• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Start Here
  • Baking 101
  • Recipes
  • Shop

The Bake School

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Start Here
  • Baking 101
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Start Here
    • Baking 101
    • Recipes
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Cakes

    Published on: November 21, 2011 by Janice Lawandi; Updated on: January 26, 2023 10 Comments

    Chocolate cake with coffee buttercream

    146 shares
    • Facebook49
    • Reddit
    • Flipboard
    Jump to Recipe

    This recipe for chocolate cake with coffee buttercream makes an 8-inch chocolate cake with 3 layers of moist chocolate cake, stacked and frosted with coffee buttercream, and finished with a dark chocolate drip.
    chocolate layer cake with coffee buttercream and dark chocolate drip with white, milk, and dark chocolate pearls on top
    Each layer cake is an opportunity to test a new recipe and to learn a new technique. This cake is a showstopper with a coffee frosting and dark chocolate drip trickling down from the top. The recipe is from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented. What I love about this recipe is that the layer cakes are very light and moist. The chocolate glaze certainly reinforces that chocolate flavour. The coffee buttercream tastes remarkably similar to a Coffee Crisp bar (well, minus the crispiness). This recipe is not hard but requires a little extra time that is well worth it.

    Jump to:
    • Cooked frosting: Ermine
    • Baking tips and tricks to tackle this recipe
    • How to store this cake
    • 📖 Recipe

    Cooked frosting: Ermine

    The coffee buttercream is made from a cooked frosting, also called ermine frosting. Cooked frosting starts with milk, sugar, and flour that you cook on the stove until it is a very thick, gooey paste consistency. You then beat the paste in a stand mixer until it has cooled to room temperature before adding the butter. Like with most buttercream frostings that involve cooking or heat, you have to make sure that the cooked base is cooled before adding the butter. 

    The key to making this type of frosting and to making a frosting that is properly emulsified is to make sure both the cooked base and the butter are at similar temperatures when you combine them, just like when you are making an Italian meringue buttercream:

    1. if the cooked paste is too hot, it will melt the butter and your buttercream will be very shiny and greasy with an oily mouthfeel because the butter has broken down and the fat has separated.
    2. if the butter is too cold, your buttercream may end up lumpy, not smooth because the butter may not incorporate properly and smoothly into the paste, and you will end up with chunks of butter speckled throughout the buttercream. The frosting will be lumpy, not smooth.
    3. don't add a large volume of liquid to flavour it: like with all frostings, whether simple American buttercreams made with powdered sugar or more complex buttercreams like ermine or Italian meringue, do not add a large volume of liquid to add flavour to the base. If you do, you risk breaking the emulsion and when that happens, it's hard to go back.
    Frosted chocolate cake with chocolate drip and dark, milk, and white chocolate pearls on top
    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Baking tips and tricks to tackle this recipe

    I learned a few things while making layer cakes. Here are some of my tips for cake-making success:

    • Equip yourself with some useful tools: You will want this tool to help you transfer the delicate cake layers from pan to rack, etc. Trust me, it makes things a lot easier!
    • Use your freezer: The cake layers are very delicate, so to make cake assembly easier, I wrapped them in cling wrap and put them in the freezer just before I made the buttercream. This way, the cake layers firm up in the freezer and can easily be stacked and iced without them falling apart on you
    • Cooked frostings are tricky: this is the same method used for the tea-infused frosting for the Earl Grey cake
      • The buttercream is thickened with flour. You must boil the milk/ flour/sugar mixture sufficiently so that it is very thick, otherwise, you will end up with a soupy buttercream.
      • After it has thickened, make sure to beat the milk/flour mixture until it has completely cooled or you will melt the butter when you add it.
    • Coffee extract vs espresso: I couldn't find coffee extract, so I made a careful baking substitution with very, very strong espresso and used that instead. It was strong to the point of being undrinkable but just right for flavouring a buttercream.
    • Too much glaze is not always a good thing: I only used half the chocolate glaze that the original recipe called for. The beauty of this cake is that  Surprisingly, I don't think more was needed. In the recipe below, I've written up the half-batch portion for you, but if you want more, double the ingredients listed!

    How to store this cake

    Given this chocolate layer cake is made with buttercream frosting, it's best to store it in the fridge. If you've cut into the cake, just cover the cut edges with pieces of parchment to prevent them from drying out. Place the cake in the fridge until the frosting is firm and cold, then cover the whole thing with aluminum foil. You can store this cake for up to a week, or freeze slices for later.

