Choco-Latte Layer Cake - VeryVera

Choco-Latte Layer Cake

Our Choco-Latte Cake is amazing from the start. The fluffy, smooth batter bakes into the perfect fusion of coffee and chocolate. This cake was once our Cake of the Month for February and no wonder–the slight bitterness of the coffee cuts the sweetness of the chocolate, resulting in a smooth, rich slice of cake. I recommend having a glass of milk handy when diving into this cake.

Originally Published on May 28, 2024

  • Prep Time: 30m
  • Cook Time: 40m
  • Serves: 24
  • Yield: 20 to 24 (½" to 1" slices)
  • Category:

Ingredients

Cake Layers

  • Baking spray
  • 1 1/3 c unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 c dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 3 c cake flour
  • 1 c Hershey’s ® unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 tbsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 c brewed medium roast coffee
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 c sour cream

Icing

  • 1/2 c unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 16 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 c Hershey® semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 lb confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp. medium roast instant coffee granules

Instructions

Cake Layers

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. To prepare 3 (9-inch) pans, first coat with baking spray, then line with parchment paper, and finish with a layer of baking spray.
  2. Cream the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix with a wire whisk. Combine the coffee and vanilla extract in a separate bowl and mix.
  4. Add the eggs to the creamed butter one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add the sour cream and beat well. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  5. With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and the coffee mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until well blended.
  6. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and incorporate any unmixed batter, if necessary.
  7. Divide the batter evenly between the 3 prepared pans. Tap the pans on the counter to ensure there are no air bubbles.
  8. Bake for 40 minutes. Test doneness by touching a cake top. If it springs back, it is done. If the indentation stays, it needs 2 to 3 minutes longer. Cool the cakes for at least 10 minutes on a cooling rack before removing from the pans. While cakes are cooling, prepare the Choco-Latte Icing.
  9. Cool the cakes for at least 10 minutes on a cooling rack before removing from the pans.

Icing

  1. Cream the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer for 3 minutes. At the end of the 3 minutes, scrape the bowl extremely well.
  2. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 20-second intervals until smooth.
  3. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, about 1 cup at a time, beating on low to ensure that the sugar does not fly out of the mixing bowl. After each addition of confectioners’ sugar, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl extremely well.
  4. Once all the confectioners’ sugar is incorporated, beat on low speed for 3 minutes.
  5. Add the melted chocolate, vanilla extract, and coffee granules to the icing mixture and mix on low speed.
  6. Spread icing between the cake layers, and then on the top and sides of the stacked layers. Cut into ½-inch or 1-inch slices to serve.