Mocha Cake
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The Mocha Cake, or as we say in French, "gâteau moka." This exquisite cake features layers of genoise soaked in a delicate coffee syrup, and generously filled with a luscious coffee-flavored buttercream. The history of the Mocha Cake dates back to 1857, when it was first created by the talented Parisian pastry Chef Guignard. Interestingly, it is believed that the cake was named after Mocha, a historic port city in Yemen known for its involvement in the coffee trade. I am excited to share with you my take on the naked version of the North American style Mocha Cake.
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A revisited French classic
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Chocolate Génoise
- Make 2 batches for a 9 or 10 layered cake. Butter and flour cake pan or use charlotte cake ring (bake using 2 baking trays if so). Sift flour, corn starch and cocoa powder together. In the mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar over a bain marie until warm to the touch; approximately 104ºF/40ºC. Beat on high speed for 5 minutes or until it forms a ribbon. Fold in sifted starches with a spider skimmer and then add melted butter.
Baking
- Bake at 350ºF/180ºC for 50 minutes. Demold and let cool to room temperature. Wrap up in plastic film and refrigerate overnight.
Coffee Extract
- Water and instant coffee can be used instead of espresso. Cook espresso and sugar down to syrupy constancy. The more it cooks the thicker. If it ends up too thick, add a few drops of water or coffee. Store at room temperature for months and use at your convenience.
Coffee Punch
- Mix all ingredients together. Add coffee extract if needed. Use punch at room temperature.
Italian Meringue Buttercream
- *Use vanilla seeds from a bean (save the pod for the coffee syrup). Vanilla paste is a descent sub. Pure vanilla powder is also a great option; in this case 1.5 grams suffice. Cut butter into cubes and leave it out. Beat egg white with 50g sugar and cream of tartar on medium speed; keep on foamy stage. Meanwhile, cook remaining sugar and water until it reaches 245ºF/118ºC. Pour hot syrup into the meringue in a slow and steady stream. Increase mixer speed and beat until the stiff peaks form. Lower mixer speed and continue to beat until meringue temperature reaches 86ºF/30ºC. Add vanilla. Add cubed butter gradually, and mix on high speed until smooth and fluffy. Add coffee extract to taste.
Buttercream Troubleshooting
- If the butter is added too early, it will separate. Chill or freeze buttercream for 15 minutes or so. Beat on high speed until smooth and fluffy. Use buttercream at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for later use. Rewhip prior to use.
Chocolate Chablon
- Chocolat chablon ''French verb: chablonner'' is a mixture of melted chocolate and oil. It is recommended in certain cases to strengthen cakes that are heavily moisturized such as Fraisier and Opera.
Montage
- Shave off chocolate genoise dome. Cut each genoise into 4 or 5 slices using a carving knife and a turn table. The thinner the slices the sexier the cake. Flip bottom genoise slice and chablonner and refrigerate to set. Meanwhile, put coffee punch in a pan (larger that the genoise).
- Grab the chilled bottom genoise slice and flip crumbs side down into the punch, let it float for 5 sec and flip back onto a platter (chablon side down). Place platter onto the turn table.
- Fit pastry bag with an open star tip #825 and pipe the first coffee buttercream. Scrape off excess buttercream; you want thin layers!. Do likewise with remaining genoise and buttercream. Since this mocha is an old fashion built cake (without cake ring) it is more likely to tilt if precautions are not met right from the beginning. So, make sure that the first 3 layers are perfectly even so the following layers shall remain straight.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake and smooth with the back of the back of a large plastic dough or bunch scraper. For a sheen finish, heat up a large offset spatula quickly over the flame and run it over the cake.
- Decorate cake with 8 or 10 buttercream rosettes. Garnish with milk chocolate shavings if desired.
Storage
- Mocha cake is best served a day after. Leave cake out for 30 min before eating. Store mocha wrapped in plastic film in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to a month. Enjoy!
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