    For a detailed explanation, read about how to store cake.

    📖 Recipe

    chocolate cake

    Chocolate Cake with Coffee Buttercream

    AuthorAuthor : Janice Lawandi
    This gorgeous chocolate cake is frosted with a coffee buttercream and decorated with a dark chocolate glaze for a show-stopping coffee and chocolate cake.
    5 from 1 vote
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 50 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16
    Calories 754 kcal

    Equipment

    • 5-quart KitchenAid Artisan mixer
    • Mini offset
    • Cake tester
    • Ateco turntable
    Need measurements in CUPSUse the button options below to switch from Metric to US measurements! It's that easy!

    Ingredients
     
     

    Chocolate cake

    • 85 grams Cacao Barry extra brute cocoa powder plus more for dusting pans
    • 170 mL sour cream (14% fat)
    • 310 mL hot water
    • 295 grams bleached all-purpose flour
    • 10 mL baking powder
    • 5 mL baking soda
    • 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
    • 170 grams unsalted butter room temperature
    • 115 grams vegetable shortening
    • 350 grams granulated sugar
    • 200 grams dark brown sugar
    • 3 large egg(s) room temperature
    • 15 mL pure vanilla extract

    Coffee buttercream

    • 340 grams granulated sugar
    • 40 grams bleached all-purpose flour
    • 375 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
    • 80 mL whipping cream (35 % fat)
    • 345 grams unsalted butter room temperature
    • 5 mL pure vanilla extract
    • 30 mL espresso room temperature

    Chocolate ganache

    • 114 grams dark chocolate (70 % cocoa content)
    • 85 grams unsalted butter room temperature, cut into pieces
    • 7.5 mL light corn syrup
    • 25 Godiva chocolate pearls I used a mixture of white, milk, and dark

    Instructions
     

    To make the chocolate cake

    • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line each of them with parchment, grease the parchment and dust the pans and parchment with cocoa powder. Set them aside.
    • In a medium bowl, mix the cocoa powder, sour cream and hot water. Set aside for later.
    • In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until it is light and fluffy.
    • Add the sugars to the bowl of the mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
    • Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the vanilla, and beat well.
    • With the mixer on low, add the whisked dry ingredients alternately with the cocoa mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
    • Give the mixture a last stir by hand before dividing among the three prepared pans.
    • Bake the cake layers for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake will pull away from the sides of the pan when the cake is done.
    • Let the cake cool in the pans for 30 minutes before flipping them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap them in plastic wrap to store them.

    To make the coffee buttercream

    • Place the wrapped cake layers in the freezer while you prepare the buttercream.
    • In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar and flour. Whisk in the milk and cream, and cook over medium heat, whisking often until the mixture boils and thickens. This takes a good 15 minutes.
    • Transfer the thickened mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until the mixture is completely cooled, about 10 minutes (don’t just feel the bowl, check the mixture itself to be sure it has cooled!).
    • Reduce the speed to low and add the butter, mixing until it is thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high to make the frosting light and fluffy.
    • Add the vanilla and the espresso (or coffee extract) to taste.

    To assemble the cake

    • Trim the cake layers so that they are flat and levelled.
    • Place one cake layer in the center of a serving plate. Place parchment strips to cover the exposed plate and catch any buttercream/ganache drips.
    • Top the first layer with 1 ¼ cups buttercream. Place the second layer over the buttercream, and repeat with another 1 ¼ cup of buttercream and the third layer.
    • Frost the top and sides of the cake with what’s left of buttercream. Place the cake in the fridge while you make the chocolate glaze.

    To make the chocolate glaze

    • Place the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in the top of a double boiler.
    • Stir the mixture with a small spatula until the ingredients have melted and the glaze is smooth.
    • Take the pan off the heat, and stir for a few minutes to allow the glaze to cool and thicken a little.

    Finishing touches

    • Slowly pour the glaze over the top of the cake, pushing tiny droplets down the sides.
    • Let the glaze set for a few minutes before decorating the cake with a few chocolate pearls.
    • Refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes to set the glaze. The cake should be served at room temperature.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 754kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 6gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 191mgPotassium: 369mgFiber: 3gSugar: 59gVitamin A: 1159IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 3mg
    Give backIf you enjoy the free content on this website, buy me a pound of butter to say thanks!

