Description

This White Chocolate Mocha Cake is a decadent layered dessert combining rich white chocolate cake with espresso-infused fillings and a creamy espresso cream cheese frosting. Moist cake layers flavored with instant espresso are filled with whipped white chocolate ganache and frosted with a luscious espresso cream cheese icing, perfect for coffee and chocolate lovers wanting an elegant and indulgent homemade cake.

Ingredients

Scale

For the White Chocolate Cake Layers

4 ounces white baking chocolate (113.5g, Ghirardelli Premium Baking Bar recommended)
2 1/2 cups cake flour (285g)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (10g)
1/2 teaspoon salt (3g)
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (170g)
1 1/2 cups white sugar (300g)
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (8g)
1 1/3 cup milk (314g)
1 tablespoon instant espresso or 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons instant coffee (4g)

For the Espresso Mixture

1 tablespoon granulated sugar (12g)
1/4 cup boiling water (60g)
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

For the Whipped White Chocolate Filling

12 oz white chocolate (about 340g, white chocolate chips or chopped bars)
6 oz heavy cream (170g)

For the Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (226g)
16 oz cream cheese, softened (two 8 oz packages, full fat)
1 tablespoon espresso granules dissolved in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (8g espresso, 6g vanilla)
6 to 6 1/2 cups powdered sugar (690g – 747g)

Instructions

Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour three 8×2 inch cake pans and line the bottoms with wax or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Melt White Chocolate Mixture: Heat milk until warm but not boiling. Add finely chopped white baking chocolate; let soften for a few minutes then stir until smooth and melted. Allow to cool before using.
Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt for 30 seconds to blend. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixer bowl, beat softened butter until smooth. Gradually add white sugar, beating on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes until fluffy.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then add vanilla extract and mix briefly.
Combine Batter: On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and milk-white chocolate mixture to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour (three additions of flour and two of milk mixture). Mix until just combined, avoid over-mixing.
Bake Cake Layers: Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake at 325°F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Make Espresso Mixture: Dissolve espresso powder and granulated sugar in boiling water. Set aside to cool.
Prepare White Chocolate Ganache: Combine white chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second increments, stirring until almost melted and smooth. Cool and refrigerate until thickened but not firm. Chill beaters or whisk attachment for whipping.
Whip Ganache: Using chilled beaters, whip the ganache until fluffy and stiff peaks form, about 20 seconds.
Make Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat butter until softened. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Stir in espresso dissolved in vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat on low to medium speed until combined. Avoid over-mixing. Chill if frosting gets too soft.
Assemble Cake: Place one cake layer on a serving base. Brush top generously with espresso mixture. Spread a layer of whipped white chocolate ganache. Repeat with second layer, espresso mixture, and ganache. Place final cake layer on top.
Crumb Coat and Chill: Fill any gaps with frosting, then apply a thin crumb coat of frosting around entire cake. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes or longer in refrigerator to firm the cake.
Final Frosting and Decoration: Apply a smooth thick final coat of espresso cream cheese frosting. Use a heated metal bench scraper for smooth sides if desired. Pipe rosettes, shells, or other designs on top and around base. Chill if frosting softens during decorating.

Notes

Use wax or parchment paper circles on cake pan bottoms to prevent sticking.
If eggs are cold, warm them in hot water for 5 minutes for better mixing.
Cake flour can be substituted with all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons per cup for similar texture.
Frosting will pipe best if used slightly chilled; refrigerate if it becomes too soft.
The cake batter amount makes three 8-inch layers and also works well for cupcakes with minimal dome.
Be careful not to overmix cake batter to keep it tender.
Use a pastry brush to evenly soak cake layers with espresso mixture for enhanced mocha flavor.
Chilling ganache and frosting tools helps achieve better whipping and texture.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dessert, Cake
Method: Baking, Whipping
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of cake)
Calories: 490 kcal
Sugar: 45 g
Sodium: 180 mg
Fat: 30 g
Saturated Fat: 18 g
Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
Trans Fat: 0.5 g
Carbohydrates: 55 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 95 mg

Keywords: white chocolate cake, mocha cake, espresso cake, white chocolate mocha, layered cake, cream cheese frosting, mocha dessert