Mocha Mascarpone Cake | RECIPE

This is my husbands go-to cake recipe that always goes down well at parties. If you like a non-overly sweet cake that has some serious chocolate game, look no further. I'm trying a new layout for this recipe, so let me know in the comments what you think of it!

CAKE

I N G R E D I E N T S

D R Y

• 2 cups cake flour
• 3/4 unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1+1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1+1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tsp instant espresso powder, dissolved in 3/4 cup of hot water

W E T

• 3 large free-range eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup (1+1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1+1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325F/Gas Mark 3. 

Generously butter two 9 inch cake pans with a depth of at least 2 inches; dust with flour, tapping out any excess. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper.

Sift cups cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Using another bowl and an electric mixer, beat your butter until it's smooth. Add in brown sugar and beat again until well blended - about 2 minutes.

Add eggs into your wet mix, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. 

Incorporate your flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk between each turn. Beat between turns just until blended. 

Gradually add your hot espresso, beating just until smooth. 

Divide batter between both prepared pans, smoothing out the tops with a rubber spatula. 

Bake cakes in the centre of the oven for roughly 40 minutes - until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Cool cakes in pans for 5 minutes. Then run a small knife around the sides of each pan to loosen cake. Invert onto cooling racks removing cakes from the pans, and removing the parchment. Cool completely.

F R O S T I N G 

I N G R E D I E N T S

D R Y

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp instant espresso powder
• 1+1/3 cups sugar

W E T

• 1+1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
• 16 ounces of mascarpone cheese (usually 2 containers of 8 ounces)

Sift together your cocoa powder into a large bowl; add espresso powder.

Bring 1 cup of of the heavy cream to a boil. Slowly pour the cream over your cocoa mixture, whisking until cocoa is completely dissolved. 

Add 1/2 cup of cream and your sugar; stir until the sugar dissolved.

Chill until cold, at least 2 hours. 

Once chilled thoroughly, add your mascarpone. Using your hand miser, beat on a low speed until blended and smooth. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is thick and forms medium-firm peaks when lifted - about 2 minutes. (do not over-beat your mixture as it will curdle)

C O M B I N I N G

Place one cake layer, top side up, on a platter. Spoon 1+3/4 cups of frosting in dollops over the top of the cake. Using a spatula spread the frosting to the edges.

Top with second cake layer, top side up, pressing to adhere.

Spread a thin layer of the frosting over the top and the sides of the cake. Chill for 10 minutes.

Use the remainder of your frosting to either decorate or top up the outside of your cake.

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And ta-da, you have a yummy cake! What's your favourite dessert?