Layered Coffee Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

We have taken regular coffee cake and taken up a notch! This gourmet Layered Coffee Cake with Mascarpone Frosting tastes like a delectable smooth latte in dessert form! With coffee infused right into the batter then garnished with chocolate covered espresso beans, it gives you the caffeine boost you need!

As a mom of 3, I really need that morning cup of coffee. In fact, there really aren’t many things I look forward to more than my morning joe. But a slice of this irresistible Layered Coffee Cake with Mascarpone Frosting is right at the top of my list.

After the chaos of dropping the kids off at school, I love to have coffee with some of the other moms. Because we are adults (and there are no kids in sight) it is perfectly acceptable to have our cup of coffee with a slice of cake. Because, why not? We deserve to be spoiled every now and then!

We deserve it after all that hustle and bustle. And this Coffee Layer Cake with Mascarpone Frosting provides the perfect oasis in the midst of all our hectic schedules.

The coffee cake layers themselves are so moist and flavorful. And the coffee-infused mascarpone frosting, let me tell you, is light, airy, and not overly sweet, which makes it entirely suitable to serve as a mid-morning treat or an edible companion to your afternoon coffee break. It's the perfect indulgence cake. Make it for your next bridal shower, brunch, or pretty much any festivity where your coffee loving fiends will be!

As much as we love this gorgeous cake, we too also love good traditional homemade coffee cake recipes laden with brown sugar and cinnamon. Make sure to check out our Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Buttery Coffee Cake with cinnamon filling, and our Pumpkin Coffee Cake!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE LAYERED COFFEE CAKE WITH MASCARPONE FROSTING

• It’s as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the palate. The gorgeous coffee-colored mascarpone frosting pairs with the lovely melted chocolate drizzle. And topping it all off with chocolate espresso beans and sprinkles makes for a show-stopping presentation.
• This is a versatile and uncomplicated moist coffee cake recipe. It may look like it took you all day to make this stunning layered coffee cake but in reality, it comes together quite easily. Take it to your next book club meeting, serve it up as one of your brunch recipes, or enjoy a piece along with your morning cuppa before the rest of the family wakes up.
• A coffee cake that is actually made with coffee! And not just any old ground coffee but also espresso powder. It has a sweet flavor of coffee with moist crumbs that melts in your mouth. If you're a fan of coffee ice cream, then this is your cake!
• The Coffee Mascarpone Frosting is lick the spoon worthy. Seriously, it's is utterly delicious and tastes almost like tiramisu!
• It's the perfect adult birthday cake!

 

INGREDIENTS/ SHOPPING LIST

Coffee Infused Cake Layers

• Unsalted butter, room temperature
• Vegetable oil
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Espresso powder or instant coffee
• Buttermilk or sour cream
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Mascarpone Coffee Buttercream Frosting

• Mascarpone cheese, softened
• Unsalted butter, room temperature
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla
• Espresso powder

Chocolate Ganache

• Semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Heavy cream
• Chocolate Dipped Espresso Beans, for garnish
• Chocolate Jimmies, for garnish

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

• Cake mix- if you're short on time and can't make the coffee cake layers from scratch, use a white or chocolate boxed cake mix. Simply substitute the water for coffee and add the additional espresso powder.
• Cupcakes- These would make adorably delicious cupcakes too. Reduce the baking time to 15-17 minutes. This recipe should make about 2 dozen cupcakes.
• Cream Cheese- while I really feel this mascarpone coffee frosting is beyond delicious, you could substitute the mascarpone with cream cheese for a coffee cream cheese frosting. An espresso infused swiss meringue buttercream would be delicious too.
• If you can't find espresso powder, you can also use instant coffee granules for a strong coffee flavor. You will still need freshly brewed coffee for the cake recipe, so make sure you save a cup!

HOW TO MAKE THIS MASCARPONE COFFEE CAKE

This sweet coffee infused cake frosting with a smooth, luxurious espresso mascarpone frosting is every coffee lover's dream!

Espresso Cake Layers

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8-inch cake pans or four 6-inch round pans with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Sift together cake flour, baking powder and soda, salt and espresso powder in a medium bowl; set dry ingredients aside.
3. In the bowl of your mixer (or a separate bowl), cream butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs to the wet ingredients, one at a time, mixing thoroughly in between.
5. Stir in vanilla extract.
6. Reducing your mixer speed to low, alternate adding flour mixture and milk until just combined.
7. Whisk in hot coffee. Batter will be runny.
8. Evenly fill cake pans half full with batter.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-27 minutes for 8-inch pans and 22-25 minutes for 6-inch pans, or until a knife is inserted in the center and comes out clean.
10. Cool completely before filling and frosting.

Coffee Mascarpone Frosting

1. Combine butter and mascarpone in the bowl of your mixer and beat on high until smooth.
2. Add ½ of the powdered sugar and beat on low until smooth.
3. Add vanilla extract, espresso powder, and remaining powder sugar. Beat on low until combined.
4. Once combined, increase mixer speed to high and beat for 4-5 minutes.
5. To assemble the cake, place one layer on a cake plate and frost it with an even layer of ¾ cup frosting. Repeat with remaining layers and frost the outside of cake.
6. Refrigerate cake for 1 hour before adding ganache.
7. To make the ganache, heat cream in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute.
8. Once hot, add chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes then stir until smooth.
9. Drizzle cold cake with ganache.
10. Pipe top of the cake remaining frosting swirls, espresso beans, and chocolate jimmies, if desired.
11. Serve with a piping hot cup of Seattle's Best Coffee and enjoy!

BAKING AND STORAGE TIPS

To get even cake layers, use moistened cake strips while baking. This will eliviate having to cut off the cake domes.

Make this coffee cake in stages. First make the cake layers and cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, wrap with plastic wrap the refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to three months. The coffee mascarpone frosting recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before using the frosting, give it a strong whisking.

For a smooth frosting finish, frost the sides of the cake with a crumb coat, then refrigerate cake for 1 hour. Once cold, frost the whole cake and use a scraper or small offset spatula to smooth.

Store finished cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or slice cake and wrap slices in plastic wrap. Freeze wrapped slices in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

LAYERED COFFEE CAKE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where can I buy espresso powder?

I really like the powder from King Authur Baking. You can also buy it at specialty stores like Williams Sonoma and Cost Plus World Market. It's prefect for adding that strong coffee flavor without adding the added liquid. It is ground up super fine, so you will not have coffee granules in your desserts.

What is mascarpone cheese and where can I buy it?

Mascarpone cheese is type of soft cheese that originated in Italy. Its most common use is for tiramisu. It's made from only two ingredients: heavy cream and citric or tartaric acid (think lemon juice). It's slightly sweeter and more buttery than cream cheese. You can typically find it in the gourmet cheese section at your local grocery store. It's a wonderful ingredient and one I think everyone should have in their refrigerators at all times. I like to add it to frostings, risotto, cream sauces, and just to enjoy with a cup of fresh berries!

Can I use this Mascarpone Coffee Frosting for cupcakes?

Yes, and I highly recommend it! This frosting recipe will frost about 2 dozen cupcakes with a piping bag!

MORE CAKE RECIPES TO SERVE WITH YOUR COFFEE

Looking for even more delicious coffee cake recipes to go with your cuppa Joe? Then try this White Peach Coffee Cake, this recipe for Apple Cake, and my tasty Coffee Cake Blueberry Muffins.