Twelve Layer Mocha Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Arrange rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 13-inch cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.
• Whisk together flours, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl, then sift ingredients through a fine mesh strainer.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and oil. Add eggs and egg whites and whisk to incorporate. Fold in yogurt, vanilla, sugar and dissolved espresso powder. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 90 seconds or over a double boiler. Fold chocolate into batter.
• Gradually add sifted dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated; do not overbeat. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cake has risen nicely and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
• While cake is cooling, make the frosting:
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until soft and creamy. Spread frosting evenly over cake and cut into squares. Finely grate one small square of chocolate. Sprinkle the chocolate shavings over the cake.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.
• Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl. On medium speed, add the vanilla, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated and the batter is smooth.
• Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. In another bowl or a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the hot water, cocoa powder, and espresso powder until smooth. Add the half-and-half and whisk until smooth. With the mixer on low, add the flour and chocolate mixtures alternately in thirds, starting and ending with the flour. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl to be sure the batter is well mixed.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan. Turn out onto a flat platter or board and frost the top with the Mocha Frosting. Cut in squares and serve.
• Place the chocolate, butter, and espresso powder in a bowl. Heat the cream to simmer and pour it over the chocolate mixture, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted. (If the chocolate isn't melted, microwave the mixture for 15 seconds.) Stir in the Kahlua and vanilla and stir until the mixture is smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes only, until cool but not cold.
• Scrape down the bowl and beat the frosting with a handheld mixer on high speed for 15 to 20 seconds only, until the mixture forms soft peaks. (If you overbeat it, it will curdle!) Spread on the cake immediately with a metal spatula.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Line 13x9-inch pan with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Add hot water to 2 tsp. coffee granules in large bowl; stir until dissolved. Add cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs and oil; beat with mixer until blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30 to 33 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
• Melt 2 oz. chocolate as directed on package. Add to cream cheese, marshmallow creme and remaining coffee granules in large bowl; beat with mixer until blended.
• Use foil handles to lift cake from pan; cut crosswise in half. Stack cake layers on plate, spreading cream cheese mixture between layers. Spoon frosting into medium bowl. Add COOL WHIP; whisk until blended. Spread onto top and side of cake. Melt remaining chocolate; drizzle over 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.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and 1/2 cup each flavored instant coffee and water in large bowl with mixer on low speed just until moistened, stopping frequently to scrape bottom and side of bowl. Beat on medium speed 2 min. or until well blended. Chop 4 oz. chocolate; stir into batter. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.
• Bake 40 to 45 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
• Stir remaining 1/4 cup flavored instant coffee into COOL WHIP. Stack cake layers on plate, spreading COOL WHIP mixture between layers. Microwave butter, corn syrup and remaining chocolate and water in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min.; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread over top of cake, allowing glaze to drip down side.

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in coffee and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. In another bowl , beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form; fold into batter., Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, combine confectioners' sugar and cocoa. In another large bowl, cream butter and sugar mixture. Beat in coffee and vanilla. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
• Beat sugar and butter for cake together in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy; add eggs and beat until pale in color.
• Mix 1 cup boiling water and cocoa powder together in a separate bowl. Mix into the sugar mixture. Combine baking soda with remaining boiling water and add to the batter. Mix in flour and baking powder until just combined. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes in the pans; run a knife around the edges of the cakes and transfer onto wire racks to cool completely.
• While cakes cool, prepare filling. Combine chocolate chips, sugar, hot water, and coffee granules in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth. Cool completely.
• Whip cream until it starts to thicken; add cooled chocolate mixture and whip until stiff.
• Split each cooled cake layer in two with a knife. Divide filling into 4 equal portions. Spread 1/4 of the filling on the first cake layer, top with another layer, and repeat until you've frosted the top layer. Chill at least 1 hour for best results.

Steps:

• Cake: Melt chocolate; set aside to cool. Cream butter in large mixing bowl; gradually add sugar beating well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate and vanilla; Mix well.
• Combine flour, soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in boiling water. (Batter will be thin).
• Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 8 inch cake pans. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Split cake layers in half horizontally to make 4 layers.
• Filling: Beat whipping cream, vanilla and powered sugar together until soft peaks form. If needed add a little more powered sugar to get to thicken.
• Spread filling between layers.
• Frosting: Beat first 5 ingredients together until light and fluffy. Add cream if too stiff. Put icing on top and sides of cakes.

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.

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.