This is a very rich, decadent cake that comes with a grown-up flavor – mmm….espresso… It’s really rich. Did I say that already? Yes, it’s quite very rich.
[Adapted from Ina Garten’s “Beatty’s Chocolate Cake”]
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 tsp. espresso powder
- 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup freshly brewed coffee
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
PREP: Brew a cup of coffee and cool slightly. (TIP: while doing this, take the eggs out of the fridge so they can warm up – a good cake is always baked with room temperature ingredients) FYI, Ina Garten always uses EXTRA-large eggs, so that’s something to keep in mind if you’re planning to try out this recipe.
COMBINE: Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Stir in espresso powder. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. (I actually mixed everything by hand – because I’m lazy and don’t enjoy cleaning the mixer >__<)
BAKE: Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of pan comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
FINISH: Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.
* For the pictured cake, I actually blew up the recipe by 1.5 and made three layers, cutting out a smaller (but thicker) circle with the topmost layer and frosting between each layer. Decorated with fresh raspberries and almond slices.
[Mocha Buttercream Frosting]
- 4 oz. dark chocolate chips –> 60-75% dark is ideal
- 2 tsp. instant espresso powder (instant coffee granules also work)
- 3 tbs. milk
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
PREP: Melt the dark chocolate, then cool to room temperature. (TIP: if you’re feeling too lazy to melt it in a bowl over a pot of simmering water, just nuke it – but be sure to stop/check/stir it at intervals to make sure the microwave doesn’t burn it) Dissolve espresso/coffee in milk and set aside.
COMBINE: Beat butter, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl for 3 minutes (again, I hand-whisked everything). Beat in the melted chocolate until blended, and gradually add in powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Finally, beat in the coffee mixture a bit at a time until frosting reaches the desired consistency.
* For the pictured cake, I also blew up the frosting recipe by 1.5 to make sure I had enough to frost the entire cake. I tend to be pretty skimpy in the frosting department, so if you’re planning to decorate generously, I’d suggest doubling the recipe.
