p.s it looks really good ❤
Olivia says
Hi Hiba! That should work fine. Let me know how it turns out!
Emmi says
Do you think I might be able to convert this into a red velvet cake batter?
It already has more than half the allotted ingredients for a red velvet cake.
I was considering attempting to make it into a red velvet.
– Cutting out the coffee, adding 1/2 cup salted butter melted & slightly cooled.
– Putting in less Dutch cocoa powder, maybe say 1/3 cup or possibly 2/3 cup.
– Eliminating the salt, all together given you would use salted butter.
I don’t wish to come across as rude or insensitive by making that suggestion, I enjoy baking and exploring in the kitchen as a home baker/cooker. Your 6″ cake recipes are adorable and crafted. I’ve saved several to my board.
Do you have a 6″ red velvet recipe and I just missed it somehow?
Olivia says
Hi Emmi! Not rude at all. I actually have a 6″ red velvet recipe you can check out here 🙂
https://livforcake.com/game-of-thrones-dragonscale-cake/
Divya says
Hi i can’t find heavy cream here for the panache. Can I replace it with a low fat cream day around 25% milk fat?I’m still lost about how I can add the coffee pwd to the buttercream.v have instant coffee pwd here.how much water shld i mix it with before addin to the buttercream mixture
Olivia says
Hi Divya! That cream should be fine. If your coffee powder is very fine, then you don’t need to dissolve it with water (I didn’t dissolve mine). Otherwise dissolve it in 2tsp hot water and wait for it to cool completely before adding to the buttercream.
Debbie Cutelli says
Made this cake for my husband for Fathers Day. It is turning out amazing!! Thank you so much. This was my first time making Italian Mocha buttercream it turned out GREAT. Can’t wait to have a lice
Olivia says
Hi Debbie! Yay! So happy to hear it was a hit 🙂 I LOVE this mocha buttercream. It’s my fave <3
Jodi says
I made the frosting and the ganache and used it on a chocolate fudge cake. My MIL said it was the best cake she has ever had! The frosting was fantastic and the directions were easy to follow. BTW…I made a four layer cake with two 8″ round cakes and decided to make and additional 1/2 recipe of the frosting, which was the perfect amount.
Thank you for sharing!
Olivia says
Hi Jodi! Thanks for the tips regarding increasing the recipe. I’m so glad it worked out and that you guys liked it! I eat that frosting with a spoon 😀
Anna says
Hi
I made your Mocha Chocolate Cake yesterday. It was the best cake ever. It is my husband’s new favorite. Your directions were spot on! Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Anna! I love this cake and am so glad your guys loved it too! 🙂
Ana says
Definitely making this cake for my dad for his birthday this weekend 🙂. He’s a coffee lover! I was undecided between the Baileys cake or Mocha cake but chocolate and coffee has never sound better! I subscribed to your blog btw. I love it! Whenever I need inspo I come to your page 😘. Thank goodness for Pinterest for helping me find you! 🙌🏽
Olivia says
Hi Ana! You are so sweet, thank you!! It’s a tough call between the two cakes, but I’d have to say this one is my favorite 🙂
Nidhi says
Hi Olivia,
I just started to make this cake today for a friend’s birthday this Saturday. I used some of the leftover cake batter for a cupcake and it was DELICIOUS!!!! I’m planning on covering the layers and freezing them until I am ready to assemble. I’m about to make the buttercream and had one question. I know you said it will last in the refrigerator for a few days in an earlier comment but specifically should I put it in the fridge or freezer? Sorry for the silly questions- just want to get it perfect!
P.S.- I love your blog, I made your brownie cookies and Bailey’s cookie cups and they are always a hit!
Olivia says
Hi Nidhi! Thank you! I’m so glad you like my recipes :). To answer your question, do you intend to refrigerate/freeze the buttercream on it’s own or the decorated cake? If just the buttercream on it’s own, it should do fine in the refrigerator for a few days. Just be sure to bring it to room temperature again and rewhip it before using (if needed). There’s a chance it might separate and end up soupy — that just means it was too cold still when you re-whipped it. This happened to me once and I grabbed a hair dryer and warmed up the side of the bowl a bit and kept whipping. It came back together perfectly! Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Nidhi says
Hi Liv,
I wanted to let you know the cake and buttercream was delicious and such a hit !! Thank you so much for getting back to me! This will definitely be my go-to chocolate cake recipe!
Olivia says
So glad to hear that!! I think I need to make this cake again soon 🙂
HR says
Wow! This cake was PHENOMENAL. From the husband, “this is the best cake you’ve ever made.” (I bake a lot!) And my dad, who doesn’t like chocolate, said “it was REALLY GOOD.” The frosting is amazing, the cakes baked up beautifully. I was able to put just over 300 grams of batter per 6″ in pan and had enough left over for a mini bundt (as I wasn’t at the party!). Truly amazing. I will use this recipe for cupcakes, too. Thanks for another stellar recipe. I cannot always trust online recipes, but you never disappoint. Going to use your Momofuku Birthday Cake recipe as a base for rainbow-topped cupcakes this week!
Olivia says
Thank you so much for the sweet comment! You totally made my Monday 🙂 I am so glad you liked this recipe as it’s one of my faves! I totally eat that frosting with a spoon :).
Jean says
Hi Shelley! I would love to make your cake except I have two 8″ round cake pans. Can I make it with these and will the cooking time vary? I LOVE chocolate and mocha!!!
Olivia says
Hi Jean! I think you meant “Olivia”? 🙂 You can make this recipe as is in two 8″ cake rounds. The cooking time may vary slightly but not crazy +/- 5 mins or so I’d imagine. I hope you like it!
