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 favorite) recipes. If you haven’t tried it, you NEED to. You will not regret it.
The frosting is my favorite 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 favorite 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 flavor stand out.
I like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder as it’s richer in flavor, 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 flavor. 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 favorite 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 flavor ever.
You will not be disappointed with this cake. I promise!
More Coffee Flavored 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 extract
Mocha Buttercream:
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature, cubed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 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.
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
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.