Chocolate Strawberry Coffee Layer Cake
It may seem strange to mix coffee and strawberries, but if you want a bold, decadent, grown-up cake, this Chocolate Strawberry Coffee Layer Cake is the one. With chocolate and coffee in perfect harmony and along with a sweet, subtle strawberry jam, this tastes like the richest and most moist cake, perfect for a friend's gathering.
Ingredients
Coffee Cake Layers
- 3 tbsp (45ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3.5 fl. oz. (100ml) buttermilk
- 1 tsp (5g) instant coffee powder
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp (16g) cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp (3g) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (3g) baking soda
- 1/4 tsp (1g) salt
- 3.5 fl.oz. (100ml) strong hot coffee
Milk Chocolate Cremeux
- 1/2 tsp (2g) gelatine powder
- 2 tsp (10ml) cold water
- 4 tbsp (60ml) whipping cream
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp (15g) sugar
- 1.7 oz (50g) milk chocolate
- 2 tbsp (30ml) whipping cream , chilled
Coffee Cream
- 5 oz (150g) cream cheese
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whipping cream
- 1/3 cup (40g) powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp (10g) instant coffee
- 6 oz (180g) milk chocolate cremeux
Strawberry Jam
- 5 oz (150g) strawberries , fresh or frozen
- 4 tbsp (60g) sugar
- 1 tsp (5ml) lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp (3g) pectine (or lemon zest)
Coffee Liqueur Syrup
- 5 fl. oz. (150ml) water
- 4 tbsp (60g) sugar
- 3 tbsp (50 ml) coffee liqueur (any type you like)
For Decoration
- fresh strawberries
- chocolate
Instructions
Prepare the Coffee Cake Layers
- Grease and line with parchment paper a 6 inch (15cm) round cake pan. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
- In a bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- In another bowl whisk together the oil, the egg and the sugar until all is combined.
- Add the buttermilk over the egg mixture and mix until incorporated.
- Add in the dry ingredients, and mix until combined.
- Add in the strong hot coffee, and mix until all comes together in a thin, runny batter.
- Bake for about 40 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let it cool completely.
- Cut the cake into three horizontal evenly layers.
Prepare the Milk Chocolate Cremeux
- Hydrate the gelatine in cold water, for about 5 minutes.
- Bring to a simmer the 4 tablespoons (60ml) whipping cream.
- In a bowl, mix the egg yolk and sugar until pale.
- Add the hot whipping cream to the egg mixture, mix for 1 minute, return it to the stove, and over low heat, keep mixing until it reaches 179F (82C).
- After the emulsion reached the right temperature, remove it from the stove and add in the gelatine, and mix until dissolved.
- Incorporate the milk chocolate and mix for 1 minute until it melts, then use an immersion blender until you get a shiny and smooth emulsion.
- Cover it with foil and put it in the fridge. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- After you take it out from the fridge, it will be set, due to the gelatine. Add the 2 tablespoons (30ml) of whipping cream and lightly beat it with a hand mixer until soft peaks form.
Prepare the Strawberry Jam
- Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and place over medium heat.
- Boil for about 5 minutes, until the jam becomes thick.
- Let it cool completely.
Prepare the Coffee Liqueur Syrup
- In a saucepan bring to a boil the water and sugar. Boil for 3 minutes.
- Remove from the stove and add in the coffee liqueur.
- Let it cool completely.
Prepare the Coffee Cream
- In a large bowl, with a hand mixer, mix the cream cheese, the whipping cream, and the powdered sugar, until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Incorporate the instant coffee and the chocolate cremeux and mix until soft peaks form. Now is ready to use.
Assemble the cake
- Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Put a cake ring and parchment paper around it, this will help the cake stay still.
- Using a brush, or a spoon, gently apply about 3 tbsp of syrup to the cake layer, but be careful, you don't want to soak the layer.
- Using a spatula, spread evenly about 5.5 oz (160g) of coffee cream over the cake layer.
- Add 3-4 tbsp of strawberry jam over the coffee cream, don't spread it too close to the edges.
- Add the second layer of cake and repeat steps 2, 3, and 4.
- Finish with the third layer of cake.
- Apply 3 tbsp of syrup and spread the remaining coffee cream on top.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- For decoration, you can leave the cake naked or semi-naked and on top, you can add fresh strawberries, chocolate sprinkles, or chocolate chips. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving out ofCalories: 526kcalCarbohydrates: 70.4gProtein: 6gFat: 25.5gSaturated Fat: 13.4gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 218mgPotassium: 229mgFiber: 1.6gSugar: 55.3gCalcium: 89mgIron: 2mg