Jean says
Hi Olivia! I apologise! I was talking to Shelley and instead of writing Olivia I wrote my friend’s name.. I am going to make this for my mom’s birthday! Thank you so much!
Olivia says
Haha no worries!! Let me know how it goes. I love this cake!
Shelley says
I made this today and OH MY GOODNESS it is amazing!!! Thank you for this fantastic recipe! I can’t wait to try more of your delicious looking recipes.
Olivia says
Hi Shelley! So happy that you liked this one!! 😀
Debbie Bergstrom says
Hi Olivia, I’m excited about baking this cake. Making a practice cake a couple weeks ahead before baking this cake for a dinner party for 40 people. You told one reader that cake could be doubled for 3 -8 inch pans which is what I’m planning on doing. My big question is: I live in Denver at 5,200 feet altitude. What main adjustments do I need to do to this recipe because I want it to turn out! Help. Thanks Debbie
Olivia says
Hi Debbie! That is a good question… I’ve never baked in high altitude (that I know of), but I was able to find this link which has some tips. I hope it helps!!
http://dish.allrecipes.com/high-altitude-cake-baking/
Ethan says
I gave it a shot. My frosting skills suck, but it doesn’t matter when this cake is the best thing I’ve ever made.
http://imgur.com/a/I0rsw
Olivia says
Hi Ethan! That looks pretty awesome to me (and thanks for sharing a pic!!). I am so glad that you made it and liked it! This is one of my faves 🙂
Trishna says
hi, the cake looks amazing! can you please tell me how tall does the cake turn out to be? i want to try it out this weekend!
Olivia says
Hi Trishna! The cake ends up being about 6-7″ tall.
Edward says
Just made this and it’s absolutely fantastic and sooo yummy… Did the 2- 8 inch pans with just regular recipe for a bit shorter and they worked fine, would suggest mixing the espresso powder with the vanilla extract actually and then a very small drop or two of boiling water to dissolve it better, that way there is no dilution. Also just to up the coffee I mixed in a bit of instant coffee powder (or espresso powder) into the ganache (as in before you pour the hot cream just putting it with the chocolate)
Olivia says
Thanks for the tips Edward! I’m glad it turned out for you 🙂
Madge says
No explanation of when to using buttercream in between layers? How long to cool cakes?
Olivia says
Hi Madge, cool the cakes completely before frosting.
Pamela Connolly says
I do t know what went wrong followed the recipe, it turned out about 2 cm high..there was’t a big amount of mixture for each pan..right size cake tin…..not a happy baker
Olivia says
Hi Pamela! I’m sorry you had trouble with this one. The batter is thin and only fills the pans about halfway (if that), but it rises a lot. It sounds to me like maybe your baking soda and/or baking powder was expired?
anna says
hi Olivia, hope you are doing great! can I substitute regular unsweetened cocoa powder for dutch processed and if so will i need to make any other adjustments? i’m planning to make this cake but with your baileys buttercream instead!
Olivia says
Hi Anna! It should work fine with regular cocoa :). And it would be amazing with the Baileys buttercream!! I hope you like it 🙂
Neha David says
Hi Olivia! The cake looks gorgeous! I am planning to make it, this weekend. I have two 23.5 cm tins.
Could you help me alter the recipe, according to my tin size?
Thanks! 🙂
Olivia says
Hi!! I have never worked with a pan exactly that size, but I would recommend doing 1.5x the recipe for two pans. Let me know how it turns out!
Gratia says
This was my first ever cake from scratch and it was PHENOMENAL. Everything was so easy to make. The only thing is I have a ton of buttercream left over (even though I felt like I ate half while making it!) so I guess that means I’ll have to make cupcakes tomorrow! Thanks for the awesome recipe
Olivia says
Thanks so much Gratia! I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂
shaw says
WOW, your cake was so fabulousuper like cake.. I was looking for this kind of cake and whoala!! i found you…thanks so much. I made this cake today and family and friends like the texture and the taste..they all say the same word. Thank you again for sharing Olivia.
Olivia says
Yay! I’m so glad you liked it :D.
Shaw says
Now i want to make again this cake but they ask if i can make fondant instead…my question is, can i cover this cake with fondant? Will it be a disaster after? What you think? Nxt week will be the party and i need your help. Thank you Olivia.
Olivia says
You can cover the cake in fondant for sure. Just be sure to chill the cake until the frosting firm (makes it easier to cover that way). Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Shaw says
I’ll update u soon…thanks for your fast response.
Shaw says
I made a success with the fondant cake and all was left was the baby topper i made..i made two layers 10/4 and 6/4 rounds..my first time that my cake was a big hit. Thank you so much. I’ll try some of your other recipes soon.
Olivia says
Yay! So glad to hear it was a success 🙂
Megan says
Did you ever make the cake again? I saw in your comment you were going to dissolve the espresso powder into water. I asked b/c I am making it for a b-day and there will be young kids eating it, so I was going to use decaf espresso just in case (in the cake), but can’t find decaf espresso powder for the frosting, so was hoping I could use decaf hot espresso but worried about how the hot liquid would affect the texture of the frosting. Thanks! Can’t wait to make this.
Olivia says
Hi Megan! Thanks for following up on this. I did make a similar frosting (minus the chocolate) for my most recent cake:
http://livforcake.com/2016/10/pumpkin-spice-latte-cake.html
I dissolved the espresso powder in hot water before hand and it worked perfectly fine! Just don’t use too much water and make sure it’s cooled before adding it to the frosting! Please let me know how it turns out :).
Megan says
It was incredibly delicious. Thanks for the info!
