Description
Ina Garten’s chocolate espresso cake delivers rich, luxurious flavors that dance between deep cocoa and intense coffee notes. Chocolate enthusiasts and dessert lovers will savor each moist, sophisticated slice of this irresistible treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 large eggs
- 225 grams (1 cup) unsalted butter
- 170 grams (¾ cup) unsalted butter
- 240 milliliters (1 cup) freshly brewed espresso or strong coffee
- 200 grams (1 cup) caster sugar
- 100 grams (½ cup) light brown sugar
- 250 grams (2 cups) plain flour
- 50 grams (½ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 100 grams (1 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 120 milliliters (½ cup) whole milk
- 560 grams (4 ½ cups) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
Instructions
- Preheat Preparation: Set oven to 180°C (350°F) and prepare two 20-centimeter cake pans by buttering and lining with parchment paper.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Meticulously sift flour, cocoa powder, and bicarbonate of soda into a medium bowl, ensuring a uniform, clump-free mixture.
- Creaming Process: Utilize an electric mixer to whip butter with caster and light brown sugars until the mixture transforms into a pale, voluminous cream.
- Liquid Integration: Gently introduce eggs one at a time, thoroughly blending after each addition. Incorporate vanilla extract to elevate the flavor profile.
- Batter Development: Delicately fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring minimally to maintain the cake’s tender consistency. Stream in brewed espresso, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Baking Technique: Evenly distribute batter between prepared pans, tapping gently to eliminate air pockets. Slide into preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, verifying doneness with a clean skewer test.
- Cooling Protocol: Rest cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
- Frosting Creation: Whip butter and cocoa powder until smooth, gradually introducing powdered sugar and milk. Blend in vanilla extract, whipping until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Assembly and Decoration: Position first cake layer on serving plate, spread buttercream generously. Carefully place second layer and coat entire cake with remaining frosting. Garnish with chocolate-covered espresso beans or finely chopped chocolate for an elegant finish.
Notes
- Precise Ingredient Temperature: Ensure butter and eggs are at room temperature for smoother mixing and better cake texture.
- Coffee Intensity Matters: Use high-quality, freshly brewed espresso to maximize deep chocolate and coffee flavor complexity.
- Gentle Mixing Technique: Fold dry ingredients carefully to prevent overworking the batter, which can result in a dense, tough cake.
- Pan Preparation Trick: Buttering and parchment-lining pans guarantees easy cake removal and prevents frustrating sticking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks, Drinks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 60 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg