This Vanilla Latte Cake transforms a classic coffee beverage into a delicious dessert! Infused with espresso and vanilla, it is perfect for the coffee lover in your life.
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 6" cake rounds and line with parchment.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
In a small measuring cup, combine room temperature milk & espresso powder. Stir until dissolved. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla vanilla bean paste.
Alternate adding flour mixture and espresso milk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
Bake for 30-35mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Latte Buttercream:
Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.**
Place bowl over a double boiler on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins). Or registers 160F on a candy thermometer.
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. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.***
Add vanilla bean paste and espresso powder. Whip until smooth.
Assembly:
Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with approximately 2/3 cup of buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers and crumb coat the cake. Chill for 20mins.
Frost the top and sides of the cake and smooth with an icing smoother.
Do a swirl pattern on the sides and top of the cake. Rotate the turntable while pressing a small offset spatula into the frosting. Start at the bottom and slowly move up to the top of the cake.
Pipe small dollops on top using a 6B tip with remainder of frosting. Decorate with whole coffee beans if desired.
Notes
* If you can't find very fine instant espresso powder, you can dissolve the 2Tbsp in 1 Tbsp hot water. Cool completely before adding to the frosting. ** Ensure there is NO trace of egg yolks in your whites and that your mixer bowl and whisk is completely grease free or your meringue won't stiffen. *** The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth.Nov 26, 2020 - Buttercream recipe revised to use 2 cups sugar instead of 1.5 cups sugar to align with my main Swiss meringue buttercream recipe. You can use 1.5 cups sugar if you prefer.