Olivia says
So glad you liked it! 🙂
Rebecca says
Hi. I need to make this cake for about 17-20 people. On the recipe, you say it yields 6, so can serve 6 people but in the comments you said about 10-12 servings. How many does this actually serve and if i make an 8″ cake how many will it serve. What about 10″? thanks
Rebecca says
Im clarifying something: i would be either making the 3 6″ cakes, 3 8″ cakes or 3 10″ depending on how many each size serves
Olivia says
Hi Rebecca! There was an error in the yield. It serves 10-12 people depending on how generous the portions are. I would make 2x the recipe for the amount of people you want to serve.
Rebecca says
Which size should i do? 8″ or 10″
Olivia says
I would suggest 8″. The recipe as is works for two 8″ cake pans — if you double it, use four 8″ cake pans.
JoJo says
This looks amazing. I want to make it for 40 people and have one layer. Do you think it ould work if I multiply your receipe by 4?
Olivia says
Hi JoJo! Mathematically it should work, though I can’t guarantee the results as I’ve only tried this recipe doubled and not 4x. What sort of pan do you plan to bake it in? Keep in mind that baking time will vary depending on the pan used.
JoJo says
Hi, I have a large deep rectangular tray roughly 24 inches by 15 inches and 3/4 inches deep. Can’t wait to try it next weekend!
JoJo says
to clarify that’s 3 or 4 inches deep! 🙂
Olivia says
Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Olivia says
Oh also, this particular cake batter is very thin and rises quite a bit, so don’t fill the pan more than 2/3rds full 🙂
Kayla S says
Hi Olivia! Amazing cake! I had 4 layers of chocolate cake chilling in my fridge that I didn’t know what I wanted to do with yet. I saw this and went for it. I had planned on making some SMBC in the near future but I made your IMBC and although I was intimidated, I had no problems and it came out like a dream! (Very surprised and proud of myself for that lol!) My husband and I looooove it! This was my first time making a meringue buttercream so my question is can I keep the cake at room temperature? If so, for how long?
Olivia says
Hi Kayla! I’m so glad you liked this! And yay to making the IMBC! That one is definitely intimidating. The cake and frosting will do ok at room temperature for a couple hours, but I would store it in the fridge otherwise.
Freya says
Made this for hubs and I – delicious! That chocolate cake recipe is perfect and my new go to. The buttercream is perfection. If I left out the chocolate and espresso, would that make a nice vanilla version?
Olivia says
Hi Freya! So glad you guys liked this cake! It’s one of my faves :). And yes, leaving those out would make a perfect vanilla buttercream!
Meredith says
Hi Liv, the cake recipe is spot on – very similar to my fav chocolate cake recipe. Unfortunately I ran into trouble with the buttercream. I paused at the very last minute and thought to myself “I wonder if I am really supposed to just toss the instant espresso into the icing” and I did but regretted it instantly. It won’t dissolve no matter how hard I beat it. I am going to resort to a very thin layer of icing with a generous amount of ganache to hide the flecks and balance the bitterness that you get from the little bits of powder. I would suggest making a note to explain exactly how the powder should be added to avoid this problem.
Olivia says
Hi Meredith! Ugh, that is so weird! Mine totally dissolves right in :(. How fine is your espresso? Is it granules or a powder? Mine is super-fine, almost like powdered sugar. I’m actually going to make this frosting again this week but I’m going to try dissolving the espresso in a bit of hot water and incorporating it that way. I’ll update the recipe with my results. Thanks for your feedback!!
Jenny says
Would be nice to see some comments about how this cake turned out for others that made it… I’m going to chance it for my boyfriend’s birthday cake. Hopefully it’s as easy to make as it sounds.
Olivia says
Hi Jenny! There are comments from people who made the cake and loved it. I hope you love it too!
Leya says
Ooops! Sorry, i think youve already answered that question. Thanks
Leya says
Hi. I dont have espresso powder available here with me. What would you suggest I use as alternative? Thanks.
Leya de Guzman says
Hi, I dont have espresso powder here with me. What would you suggest that I use as alternative and what ratio? Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Leya! You could try dissolving a bit of instant coffee with some water and adding it into the frosting. For ratio — I’m not sure, you’d want it pretty strong so maybe double the amount of espresso powder? With enough water to dissolve it. I hope that helps! Let mw know how it turns out 🙂
Leya says
Thanks! Will try it.
Helen says
Hi Olivia
I would like to make this for my son’s partners birthday. I note that you sue 6 inch tins or about 15cm tins here. I would normally use 22cm tins and as this has to feed a large number I could probably do 2 lots of mixture to make 4 22cm tins or about a 9″ tin for you. Does this sound reasonable?
Olivia says
Hi Helen! I would recommend doubling the recipe and using three 22cm tins. I worry that if you use 4, your layers will be quite a bit thinner than mine (which maybe you don’t mind :)). Also note that the batter rises a LOT (at least double), so it may not look like you have a lot in your pans.
Z says
Have you tried using the egg whites that come in a bottle? Would that work, or fresh cracked eggs would only work?
Olivia says
I have tried the bottled ones and in my experience, they never whip up :(. It would be so much easier to use, but I haven’t had success with them!
Z says
Thanks!
I made this cake and it turned out great!
And I used the cream for decorating cupcakes and they hold up very nicely.
Olivia says
Yay! So glad you liked it 🙂
Fernanda says
Made this cake for my husband and he ate it so fast I know he loved it. The best chocolate cake I have ever made hands down. It came out a little short lol because I didn’t see that you used 6″ cake pans. I also added espresso powder to the brewed coffee because we love coffee. Thank you so much for the recipe definitely will be making this cake again.
