A double chocolate mocha cake with an espresso cream cheese filling, crunchy mocha crumbles, and a silky chocolate buttermilk frosting. The perfect way to celebrate a birthday...or any day. Adapted from the Double Chocolate Cake in the You Get It Honest cookbook.
Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachments, or hand mixer
Ingredients
Double Chocolate Mocha Cake Layers
1 1/2call-purpose flour
2TDutch cocoa powder
3/4tspbaking soda
1/2tspsalt
2cgranulated sugar
2large eggs, room temperature
1/2cvegetable oil
4ozunsweetened chocolate
1/2csour cream, room temperature
1/2tspvanilla extract
1cstrong brewed coffee, cold
Mocha Crunch
1/4c+ 2T all-purpose flour
1/2tspcornstarch
1/4cgranulated sugar
1/4c+ 2T Dutch cocoa powder
1/2tspespresso powder
pinchkosher salt
3Tbutter, melted
Espresso Cream Cheese Filling
1/2c(1 stick/4 oz) butter,room temperature
4ozcream cheese,room temperature
1 1/2-2tspinstant espresso powder
1/2tspvanilla extract
2cpowdered sugar
Chocolate Buttermilk Frosting
1/2c(1 stick/4 oz) butter,room temperature
8ozcream cheese,room temperature
1/3cDutch cocoa powder
2Tbuttermilk
1tspvanilla extract
1lb (3 1/2-4c) powdered sugar
Instructions
Double Chocolate Mocha Cake Layers
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour the bottom and sides of two 8" round cake pans or spray with baking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, then grease and flour or spray the parchment.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat sugar, eggs, and vegetable oil until thick and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt chocolate in the microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring between, until it's mostly melted. Then stir until it's fully melted.
With mixer at low speed, slowly pour melted chocolate into creamed sugar-egg-oil mixture. Scrape bowl. Then add the sour cream and vanilla extract, continuing to mix until incorporated.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Then add 1/2 of the cold coffee, mixing until just combined. Repeat with another 1/3 flour mixture and the rest of the cold coffee. Then finish with the remainder of the flour mixture, mixing until fully incorporated.
Divide batter between prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from the pans and allow to cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours, before frosting.
Mocha Crunch
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a 1/4-sheet pan with parchment paper.
Add flour, cornstarch, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until fully combined.
Add melted butter, mixing on low speed until the mixture starts to form clumps. Scrape the sides & bottom of the bowl to catch any lingering dry ingredients and fold them in.
Pour the crumb mixture out onto the lined sheet pan. Spread the crumb out evenly. The biggest crumbs should be no bigger than ½-inch in diameter.
Bake for about 20 minutes. Crumbs should contract a little to form individual boulder shapes when they’re done—if they haven’t yet, leave them in the oven for another minute or two. Allow to cool completely (it will get crunchy as it cools).
Espresso Cream Cheese Filling
Beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add vanilla and espresso powder and mix until combined.
Mixing on low speed, add powdered sugar a little at a time. Once all is added, beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.
Chocolate Buttermilk Frosting
Beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well combined and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add cocoa powder, mixing until incorporated. Then add buttermilk and vanilla and mix until combined.
Mixing on low speed, add powdered sugar a little at a time. Once all is added, beat at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 30 seconds - 1 minute.
Putting it all together
Place one layer of cake on your serving plate. Top with all of the Espresso Cream Cheese Filling, spreading to the edges of the cake. Sprinkle on half of the Mocha Crunch, pressing it gently into the filling with your hands.
Top with the second layer of cake. Spread the Chocolate Buttermilk Frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake. If desired, use some of the frosting to pipe around the top and bottom edges of the cake. Sprinkle the rest of the Mocha Crunch on top.
Chill the cake until frosting is set. Bring to room temperature before serving.Blow out your birthday candles, then slice, serve, and enjoy!