Twelve Layer Mocha Cake Recipes

TWELVE-LAYER MOCHA CAKE

Steps:

• Filling:.
• Bring 1 3/4 cups sugar and water to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then wash down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil, without stirring, until it registers 220 to 225°F, 15 to 20 minutes.
• At this point, while continuing to boil syrup, beat whites with espresso powder, vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt in mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating, and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks.
• When syrup reaches soft-ball stage (238 to 242°F), immediately pour syrup in a slow stream down side of bowl into whites (avoid beaters) while beating at high speed. Beat until completely cool, 25 to 30 minutes. With mixer at medium speed, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition (see cooks' note, below) and until buttercream is smooth. (Mixture may look curdled before all butter is added but will come together at end.)
• Transfer 2 cups buttercream to a small bowl and stir in chocolate. If buttercreams are too soft to spread, chill, stirring occasionally.
• Make cake layers:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter 1 sheet pan and line bottom with parchment paper, then butter parchment. Dust with flour, knocking out excess.
• Whisk together yolks, milk, vanilla, and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl until combined well, then whisk in flour and salt until smooth. (Batter will be thick.)
• Beat whites with an electric mixer until they just hold soft peaks. Beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks.
• Fold one third of whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remainder gently but thoroughly.
• Spread batter evenly in pan and rap against counter to release any air bubbles. Bake until cake is dry to the touch and pale golden, 10 to 11 minutes. (Leave oven on.) Cool completely in pan on a rack.
• Halve cake crosswise, cutting through parchment, to form 2 (10-by 7 1/2-inch) layers.
• Prepare soufflé layers while cake bakes:.
• Line second sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Melt chocolate with water, then cool to lukewarm.
• Beat yolks, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes with a stand mixer or 8 minutes with a handheld. Fold in melted chocolate.
• Beat whites with cleaned beaters until they hold soft peaks. Beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks, about 5 minutes.
• Fold one third of whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remainder gently but thoroughly. Spread batter evenly in lined sheet pan.
• Bake soufflé layers:
• Bake until puffed and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack, then cover top of soufflé with 2 layers of damp paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes. Remove towels and cool soufflé completely in pan (soufflé will deflate as it cools). Sift cocoa over soufflé, then loosen edges with a sharp knife.
• Halve soufflécrosswise, cutting through parchment, to form 2 (10-by 7 1/2-inch) layers.
• Make meringue layers:
• Toast hazelnuts, then cool, wrapped in a kitchen towel, and rub off any loose skins.
• Reduce oven to 250°F
• Finely chop nuts.
• Beat whites with salt and cream of tartar using electric mixer until they just hold soft peaks. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until meringue is stiff but still glossy.
• Line bottom of third sheet pan with parchment. Put small dabs of meringue under corners of parchment to secure to baking sheets.
• Fold nuts into meringue and spread evenly in pan. Bake until set and pale golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Halve meringue crosswise, cutting through parchment, to form 2 (10-by 7 1/2-inch) layers. Return to oven and bake until crisp, 45 minutes to 1 hour more. Cool in pan, then peel off parchment.
• Make syrup and assemble cake:
• Bring water, sugar, and espresso powder to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Cool.
• Loosen edges of 1 cake layer with a knife and invert onto a flat platter. Carefully peel parchment from cake and brush with some of syrup. Spread with 1 1/4 cups mocha buttercream.
• Top with 1 meringue layer and spread with 1 1/4 cups coffee buttercream.
• Carefully invert 1 soufflé layer onto buttercream and peel off parchment, then gently spread with 1 1/4 cups coffee buttercream.
• Repeat layering, ending with coffee buttercream (there will be some left over). Chill at least 1 hour (after that, wrap in plastic wrap). Trim all around cake with a long sharp knife to neaten edges. Bring to room temperature (about 1 hour) before serving.

MOCHA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee and sour cream, beating well after each addition. , Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Beat in the chocolate, coffee and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

MOCHA LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, coffee, oil and eggs; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into two greased and floured 8-in. round baking pans. , Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes; invert onto a wire rack. Sprinkle each cake with 1/4 cup chocolate chips; when melted, gently spread chocolate over cakes. Place cakes in the freezer. , Meanwhile, for frosting, in a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in cocoa and extract. Beat in 5 tablespoons coffee, 1 tablespoon at a time until light and fluffy. Spread between layers and over the top and sides of cake. , In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and remaining coffee; stir until smooth. Pour over cake; carefully spread over the top, allowing it to drizzle down the sides.

MOCHA LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
• Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk. Combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
• Beat butter in a mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture; mix well after each addition. Stir in 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons coffee and vanilla.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the creamed mixture. Pour batter into the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert cakes carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool, about 20 more minutes.
• While the cake is cooling, beat butter and cocoa powder for frosting in a bowl until well creamed. Add powdered sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
• Stack the 3 cake layers on top of each other, spreading frosting between layers, and on top of the cake.