Olivia says
HI Fernanda! I’m so glad that you guys liked this recipe! It’s one of my favourites 🙂
Kamna says
Hi! I was wondering how long this buttercream would last if I stored it in the fridge?
Olivia says
Hi Kamna! The buttercream will last a decent amount of time, at least a week I’d say, though you’ll need to re-whip it once it’s thawed.
Ken Topham says
Wow! I came across this recipe and reading the opener decided it was just what I was looking for. I made it for a birthday at the office today and it was a huge hit! I have never had so many compliments and this is from a group that typically doesn’t like chocolate. I have made dozens of chocolate cakes in various forms but this is the best receipt anywhere. Thanks so much for sharing!
Olivia says
Hi Ken! I’m so glad that you and your co-workers liked it! 🙂
Sanny says
Hi Olivia,,
this cake looks so delish,,
I just wondering if i change the vegetable oil with olive oil,, is it gonna change the flavour?
Thank you
Olivia says
Hi Sanny! It would change the flavour a bit because olive oil tends to have a stronger taste to it. You can try it though! I don’t think it would be bad :).
cathy says
hello Ms. Olivia, thanks for this lovely mocha chocolate cake, I tried it last night, my frosting turns out too dark not like as yours but the taste is so yummy… and more thing how to avoid this dome center thing? do you have video of all the cakes that you made? so it will help us more. Thank you and God bless
Olivia says
Hi Cathy! Strange that your frosting turned out darker, hmmm…. but I’m gad it was still delicious! Regarding the dome in the center, check out my post here to see how I make sure my cakes always bake up flat :).
http://livforcake.com/2014/09/flat-top-cakes.html
I hope that helps!
Angela says
So I just stumbled over this recipe and I’m super excited to try it for my mums birthday this weekend. Just a few questions, I don’t have espresso powder for the frosting would I be able to use espresso granules dissolved in a bit of water? Also I plan on using 2 8″ pans will I need to alter the recipe at all?
Olivia says
Hi Angela! You can totally use two 8″ pans, that will work fine. Dissolving the granules in a bit of water should work too, as long as it’s not too much, just make sure to whip the frosting very well after adding it :).
Claudia says
So this cake looks amazing! I was wondering though if it would work for cupcakes? Any suggestion on bake time? My plan was to just give it a shot and check on them, but I don’t want to open the oven door too often if I can avoid it. And will the buttercream work with a bag to swirl on the cupcakes?
Olivia says
Hi Claudia! Thanks!! I would check the cupcakes at 2omins maybe? That should be enough to start checking them. And the buttercream will work fine in a piping bag :).
Sara says
Just kidding! I just saw you recommended dissolving to someone else! Thanks!!
Sara says
Bah no I lied! It’s for the cake. So for the frosting, sorry!
Olivia says
Hi Sara! So glad you liked this cake! It’s one of my faves. For the espresso powder… mine is super fine and blends in perfectly. Are you using espresso granules maybe? That’s the only thing I can think of that would make it crunchy :\.
Olivia says
To clarify, it should be espresso powder and not instant espresso, in case you used that instead :).
Sara says
Hi! I love this cake! Made it once and it was a hit. I wanted to ask though about the espresso powder. I just added it straight in last time and the little bits were a little overpowering if you crunched on one 🙂 But I was afraid dissolving in a little water would make the frosting runny…will it?
Christine Cheong says
Hi Olivia,
Thanks for sharing this recipe:)
I really want to try making this for Mother’s Day. I surly think my mom would love it.
May I ask the cup that you used in the recipe is equal to how many ml ?
Many thanks
Christine
Olivia says
Hi Christine! There’s approximately 240ml in 1 cup. Let me know how you like it!
Christine Cheong says
This cake is so delicious!!!! My mom love it very much.
Thanks Olivia ^o^
Olivia says
Yay! So happy to hear that! Thanks Christine :).
Annemarie says
Hi! Wondering, how many cups of the mocha buttercream will this recipe yield? I am looking forward to making it, thank you for sharing the recipe!
Thanks, Annemarie
Olivia says
Hi Annemarie! I’m not 100% sure as I’ve never measured it, but if I had to guess I’d say about 5-6 cups?
emma says
This cake was SO GOOD and so pretty! It was also one of the best tasting cakes i have ever had! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
Olivia says
Thanks Emma! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
stephanie says
Hi!How can I make 3/4cup of strong brewed coffee?I have medium roast ground coffee.How about espresso powder for baking do I need to stir that in water or just directed to the mix like in the frostjng.I really wanted to make your recipe for my bestfriend hopefully this will turnout good its my first time to bake chocolate cake!Pls help me!Thank You!
Olivia says
Hi Stephanie, you need the water for in the cake. If you use espresso powder, just dissolve it in hot water before adding it into the cake. I hope that helps!
Kate says
Hi Olivia! I am a new member, I stumbled upon your site and everything looks gorgeous! I am making a cake this weekend for a joint birthday party and this looks perfect. However I don’t have 6 inch cake pans, I only have 9 inch. Should I double the recipe so I can have two 9 inch cakes tall enough to split into 4 layers?
Also, the buttercream looks like a Swiss Buttercream which is perfect because I have to travel about an hour and a half with this cake. (It will be on a travel cake plate with cover, under a blowing AC in the car 🙂 ) My question on that is will this recipe be enough to frost the 4 layers plus the outside or should I double this too?
Olivia says
Hi Kate! It’s a bit tricky with pan sizes. If you had three 9″ then doubling would work fine, but with only two, you’ll have too much batter and it may over flow. How tall are your 9″ cake pans? If they’re 3″ tall I would recommend doing 1.5x the recipe. I would also 1.5x the buttercream to make sure you have enough :). I hope that helps, please let me know how it turns out!
