Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and dust with flour.
- Dissolve espresso powder in 2 tablespoons hot water; set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract and cooled espresso mixture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Alternately add dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
- For the cream: Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and cooled brewed espresso until soft peaks form.
- Cut each cake layer in half horizontally to create 4 thin layers.
- Place bottom layer on serving plate, spread with ¼ of the espresso cream, and repeat layering.
- Frost top and sides with remaining cream and garnish with chocolate shavings.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to set the cream.Retry
Notes
Pros: Rich, intense coffee flavor that coffee enthusiasts will love Elegant presentation perfect for special occasions Moist, tender cake layers with luxurious cream filling Can be made ahead for convenience Impressive dessert that's surprisingly achievable for home bakers Cons: Requires multiple steps and some time investment Contains high calories and fat content May be too intense for those who don't enjoy strong coffee flavors Needs refrigeration due to cream components Can be messy to assemble and slice
