Everyone’s Favorite Cake: Espresso Chocolate Cake Extraordinaire
OK, so maybe not everyone. But this is the cake I am told (not asked) to make for special functions. I came up with the idea because I wanted to make a nice cake for the birthday of the undergrad who works for me, and she is addicted to coffee. So what better than a moist chocolate cake and a delicious coffee flavored frosting? The cake is great without the addition of the espresso powder, so if you’re looking for a great chocolate cake, this is a versatile recipe.
Deep Dark Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups Sugar
- 1¾ cups Cake Flour
- ¾ cup Cocoa powder
- 1½ tsp Baking powder
- 1½ tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Milk
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp Powered Espresso
- 2 oz Unsweetened chocolate, melted
- 1 cup Boiling water
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350oF.
- Grease and flour two 9″ round pans.
- In a large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add eggs, milk, oil, melted chocolate, espresso powder, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes.
- Stir in water. Batter will be thin.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes and remove from pans to wire racks to finish cooling.
- Frost.
Cream-Cheese Frosting (Coffee Variation)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 8 oz Cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups Powdered Sugar (maybe a little more depending on humidity)
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1-4 tbsp Espresso powder, depending on your taste (could use coffee crystals, but be sure to dissolve them first)
Directions
- Beat together softened butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Gradually beat in powdered sugar (sift first if possible). Whip until light and fluffy.
- Optional: Dissolve a tablespoon or so of Instant espresso powder in the vanilla and add it to the frosting.
- If you like a lot of coffee flavor, add espresso powder to taste directly to frosting beating well. Refrigerate for at least 5 minutes (maybe longer) to allow to stiffen up before frosting.
- For cake filling: Melt 2 oz (or squares) of unsweetened chocolate. Take out ~1 cup of the frosting and mix with the chocolate. It will be thick. Spread between cake layers
Here’s a little tutorial on a fun way to decorate this cake. After you’ve leveled the two layers and spread the filling between them, apply an even layer of the cream cheese frosting. You don’t want it to be too thick.
Then pipe some melted chocolate into concentric rings on top of the cake, these don’t have to be perfect (make sure you put some in the middle).
Using a skewer or toothpick, gently draw a line through the frosting from the middle to the edge (like you are drawing lines where the cake should be cut).
Allow the frosting to stiffen up a bit more in the fridge, and then using a piping bag and a large tip, decorate to your liking. The frosting will be soft, so soft peaks are best. Add chocolate covered espresso beans if you like.
Two alternate decorations
Mmm! My neuroscience exam is next Friday and I always bake before exams to procrastinate from studying. Looks like something I’ll have to try, maybe in cupcake form.
P.S. glad you two are doing well; I’ll be back for Mary and Emily’s graduation, so I’ll see you then!
Yum – sounds good! I love your blog – keep it up!
Good morning, I’m going to try the cake recipe as soon as the weather cools again.
( I don’t have air conditioning) It really looks good. How are April and the sprout
doing?
Hi Peggy. It’s a great cake! I understand the no air-conditioning thing, we don’t have one either (though it doesn’t get as hot here as there, and always cools off in the evenings).
So far so good for me and the little one! Another appt with the Dr. soon.
[...] in Berkeley now, last night I made my dark chocolate and coffee cake with coffee frosting, by popular request to celebrate a couple birthdays of people in my lab. Now I’m preparing [...]