Kate says
Thanks Olivia, I think they’re 3″ high, so I’ll 1.5x both recipes. I’ll check back and let you know!
Olivia says
Good luck! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out 🙂
Kate says
So I made this over the weekend and it came out GREAT. I wish I could post a picture. Its not as pretty as yours but it still looks pretty good. The taste was phenomenal and everyone raved. This is a keeper…
Olivia says
I’m so happy you liked it, Kate! Glad to hear it was a hit :). You can email me a pic if you like!
Kateryna says
Olivia,
First of all I wanted to thank you for a great recipe. The cake turned out delicious!
However, I ran into one problem. For Ganache, I used, just like you said, 3 oz of Heavy Cream and 3 oz of Semi-sweet chocolate, but it came out too light that it was running down the cake almost instantly, even though it cooled down already. Any idea what could that be? Should I have waited come time for it to thicken up?
Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Kateryna! I’m so glad you liked this recipe! For the ganache, I would let it sit for a while as it will thicken up the longer it sits. It should’t have been light though — did you mean light in color or light as in runny? Also, my cake was chilled so the frosting was cold when I poured the ganache on, that helped to set it. I hope that helps!
Noémie says
Hello, Do you think it’s possible to make this cake 2 days before the serving time?
Maybe not the ganache but the assembly cake with buttercream ?
Thank you.
Olivia says
Hi Noémie! Yes, you can make everything in advance, even the ganache. I would store the cake in the fridge and take it out 3 hours before you plan to serve it. The cake may be slightly drier than if you served it the same day, but still delicious!
Noémie says
thank you! I think it will be perfect and delicious.
Olivia says
Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Sneha Shirke says
I tried but my cake not baked spongy….
Olivia says
Hi Sneha! How did it bake up? Maybe the batter was overmixed?
Sheila says
Are you worried about the egg whites not being cooked? Concerns me a bit??? Any particular chocolate you like? Thanks so much, SheShe
Olivia says
Hi Sheila! The egg whites are cooked over the water bath. They get to a temperature where it’s safe to use them 😊. I love Callebaut dark chocolate myself, but there are lots of good brands out there.
Samantha says
Perfect cake paired with the perfect chocolate ganache drizzle!
xx
Olivia says
Thanks so much Samantha!! xo
Jeanette says
How many servings does this l cake make? I’m making it tonight to serve tomorrow but didn’t realize the size of pan this recipes uses.
Olivia says
Hi Jeanette! It would be about 10-12 servings, depending on how generous they were 🙂
Manal says
This was soooo amazing
Made if for my husbands bday a couple of days back
Everyone loved it
Am thinking of making the butter cream as the texture and taste were real yum but without the coffee and with white chocolate for my daughters bday cake – I want to the make it pink
I don’t think such changes will have any impact to the texture – do you think there would be any impacts on texture and taste – obviously coffee taste gone 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Manal! I’m so happy you liked it! Those changes will work fine as long as you follow the same order of steps. Oh and you don’t need to include any chocolate at all, and have just a delicious vanilla buttercream instead! Add any coloring at the end :).
Rachel says
I made this cake last night and it turned out beautifully. Even more delicious this morning for breakfast! My ganache was a little runny though – any tips?
Olivia says
Hi Rachel! So glad you liked it! If you chill the ganache it will thicken up a bit. Did you use heavy cream to make it? Mine was a bit runny right away when warm, but better once it cooled to room temp. Hope that helps!
Jenny says
Can you substitute regular unsweetened cocoa powder for the Dutch process?
Olivia says
Hi Jenny! Yes, that should work fine too 🙂
Grace says
So good to see a blogger from Vancouver too!! I love your photography, all pics are so beautiful and vivid. May I know what brand of cocoa powder you use? I am just using the Rodelle brand from Costco. Have you come across any store that sells Valrhona cocoa powder locally in Vancouver?
Olivia says
Hi Grace! Nice to “meet” a fellow Vancouver blogger!! I use Cote D’Azur Dutch-processed cocoa and Cote D’Azur Black cocoa. I get both of those at the Gourmet Warehouse on Hastings. They may also carry Valrhona! I know they have their bars. I actually saw the Rodelle brand at Costco and planned to get that when mine runs out. How do you like it?
Mia Brenner says
I am sooo looking forward to making this cake this weekend!! I am just a starting baker, so I don’t know how good it is going to be, but I’m excited!
Olivia says
Hi Mia! I am sure it will be perfect!! I hope you like it 🙂
Amanda says
I tried this and it was amazing! Admittedly, my eggs didn’t stiffen properly for my icing but… I always have the worst luck with egg whites. It worked anyway, so I’m not overly upset! I made my version in two 9 inch cake pans. I posted pictures on my blog if anyone is curious.
Thanks so much for sharing this!
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! Your cake turned out great!! Egg whites can be difficult to work with. I find that they whip up better if they are at room temperature AND there is not a speck of grease in the bowl or on the whisk, and no trace of yolk in the whites. I wipe down all my equipment with lemon juice prior to whipping up whites to ensure there is no grease anywhere!
Amanda says
Lemon juice! I’ll have to remember that!
Amy says
Hi Olivia, I made this cake today and the flavors are amazing! My cakes did not rise quite as much as yours. Each pan raised maybe half the amount I thought they would. Would you have any ideas on this? Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Amy! This may be a stupid question, but did you bake them in 6″ cake rounds? The only other thing I can think of is that either your baking soda or powder were expired. The cakes should more than double in size once baked!
Sarah says
Hi Olivia!
Could I make this in a bundt pan as well?
Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Sarah! My initial thought is that it *should* work, my only concern is that the batter is very liquid and thin, so there is a chance it might have trouble coming out of the Bundt…Maybe? I would suggest greasing and flouring (or cocoa powdering) your Bundt pan very well and then whacking it on the counter before you unmold. Please let me know if you try it!
Patti says
Made this cake two days ago for my cousins surprise 40th birthday. I made a BBQ themed cake and used this recipe. I have to tell you, I’ve made a lot of cakes in my career and my home based business. This cake has been by far one of the most popular ever.
Not too sweet, slight coffee taste that wasn’t overpowering. Buttercream tasted nice and silky. The sponge is wonderfully moist, dense but not too heavy and was able to hold about a kilo of decorations on top.
Wonderful recipe!
Olivia says
Thanks for the feedback Patti! I’m so glad you loved this cake and that it was a hit at the party!! It’s definitely one of my favourite cakes :).
Julia says
This looks insanely out of this world. In my mind, I would love to create something like this, but knowing I could never pull it off!!! Brilliant!
Olivia says
Julia, you could totally pull it off!! It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it will taste delicious no matter what! 🙂
Adriana says
Hello! I just made a batch of the buttercream, and I must say it truly tastes amazing. I did add some more coffee to it, I’m colombian you see… we like our coffee strong lol. I’m having a little trouble with it though. After frosting my cake, and chilling it before dripping the ganache, the buttercream is turned into two different shades. Any idea on why this happened? Thank you, and your drippy ganache has to be one of the best ones I’ve seen! I would be great if you had a tutorial on your technique!
Olivia says
Hi Adriana! I don’t blame you for adding more coffee, I might do that next time as well! Hmm, I’m confused at why the buttercream turned two different shades. I assume you whipped it quite well? Was it coffee powder that you added to it or actual coffee?
For the drippy ganache, I plan to do a tutorial at some point, but I basically used the technique here:
http://thecakeblog.com/2016/01/drippy-ganache-cake.html
I used a teaspoon to drip it along the sides and then filled in the top. My ganache is thinner than the one shown at the link above though. Hope that helps!
Adriana says
Thanks for the quick reply! I did whip it well, but I did use some water to disolve the powder coffee. Also to get it smooth I had to refrigerate it and then use the bench scraper on it again because I was unhappy with how it was.. maybe that was it? having two temperatures? Anyways it turned out great and everybody loved it 🙂
Great video too!!!!
Olivia says
Oh! The streaks could have been caused by the water, possibly. But I actually think it was the bench scraper thing. I’ve had the same thing happen when I tried to smooth a cake that was already chilled, it streaked :(. It’s like the outer layer got darker when chilled and when I tried to smooth it again, some of that came off and revealed the lighter underneath. I’m glad everyone loved it, that’s the most important part :).
Jen says
Thank you so much for sharing such a delicious recipe Olivia! It tasted really good! I do have one question. The first time I made the mocha frosting the consistency came out perfectly fine but the second time I made it the consistency of the frosting was a little too thin for me to frost a cake. Do you have any idea why this might have happened? Did I not whip enough at the end?
Olivia says
Hi Jen! I’m so glad you loved this cake! For the frosting, it could be a number of factors — Grease in the bowl could cause it to not whip up, but it would pretty much be soup, so you’d notice that something was off. The meringue needs to be stiff. Not whipping long enough could also be a culprit or adding the butter while the meringue was still warm – that would melt the butter and cause it to be too thin. Did you try refrigerating the thin frosting? If that wouldn’t firm it up, I’d assume there was something wrong with the meringue portion :\.
Janeen says
5 stars
Olivia says
😀 😀 😀
Janeen says
Made it…..ate it……LOVED It!
This is The best Mocha Choc Cake EVER!,,???
Olivia says
Yay! Thanks Janeen! So glad you liked it, it’s definitely a fave! <3
Grace says
I don’t have a mixer so I’m going to attempt this all manually by hand! is there anything i should do differently??
Olivia says
Hi Grace! The cake itself will be no problem done by hand, but the buttercream will be tricky. Do you have a hand mixer? If so, that should work fine! I would not attempt to hand whip the buttercream with a whisk. Let me know how it turns out 🙂
melissa says
i gotta say, this recipe of yours is perfect! i tried it and it turned out so well.
Olivia says
It’s SO good, right?? So glad you liked it!
Jacquie says
Hi Olivia, well the cake was a hit! And YES it is sooooo good. My ganache didn’t drip as well as I had hoped but did not affect the taste 😀 I’ll try to send you a picture of mine. I thought that your recipe detailed everything very clearly and easy to follow. The mocha flavour in the buttercream icing is delicious
Olivia says
Thank you Jacquie!! That buttercream is the best thing ever, I literally eat it with a spoon. I’m so glad the cake was a hit and that you loved it :). I would love to see a picture!!
Liz says
Is it possible to make the frosting in stages, like whip up the basic buttercream but wait to add the melted chocolate and vanilla? I am going out of town this afternoon but getting as much done before I leave (which is when I’m stopping at the store to get the chocolate). Or should I just wait to do it all later? (My m-i-l does not have a stand mixer…)
Olivia says
Hi Liz! Be sure to whip the basic buttercream up really well, past the curdle point (which it will do). Does she have a hand mixer? Your plan *should* work as long as you can really whip everything together once you add it all in. Let me know how it turns out!!
Jacquie says
I forgot to ask, have you ever made panettone?
Olivia says
No! I actually don’t think I’ve even had it before, but I was literally looking at it in the store the other day thinking I needed to try it. Might be on the list for next year’s holiday baking! 😀
Jacquie says
We are in southern Ontario, enjoying spring like weather ! I have my panettone in the one right now, it looks good so I will see what the taste is like tomorrow. My father in law is Italian. My husband is looking forward to the mocha cake though. I will definitely let you know how it turns out.
