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Rich chocolate cake layers form the foundation of this chocolate mocha cake. Between the layers you’ll find a silky tiramisu mascarpone filling and a bold espresso mascarpone filling, finished with a smooth espresso Swiss meringue buttercream. Today’s post also features a collaboration with Lisa from Garrison Street Design Studio, who shows how to build a modern farmhouse cake stand to display this beauty. Let’s get started.
My husband and I are approaching our five-year anniversary. With two little ones and life in the time of COVID, celebrations look different, but I wanted something special to mark the occasion. At our wedding I prioritized a cake that tasted incredible, and one of my flavors was a decadent chocolate layered cake with tiramisu and espresso cream. Though the wedding cake’s appearance wasn’t exactly as I envisioned, the flavor was unforgettable.
That memory inspired this chocolate mocha cake recipe — a layered chocolate cake with two contrasting mascarpone fillings and a silky espresso Swiss meringue buttercream on top.
The best mocha cake
This cake is built from four elements: the chocolate cake, tiramisu cream filling, espresso cream filling, and espresso Swiss meringue buttercream.
- Chocolate cake — A tender, fluffy chocolate cake with deep cocoa flavor. Hot coffee is added to intensify the chocolate. The batter comes together quickly and doesn’t require an electric mixer.
- Tiramisu cream — Sweetened mascarpone folded with whipped cream for a rich but airy filling.
- Espresso cream — The same mascarpone base with espresso powder folded in to boost the coffee notes.
- Espresso Swiss meringue buttercream — Less sweet than American buttercream, this version is silky, light, and full of espresso flavor.
Troubleshooting Swiss meringue buttercream
Swiss meringue buttercream can be intimidating, and it’s common to run into issues like separation, curdling, or a runny texture. Follow these steps for reliable results.
- Gently heat egg whites and sugar over a double boiler until the mixture reaches 160°F and the sugar has dissolved. If you don’t have a double boiler, set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. This step also pasteurizes the whites for food safety. Be careful not to get any yolk in the whites.
- Transfer the warmed mixture to a mixer and beat on medium-high until stiff, glossy peaks form and the bowl is cool to the touch. This can take 10–15 minutes with a stand mixer, longer with a hand mixer. Proper cooling is crucial to avoid problems when adding butter.
- With the meringue cool and stiff, add slightly softened butter, one cube at a time, beating after each addition until fully incorporated. The butter should be soft but not so soft that your finger leaves an impression. Over-soft butter can make the frosting soupy.
- Finish with a pinch of salt and espresso powder, mixing until fully blended. The result should be a silky, light buttercream.
Swiss meringue broke or separated
If the buttercream turns curdled or separated when adding butter, it often means the butter was too cold. To rescue it, place the bowl briefly over the double boiler with gently simmering water for about 2 minutes—watch the sides and stop when the buttercream begins to soften while the center remains firm. Return to the mixer, beat on low for a minute, then increase speed until smooth and fluffy.
Swiss meringue is runny
If the frosting becomes runny, the meringue may have been too warm when butter was added or the butter was too soft. Chill the bowl in the refrigerator for 10–20 minutes, then beat again until light and fluffy. Repeat chilling and beating in 10–20 minute increments if needed, but avoid leaving it in the fridge longer than 20 minutes without re-beating.
Assembling the cake
Start by leveling any domed or uneven cake layers with a knife so they stack neatly. Place the first cake layer on your serving plate or a cardboard cake board if you plan to move the finished cake.
I prefer piping the fillings with a large round tip for even coverage, but you can spoon and spread with an offset spatula if you prefer. Put all of one filling on the first layer — either the tiramisu cream or the espresso cream — and spread to the edges. Top with the second layer, add the other filling, smooth it out, and place the final layer on top. Finish by frosting the outside with the espresso Swiss meringue buttercream.
After assembling, chill briefly if needed to set the layers before final frosting and smoothing.
How to get even layers
If you want uniform, flat layers without trimming, try these tips:
- Weigh the batter — If you have a kitchen scale, divide about 12 ounces of batter into each pan. Without a scale, aim for roughly 1 1/2 cups per pan.
- Use cake strips — Insulated cake strips around the pans help bake the layers flat and even. They’re an inexpensive tool that makes a noticeable difference.
Storing the cake
Because the frosting contains Swiss meringue and mascarpone fillings, refrigerate the cake. Store it in a cake keeper if you have one, or cover exposed cut edges tightly with plastic wrap. A whole unfrosted cake can sit uncovered for up to a day if you plan to serve it the next day, but once filled and frosted it’s best refrigerated.
Properly stored, the cake will keep 3–5 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the whole cake or individual slices: wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Frozen cakes maintain best quality for up to three months.
Make the cake over two days
If time is tight, bake the chocolate cake layers a day ahead and wrap them in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Prepare fillings and frosting the next day, then assemble and finish the cake.
Pan sizes
This recipe yields three 9-inch round layers. You can bake in three 8-inch pans instead, but those layers will be thicker.
DIY Modern Farmhouse Cake Stand
Lisa from Garrison Street Design Studio provides a clear, easy tutorial to build the modern farmhouse cake stand pictured here. Her step-by-step guide covers simple, budget-friendly techniques to achieve a designer look for your home.
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 — I’d love to see your photos. Leave a star rating and a comment below if you try the recipe. Enjoy!
Chocolate Mocha Cake
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Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons 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 teaspoons 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
- Spray three 9-inch pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
- In another bowl, combine milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry until just combined. Stir in the hot coffee.
- Divide batter evenly among the pans and bake 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Tiramisu Cream filling
- Whip mascarpone about 30 seconds until creamy.
- Add powdered sugar and heavy cream; beat on low for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high until stiff peaks form.
Espresso Cream Filling
- Whisk espresso powder into the heavy cream and set aside.
- Whip mascarpone about 30 seconds until creamy.
- Add powdered sugar and the espresso-flavored heavy cream; beat on low for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high until stiff peaks form.
Espresso Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Set a medium bowl over a pan containing about 2 inches of gently simmering water (bowl should not touch the water). Add egg whites and sugar.
- Whisk constantly for 4–5 minutes until the sugar dissolves or the mixture reaches 160°F.
- Transfer to a mixer and beat on low, increasing to medium-high, for 10–15 minutes until a thick, glossy meringue forms and the bowl is cool to the touch.
- With the mixer running, add butter cubes one at a time until fully incorporated. See notes if the frosting becomes runny or curdled.
- Add salt and espresso powder, mixing until dissolved and smooth.
Assembling the Cake
- Trim layers if needed and place the first layer on a serving plate or cake board.
- Spread the tiramisu cream across the first layer to the edges and smooth the top.
- Top with the second layer, spread the espresso cream to the edges, and smooth.
- Place the final layer on top and frost the cake with the espresso Swiss meringue buttercream.
Notes
- To rescue curdled or broken buttercream, place the bowl briefly over a double boiler with gently simmering water until the sides soften but the center stays solid. Then beat in the mixer until smooth and fluffy.
- To fix runny buttercream, chill the bowl in the refrigerator for 10–20 minutes, then beat until light and fluffy. Repeat as needed in 10–20 minute intervals.
- For flat, even layers, consider using insulated cake strips around your pans during baking.
- Store the finished cake in the refrigerator, either in a cake keeper or covered so exposed edges are sealed with plastic wrap or foil.