Mocha Layer Cake

Just when you thought chocolate cake couldn't get any better, along comes MOCHA chocolate cake. 

That's right. 

Throw some coffee into a regular chocolate cake, cover it in a delicious mocha pudding frosting and *voila* you have the most amazing cake in the universe. 

Not even lying.

I'm willing to wager that even non-coffee lovers will dive into this cake with wild abandon. Know how I know that? Because I am NOT a coffee drinker... at all... but I could probably eat this whole cake. All of it. In one sitting. 

We used our never fail, moist and delicious Vanderwolf's Secret Chocolate Cake recipe (link HERE) and altered it to get this mocha version. Be sure to visit HERE for the original!! 

Mocha Layer Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup baking cocoa

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

2 cups sugar

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup oil

1 cup very hot cappuccino (or VERY strong brewed coffee)

Mocha Pudding Frosting
1 Tbsp instant coffee granules
1 Tbsp hot water
3 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 pkgs (4 serving size) Chocolate Pudding

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 (YUP, 325 not 350). Lightly spray 3 - 8 inch cake pans with cooking spray. Set aside. 

Prepare cake - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar.  Make a hollow in center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, oil, and cappuccino.
Whisk all together until well blended.
Pour into prepared baking pans. 

Bake 25 - 35 mins or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Keep an eye on it!)  Remove from oven to cool 5 minutes on wire rack. Invert cake onto wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
Prepare frosting - In a tiny bowl, stir together the 1 Tbsp of coffee granules and 1 Tbsp of hot water to dissolve the granules. In a large mixing bowl beat together whipping cream, coffee, and chocolate pudding until smooth and thickened.
Assemble cake - Place one layer of cake on a serving platter. Frost with a generous scoop of the pudding frosting. Place second layer of cake on top. Spread another generous scoop of frosting on that cake. Place last layer of cake on top.

Use the rest of the icing to frost the sides and top of cake. 

Optional - decorate with a smidge of darker chocolate icing and some hazelnut crisp cookies. 

I used canned frosting for the darker swirls for a different texture and flavor. I thought the hazelnut cookie crisps went really well with the coffee flavor. 

Are you ready to see the inside?

Hang on to your seats....

Oh. My. Heck.

LOOK AT ALL THE CHOCOLATY MOCHA GOODNESS. 

*sigh*

This is actually less sweet than it looks. The coffee adds a bitterness that totally compliments and balances the chocolate. 

And... the pudding frosting is awesome. It sets up well, spreads very smoothly, is not at all sweet, and is a perfect mousse-like texture. 

What are you waiting for????

Be sure to visit this fun linky party at Carole's Chatter!