Olivia says
Awesome, have a great Christmas!!
Jacquie says
Thanks Olivia’s you have a blessed Christmas as well.
Jacquie says
Hi Olivia,
I came across your recipe yesterday and plan to make it for Christmas Day. I am making it with the 3 -8″ pans, doubling the recipe. Will it fit in the 8″ pans that are just regular height cake pans (about 1 1/2″ high)?
This cake looks really delicious and am looking forward to making it let alone tasting it.
Olivia says
Hi Jacquie! I’ve made this recipe before (doubled) in 3-8″ pans but they were 2″ high. I worry that they will overflow your 1 1/2″ ones. The batter is thin but rises quite a bit, so I would only fill them half full or so. I would recommend maybe making a few cupcakes with the extra batter?
Jacquie says
Thanks Olivia! I actually bought 8″ pans 3″ high as well, doubting that the 1 1/2 high might not work. I didn’t want to chance it being that all the stores would be closed Christmas Day.
I was reading some of your blog when you were at pastry school. It sounds like you had a lot of fun and learned a lot along the way. My Opa was a baker in Holland and opened his own wholesale bakery after they immigrated to Canada. So I and along with my sisters and some nieces have inherited the “baking bug”.
Olivia says
Ahh, your 3″ high pans will be perfect!! Let me know how it turns out :D.
So cool that your grandpa was a baker! Baking for the holidays is my favourite thing ever. Where are you guys in Canada?
Sibgha says
Is i want to make this cake for two 8 inch pans, should i double the recipe or add half more to this recipe?
Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Sibgha! The recipe should work as is for two 8″ pans, no need to make any changes!
Ioana says
Thanks!!!!!””
Vidollia Ho says
Hi Olivia…
I have made this cake few weeks ago. It tasted amazing. Thank You for the great recipe. It is really highly recommended for mocha cake lovers. I cannot wait to try other recipes from you.
Olivia says
Thank you for your feedback Vidollia! I am so glad you liked it :D. Please let me know what other recipes you end up trying!
Tina Batoriink says
I’d like to make this as two 9-inch layers. Would I need to change the timing, do you think? I’m downsizing and don’t want to buy more cake pans!
Olivia says
Hi Tina! If you’re keeping the recipe amounts as is, the layers would be thinner in two 9″ pans, so you’d have to reduce the baking time. I would check it after 20mins and see how they’re doing, then keep testing every 5 mins until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Diana says
What did you mean when you said 3/4 cup of strong coffee(hot)? I’m trying to make it and I got a little confused!?
Olivia says
Hi Diana, sorry I should clarify — brew some coffee, but make it stronger than you normally would and add this to the batter while it’s still hot. Hope that helps!
Spela says
How much grams is in a cup ?
Olivia says
It depends what you’re weighing. Here are some resources where you can convert certain ingredients:
http://dish.allrecipes.com/cup-to-gram-conversions/
http://www.traditionaloven.com/conversions_of_measures/butter_converter.html
The latter one links to butter specifically, but there are other ingredients listed on the right.
Hope that helps!
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories says
Oh my gosh! That is just stunning!!! You are so talented! I could never get such perfect drips!!
Olivia says
Thank you Karen! The drips were actually a lot easier than they look! 😉
Emily @ Bad Girl Baking says
Wow, this looks absolutely fabulous. Will certainly be giving this a try at the weekend.
Olivia says
Yay! I hope you love it :).
ChiChi says
This cake is just amazing. Love it!!
Olivia says
Thanks ChiChi! 🙂
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
This looks spectacular, Olivia! Some of my fave flavors. I am a big fan of drippy ganache cakes – I actually have one coming up this week that I made a while back!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Jacquee! I can’t wait to see yours! 🙂
Rem says
Can I bake this in my 9 inch round cake pan? But I won’t be able to make any layer cake out of it. :((( Amazing Cake btw! ???❤❤❤❤
Olivia says
Hi Rem, do you only have ONE 9″ round cake pan? Or three?
Jeanette says
I have three 9″ pans. Will it work using this recipe or what do you recommend?
Olivia says
Hi Jeanette! Double the recipe if you use three 9″ pans. That will be a BIG cake, but it’s delicious so I’m sure it won’t go to waste :). Alternatively, you can try using the recipe as is with only two 9″ pans. The layers may be thinner though.
Jeanette says
Thank you so much for the fast response. I ended up getting two 8″ pans 3″tall. I doubled the recipe, one for each pan, it hasn’t overflowed yet. And I’m guesstimating how long to bake them for. What are your thoughts and what do you recommend? Should I also double the buttercream icing?
Olivia says
Hi Jeanette! I’m guessing they’re done baking by now… how did they turn out?? I would double the buttercream recipe too. Any leftovers (if you have some) are so good you’ll want to eat it with a spoon! 😉
Wendi says
THAT is a SERIOUSLY lovely cake! The cake itself looks so moist and delicious – and there is nothing I love more the coffee – so, um, yeah. perfect. Congrats!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Wendi! It was super delicious and the coffee/chocolate combo is the best!
Ana | Espresso My Kitchen says
What a beautiful cake and amazing photos! I really want a slice right now! 🙂
Olivia says
Thanks Ana! 🙂
Carrie @ The Cake Blog says
Absolutely amazing Olivia!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Carrie!! 😀
Regina says
What an amazing cake, indeed! I am mesmerized by the perfect drippy ganache.
Olivia says
Thanks so much Regina! 🙂
barb says
Is there any easy way to make this cake with 8″ round pans? Make 1 1/2 of the cake recipe?
thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Barb,
If you use three 8″ pans you can double the recipe and it will work fine!
