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Rich chocolate cake layered with creamy tiramisu and espresso fillings makes up this Chocolate Mocha Cake. The base is a deeply chocolate sponge enhanced with hot coffee, while mascarpone-based tiramisu and espresso creams separate the layers. The cake is finished with a silky espresso Swiss meringue buttercream for a balanced, not-too-sweet frosting. I’m also excited to share a collaboration with Lisa from Garrison Street Design Studio — she shows how to build a modern farmhouse cake stand that pairs perfectly with this dessert. Let’s get started.
My husband and I are approaching our five-year anniversary. With two young kids and the realities of Covid, plans will look different, so I wanted to make something special to celebrate. At our wedding we prioritized a cake that tasted amazing — though I chose not to bake it myself, I still remember a chocolate tier that was essentially tiramisu-inspired. Recreating that flavor profile led to this recipe for a chocolate mocha cake.
This cake is made from four main components: the chocolate cake, a tiramisu cream filling, an espresso cream filling, and an espresso Swiss meringue buttercream. Each element is straightforward, and together they create a layered dessert with balanced coffee and chocolate flavors.
The best mocha cake
Overview of the components:
- Chocolate cake — A tender, fluffy cake with deep chocolate flavor. Hot coffee is added to intensify the cocoa notes. It’s simple to prepare and doesn’t require an electric mixer.
- Tiramisu cream — Sweetened mascarpone folded with whipped cream for a rich yet airy filling.
- Espresso cream — The tiramisu cream style with espresso powder folded into the cream for a stronger coffee hit.
- Espresso Swiss meringue buttercream — A silky, less-sweet buttercream made from a cooked meringue base and butter, finished with espresso powder for flavor.
Troubleshooting Swiss meringue buttercream
Swiss meringue buttercream can feel intimidating, but most issues are fixable. Follow these key steps for success:
- Heat the egg whites and sugar gently over a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan). Whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160°F. This heats the whites for food safety and helps the sugar dissolve. Be careful not to get any yolk in the whites.
- Transfer to a mixer and beat on medium-high until you have a glossy meringue with stiff peaks and both the bowl and meringue feel cool to the touch. This can take 10–15 minutes or more with a hand mixer.
- With the mixer running, add slightly softened, cubed butter one piece at a time. Butter that is too soft will make the mixture thin; butter that’s too cold may cause separation. Continue until the buttercream is light and silky.
- Finish with a pinch of salt and the espresso powder, beating until fully incorporated.
Swiss meringue broke or separated
If the buttercream looks curdled after adding butter, it’s often because the butter was too cold. To rescue it, place the bowl briefly over the double boiler with gently simmering water for about two minutes, until the buttercream at the edges starts to soften while the center remains solid. Then return the bowl to the mixer and beat on low, increasing to medium-high until the texture becomes smooth and fluffy again.
Swiss meringue is runny
If the frosting becomes runny, either the meringue was still warm when you added butter or the butter was too soft. Chill the bowl in the refrigerator for 10–20 minutes, then beat again until light and fluffy. Repeat short chilling and beating if necessary, but don’t leave it chilled longer than 20 minutes without re-beating.
Assembling the cake
Trim the cake layers if they domed during baking so they sit flat. Place the first layer on your serving plate or a cake board. I like to pipe fillings for even coverage, but you can spoon and spread them too.
Spread one filling (either the tiramisu or espresso cream) across the first layer, smooth to the edges, and top with the second cake layer. Repeat with the other filling and add the final cake layer. Finish by frosting the outside with the espresso Swiss meringue buttercream.
How to get even layers
Tips for flat, even cake layers:
- Weigh the batter: If you have a kitchen scale, divide about 12 ounces of batter into each 9-inch pan. Without a scale, aim for about 1½ cups per pan.
- Use cake strips: Cake strips help cakes bake level and prevent doming. They’re an inexpensive upgrade that makes a noticeable difference.
Storing the cake
Because the frosting contains Swiss meringue, refrigerate the cake. Store it in a cake keeper if you have one; otherwise cover cut edges with plastic wrap and refrigerate. A whole, uncut cake can sit uncovered for one day if you plan to serve it the next day. Properly stored, the cake keeps 3–5 days in the refrigerator.
You can freeze the cake whole or in slices: wrap pieces in plastic wrap, then foil. Frozen cake keeps for about three months.
Make the cake over two days
If you need to split the work, bake the cake layers one day and prepare the fillings and frosting the next. Wrap layers in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight until you’re ready to assemble.
Pan sizes
This recipe is written for three 9-inch round pans. You can use three 8-inch pans if you prefer thicker layers; bake times may vary slightly.
DIY Modern Farmhouse Cake Stand
For details on the modern farmhouse cake stand shown here, see the tutorial from Garrison Street Design Studio for a clear, step-by-step guide to build a beautiful and budget-friendly stand that complements this cake.
For more cake recipes, check out:
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Apple Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Nutella S’mores Cake
- Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake with Pecan Streusel
Tag me on Instagram @themarblekitchenblog if you make this, and please leave a star rating and comment below. Enjoy!
Chocolate Mocha Cake
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Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot brewed coffee
Tiramisu Cream Filling
- 8 oz mascarpone
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Espresso Cream Filling
- 2 teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 8 oz mascarpone
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Espresso Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 6 egg whites
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter slightly softened and cubed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
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Spray three 9-inch pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
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In another bowl combine the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
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Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry until just combined. Stir in the hot coffee until incorporated.
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Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Tiramisu Cream filling
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Beat the mascarpone about 30 seconds until creamy.
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Add the powdered sugar and heavy cream. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high until stiff peaks form.
Espresso Cream Filling
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Whisk the espresso powder into the heavy cream and set aside.
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Beat the mascarpone for about 30 seconds until creamy.
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Add the powdered sugar and the espresso-flavored cream. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high until stiff peaks form.
Espresso Swiss Meringue Buttercream
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Place egg whites and sugar in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan with about 2 inches of gently simmering water (bowl should not touch the water).
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Whisk constantly for 4–5 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160°F.
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Move the bowl to a mixer and beat on low, gradually increasing to medium-high for 10–15 minutes until a thick, glossy meringue forms.
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Ensure the bowl and meringue are cool to the touch; continue mixing until cooled if needed.
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With the mixer running, add softened butter cubes one at a time, mixing well after each addition until all the butter is incorporated. See troubleshooting notes if the frosting curdles or runs.
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Add salt and espresso powder, beating until fully dissolved and evenly distributed.
Assembling the Cake
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Trim layers if needed to make them flat. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate or cake board.
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Spread tiramisu cream across the layer to the edges and smooth the top.
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Add the next cake layer and spread the espresso cream to the edges, smoothing the top.
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Top with the final layer and frost the cake with the espresso Swiss meringue buttercream.
Notes
- If your buttercream curdles, set the bowl briefly over the double boiler with gently simmering water until the edges soften (center should remain solid). Return to the mixer and beat on low, then increase to medium-high until smooth and fluffy.
- To fix runny buttercream, chill the bowl for 10–20 minutes, then beat until light and fluffy. Repeat short chilling and beating if needed.
- For flat layers, consider using cake strips during baking.
- Store the cake in the refrigerator in a cake keeper or covered, making sure cut areas are wrapped to prevent drying.