Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease three 6-inch round baking pans, dust them with cocoa powder, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Combine all dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients. Slowly add the hot coffee to avoid cooking the eggs.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. The batter will be thin.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Use a kitchen scale to ensure even distribution.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out mostly clean.
- For the Mocha Buttercream: Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. Ensure there are no traces of egg yolks and that the bowl and whisk are grease-free.
- Place the mixer bowl over a pot with 1-2 inches of simmering water. Stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch, or reaches 160F on a candy thermometer (about 3 minutes).
- Place the bowl back on the stand mixer. Whisk on medium-high speed until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl will no longer feel warm to the touch, approximately 5-10 minutes).
- Switch to the paddle attachment if desired. Slowly add the cubed butter and mix until smooth. The buttercream may appear curdled at some point; continue mixing until it is completely smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract, melted dark chocolate, and espresso powder mixture. Whip until smooth.
- For the Ganache Drip: Finely chop the dark chocolate and place it in a bowl. Gently heat the heavy cream until it just begins to simmer, then pour it over the chopped chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 2 minutes.
- Stir gently with a spatula until the ganache is combined and smooth. Allow it to cool and thicken slightly before using.
- Assembly: Place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with approximately 2/3 cup of frosting and spread evenly. Repeat with the remaining layers.
- Apply a thin coat of frosting all over the cake and chill for 20 minutes.
- Frost and smooth the sides of the cake, then chill for another 20 minutes.
- Using a small spoon, place dollops of ganache around the top edges of the cooled cake, allowing some to drip down. Fill in the top of the cake with more ganache and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
Nutrition
Notes
For the meringue, ensure your egg whites and mixer bowl are completely free of grease and egg yolks for proper stiffening. If making the ganache in advance, let it set overnight, then microwave for 5-10 seconds and stir until it reaches the desired consistency.