Cappuccino Cake

By Addie

“This chocolate and coffee-flavored cake features a fancy-bakery look and taste, but it’s still easy to make at home.”

Ingredients

• 1 box (18.25 oz.) chocolate cake mix
• 1/3 cup plus 21/2 tsp. instant coffee granules, divided
• 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 container (16 oz.) milk chocolate frosting
• Chocolate-covered espresso beans or coffee beans

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray the bottoms of two 8- x 11/2-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Stir 1/3 cup coffee granules into the dry cake mix and prepare the cake mix as package directs.


Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35–40 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges and turn out cakes onto wire rack. Remove the parchment paper. Cool completely.


Place the cream, confectioners’ sugar and 11/2 tsp. coffee granules in a chilled bowl. Beat with an electric mixer set on high speed until very stiff peaks form. Refrigerate the filling. Remove the lid and foil cover on the frosting container and microwave on HIGH until slightly softened, 10–15 seconds. Stir in the remaining coffee granules.


Place 1 cake layer on a cake plate. Spread 13/4 cups cream filling to within 1/2 inch of the edge. Place the remaining cake layer on top and frost entire cake with frosting.


Spoon remaining cream filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe cream around edge of cake; place a chocolate-covered espresso bean on top. Cover and chill until ready to serve.