This Italian moist chocolate espresso cake is so rich, creamy, and chocolatey! If you like chocolate desserts then this cake definitely deserves your attention. Plus, it is very easy and quick to prepare – you will need 15 minutes to make it plus some extra time to bake it. Here is the recipe:
Servings 12
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- A pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk (or you can substitute it by adding 1 tablespoon white vinegar in a cup and filling the rest up with whole milk; leave for 5 minutes until thickened)
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot espresso coffee, freshly prepared
For the filling:
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 30 grams confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 300 grams dark chocolate, melted
- 1 egg yolk
To garnish:
- Chocolate ganache – optional
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4. Grease and flour two 9-inch baking pans; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add vanilla extract, eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter and whisk until smooth (around 2 minutes). Then, stir in hot coffee with a spoon. The batter will be runny.
- Next, pour batter between the 2 pans and bake for around 30 minutes, or until tester inserted in center comes out clean (with just a few moist crumbs attached).
- Leave to cool for 15 minutes in pans. Next, run a knife around the edges of each cake and remove very gently from the pans. Then, using a knife cut gently each cake on two layers. Cool before handling or frosting. In the meantime, make the filling.
- To make the filling:
- In a mixing bowl, beat heavy cream and sugar. Set aside. Then, melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof dish in a microwave (for 30 sec. intervals) or over a double-boiler, until melted and smooth. Add in the cream mixture, then put the vanilla extract and egg yolk and beat once again shortly until well combined.
- Apply a cake layer on a plate and spread ½ of the filling over it. Then repeat the procedure with the remaining cake layers and filling.
- You can finish with the filling or use chocolate ganache to decorate – it is optional. Slice and serve.