Cappuccino Cake with Mascarpone-Espresso Cream

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A French bistro-style coffee cake built in layers: a tender espresso butter sponge brushed with sweet coffee syrup, then filled and covered with a barely-sweet mascarpone-espresso cream and dusted with cocoa and cinnamon like the foam on a cappuccino. Instant espresso powder does all the heavy lifting — deep, roasty coffee flavor with no espresso machine and no soggy layers.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180 g)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 tbsp instant espresso powder
• 10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (140 g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 tsp instant espresso powder
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp dark rum or coffee liqueur (optional)

• 1 tbsp instant espresso powder
• 1 tbsp hot water
• 8 oz mascarpone, cold
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, cold

• 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp chocolate-covered espresso beans (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment rounds, and butter the parchment. Warm the 3/4 cup milk in the microwave for 30 seconds, whisk in 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder until dissolved, and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a bowl. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes, until pale and fluffy, scraping the bowl once.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, 30 seconds each, then the vanilla. The batter may look slightly curdled — that's fine. Add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the espresso milk in two, mixing on low just until each disappears. Finish with 10 seconds of folding by hand so no dry pockets remain.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the pans (about 400 g each) and smooth the tops. Bake 25 to 28 minutes, until the centers spring back when pressed and a toothpick comes out with only moist crumbs. Cool in the pans 10 minutes.
5. While the cakes bake, make the soak: stir the boiling water, 2 teaspoons espresso powder, and 3 tablespoons sugar until dissolved, then stir in the rum if using. Let cool.
6. Run a knife around the pans, turn the layers out onto a rack, peel off the parchment, and set them right side up. While still warm, brush each layer all over the top with the coffee soak, using about half per layer — go in two passes so it absorbs instead of pooling. Cool completely, at least 45 minutes.
7. For the cream, dissolve 1 tablespoon espresso powder in 1 tablespoon hot water and let it cool. In a large bowl, stir the cold mascarpone with a spatula until smooth, then add the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and cooled espresso and whisk by hand until uniform.
8. Pour in the cold heavy cream and beat with a mixer on low for 30 seconds, then medium for 1 to 2 minutes, stopping the moment the cream holds firm peaks and looks matte. Do not overbeat — mascarpone turns grainy fast.
9. Set one layer on a serving plate and spread about 1 1/4 cups of the cream over the top, out to the edge. Add the second layer, soaked side up, and cover the top and sides with the remaining cream, swirling the top with the back of a spoon.
10. Chill the cake, uncovered, at least 1 hour to set the cream. Just before serving, sift the cocoa and cinnamon together over the top and scatter espresso beans around the edge. Slice with a hot, dry knife.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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