Katya says
Do you bake the cake for the same amount of time and at the same temperature if you’re using 8″ round pans? Thank you
Olivia says
Hi Katya! You’d need to adjust the baking time, but the temperature would stay the same — I would start checking them at 20mins 🙂
Sara @ Life's Little Sweets says
I found your blog though the FBC Twitter Tuesday, This cake is ART. I love your photos. You just picked up a follower in me today! I have shared, pinned tweeted!
Olivia says
Aww, thank you so much Sara!! 😀
Tux | Brooklyn Homemaker says
Sweet baby jesus you’re speaking my language!
This looks A-FREAKING-MAZING.
You’re making it reeeeaaaallllly hard for me to stay away from cake. I think I might be ready. I can’t wait to get back to bundtbakers!
Olivia says
LOL Tux! If you’re gonna break for cake, this is the cake to do it with! And YAY about getting back to BundtBakers!! And thanks :).
Jane, The Heritage Cook says
What a beautiful job – your frosting is perfect! I love your tip about using the spoon to get exactly the drips you want. I always flood the top – will definitely be trying that soon! Thanks for sharing.
Olivia says
Thanks so much Jane! I was going to flood the top, but as I was doing my research I came across the spoon technique. Worked so well!
Lynn @ Fresh April Flours says
I live for coffee flavored anything. This cake looks and sounds AMAZING! And oddly enough, I just tried an authentic Momofuku compost cookie this afternoon after years of making them myself. How ironic you just mentioned that! Ha! Anywayyyy, I think this cake could easily make its way into my #1 spot, too!!
Olivia says
Thanks Lynn! I’m a huge coffee flavoured fan too, you will love this cake!
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
I’ve been waiting for this post, Liv! I am definitely going to try making this cake – chocolate ‘n coffee, what’s not to love?! I had no doubt that you would make a stunningly gorgeous cake. Next time, maybe eye droppers to get those perfect drips? 😉 You are the queen of perfect cakes!
Olivia says
Lol, see now why didn’t I think of “eye droppers”…genius. This cake is surprisingly easy to make and I am sure you will love it!
Rachel says
This is literally what perfection looks like! So gorgeous!
Olivia says
Thank you Rachel!!
Julia (@imagelicious) says
This looks incredibly beautiful!!! Very elegant with a hint of Halloween! Love it!
Olivia says
Oooh totally would be a great cake for Halloween. Thanks Julia! <3
Catriona | Analog Eats says
Well, well, well. Hello there chocolate cake! Love the ikea hack as well!
Olivia says
Thanks Catriona! 🙂
Chrisy @ Homemade Hooplah says
I am in AWE! You are seriously the cake master! I’m totally going to try this – won’t be anywhere near as pretty by my hands, but thankfully ugly cake still tastes good 😀
Olivia says
LOL, I am SURE your skills would be just as good, and even if not, you’re right…no one is going to say no to cake no matter what it looks like! Thank you! <3
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Oh WOW! This cake is not only stunningly beautiful it also sounds over the top delicious! A simple mocha chocolate cake is seriously scrumptious, but you took that to a whole new level of Yum with the Mocha Swiss Meringue buttercream AND chocolate ganache! This is a chocolate lovers DREAM! Pinned! Thanks for sharing the Yum and Cheers!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Cheyanne!
Cakespy says
I don’t even know if I have words for how happy this cake makes me. Lovely and tempting!
Olivia says
Thank you so much! It is indeed a feel good cake 🙂
Chrissie (thebusybaker.ca) says
I can’t believe how gorgeous this cake is!! Actually, scratch that. I can believe it because YOU made it!! Amazing 🙂
Olivia says
Thank you so much Chrissie!! You are so sweet. xo
lindsay says
i want to freeze time and then have you come teach me all your cake making ways. Can we do that? UNREAL BEAUTY!
Olivia says
We can totally do that! 😀 Thank you!! <3
Bec says
Oh my what a lovely cake!
Olivia says
Thank you Bec!
Fahad says
Really nice cake
Olivia says
Thanks Fahad!
Kristina says
Hello, thank tou for the wonderful recipe. This is my first real cake, until now I would make some cheesecakes and stuff like that. It turned out great, even though it doesnt look that glorious. The batter is awesome, also the frosting.. i had to translate this to Slovak language so I might have made some mistakes in the recipe because my frosting is kind of curdled after it stayed overnight in the fridge but i quickly fixed it by mixing. Heres the cake!: https://www.instagram.com/p/BS9HdCUB6AduXP5pnKbbYqT4Q8MSodvOzhB1i80/
Olivia says
Hi Kristina! That looks awesome! Great job 😀 For the frosting — sometimes the meringue buttercreams can look curdled while you’re making them, but you just need to keep whipping until they become smooth. Same thing if you chill them — you need to bring them up to room temperature and re-whip.
Sylvia says
Can you please let me know what weight in grams is the American cup measure. I’m from the southern hemisphere and our cup measurements are different to yours. This cake looks crummy. Many thanks
Sylvia
Sylvia says
Sorry.. *should be scrummy*
Sylvia
Olivia says
Hi Sylvia! I don’t have the gram measurements off hand, but you can use this conversion tool to figure them out. Be sure to select the type of ingredient first as this greatly affects the weight!
http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/cooking/
Hope that helps :).
Sasha says
About how many servings is it?
Olivia says
Hi Sasha! About 10-12 servings depending on how generous the portions are 🙂
Sasha says
Ok Thankyou so much!:) I made the cake over the weekend and it was fabulous! Will definitely use more of your recipes
Olivia says
Yay! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