Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease three 6-inch round baking pans, dust with cocoa powder, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk 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 into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. Ensure there are no traces of egg yolks and the bowl and whisk are grease-free.
- Place the 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 on your stand mixer and whisk on medium-high speed until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch, approximately 5-10 minutes).
- Switch to the paddle attachment (optional). Slowly add the cubed butter and mix until smooth. The buttercream may appear curdled at some point; continue mixing until smooth.
- Add vanilla extract, melted dark chocolate, and espresso powder. Whip until smooth.
- For the Ganache Drip: Finely chop the dark chocolate and place it into a bowl. Bring the heavy cream just to a simmer, then pour it over the chopped chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 2 minutes.
- Stir gently with a spatula until combined and smooth. Allow the ganache 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
You can make the ganache in advance and let it set overnight. If it becomes too thick, microwave it for 5-10 seconds and stir until it reaches the desired consistency.