    More Cake Recipes

    • Slicing an orange cake with poppy seeds to serve it.
      Orange Poppy Seed Cake
    • A piece of gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting and lemon curd served on a dessert plate.
      Moist Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Lemon Curd
    • Slicing a blueberry crumb cake.
      Easy Blueberry Crumb Cake
    • A slice of double chocolate banana bread on a plate.
      Chocolate Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

    Baking resources

  • Baking conversion charts
  • Baking ingredients and pantry staples
  • Baking substitutions
  • Common baking conversions
  • Choosing baking pans
  • How to measure ingredients for baking
  • Mixing methods
  • Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. S Chippendale says

      May 08, 2013 at 5:33 am

      Stunning cake. It looks sophisticated and mouthwatering.

      Reply
    2. Anonymous says

      February 28, 2012 at 3:40 pm

      fabulous looking!

      Reply
    3. mayssam @ Will Travel for Food says

      January 10, 2012 at 10:07 pm

      I hadn't seen this post until now! Thanks so much again for making this cake for my birthday! It was indeed a showstopper and so delicious!

      Reply
    4. Anonymous says

      November 24, 2011 at 7:09 pm

      Yes, all you bakings were HUGELY enjoyed by not only your immediate labmates, but also us honorary lab members from down the hall, and definitely not just because they were free. (But because they were always DELICIOUS. 🙂

      Reply
    5. Emily says

      November 24, 2011 at 1:11 am

      Oh man this looks delicious. Nothing can beat a good piece of layer cake. Fabulous photos!

      Reply
    6. Kiri W. says

      November 23, 2011 at 8:06 pm

      ooh, that's one gorgeous cake! Look at the ganache drip 🙂 I could dig in any second!

      Reply
    7. Culinarian says

      November 23, 2011 at 7:15 pm

      Gorgeous!

      Reply
    8. Torviewtoronto says

      November 23, 2011 at 5:28 pm

      beautiful looking cake

      Reply
    9. mividaenundulce says

      November 23, 2011 at 8:15 pm

      This layer cake looks spectacular. The chocolate makes it more delicious.

      Reply
    10. Cucina49 says

      November 23, 2011 at 5:19 pm

      That is a truly stunning cake--sending you some buzz!

      Reply
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    This is a picture of Janice Lawandi

    Hi, I'm Janice!

    I am a baking-obsessed recipe developer with a PhD in Chemistry who writes about baking and the science of baking.

    More About Me

    Join the Community

    If you enjoy the free content on this website or have questions, consider joining the Bake School Community!

    Easter Treats

    • Strawberry jam with rhubarb smeared on a piece of toast on a plate.
      Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
    • Freshly baked rhubarb crumble ready to be served.
      Rhubarb Crumble
    • Rhubarb upside down cake sliced to serve it.
      Rhubarb raspberry upside-down cake
    • Serving rhubarb muffins on plates with a side of butter.
      Rhubarb muffins with sour cream and streusel
    • Let's bake with rhubarb-best rhubarb recipes roundup
      What to bake with rhubarb
    • Bluebarb or blueberry rhubarb crumble with a marzipan oat crumble topping in a blue baking dish with a fluted edge
      Blueberry rhubarb crisp with marzipan crumble

    Berry Baking

    • Milk crumbs on a Momofuku Milk Bar style cake-layers of blackberry curd, almond cake, and almond frosting
      Blackberry almond cake — Milk Bar style
    • raspberry amaretti semifreddo slice
      Almond raspberry semifreddo
    • Vanilla cardamom tapioca pudding with strawberries
      Homemade tapioca pudding recipe with fresh strawberries
    • A pan of baked honey blueberry muffins with streusel topping.
      Honey blueberry muffins
    • A plate of raspberry financiers.
      Raspberry Financiers
    • Honey-kissed-strawberry-rhubarb crumbles
      Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble With Honey

    Eggless chocolate cake

    Chocolate layer cake with cream cheese frosting and chocolate sprinkles on a cake stand.
    Learn to make an eggless chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting!

    Baking conversions

    Buy the baking conversion charts NOW!

    As seen on

    Logos of online and offline publications that featured the Bake School and Janice Lawandi.

    How to poach pears

    Poached pears on an enamelware plate.
    This easy poached pears recipe is simple and you can use the poached fruit for salads, appetizers, and desserts!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Meet Janice Lawandi
    • FAQ
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and conditions
    • Accessibility
    • Press

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services
    • Portfolio

    As seen on

    Logos of online and offline publications that featured the Bake School and Janice Lawandi.

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    COPYRIGHT © 2025 · THE BAKE SCHOOL

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.