Susan's Favorite Mocha Cake

By Addie

"My family insists on this cake for our Christmas dinner. They refer it to as 'the best cake in the world.' The flavors are simply wonderful." – Susan Bazan, Sequim, Washington

Ingredients

• CAKE:
• 1 pkg (18.25oz) chocolate cake mix
• 1 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup coffee liqueur
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• .......................................
• FILLING:
• 2 cups (12oz) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1 pkg (10-12oz) white baking chips
• 1/3 cup butter, cubed
• 1 Tablespoon instant coffee granules
• 1 teaspoon rum extract
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
• ........................................
• WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING:
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Details

Servings 16
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 60mins
Adapted from keyingredient.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, sour cream, eggs, liqueur and oil. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Stir in one cup chocolate chips. Transfer to three greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Bake at 350 for 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

3. In a microwave, melt the white baking chips, butter and remaining chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Stir in coffee granules and extract. Cool to room temprature.

4. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup cream; let stand for one minute. Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir into chocolate mixture. In a large bowl, beat the remaining 1-1/4 cups cream until soft peaks form. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture; beat until stiff peaks form.

5. Place bottom cake layer on a serving plate; top with half of the chocolate mixture. Repeat layers. Top with the remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with whipped cream. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
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REVIEWS:

This came out delicious - way better than anything from the bakery.

LOVED IT...the only thing that was wrong with the recipe was that the middle filling. I do believe that by putting the butter in the chocolate and then putting the cream/gelatin mixture in caused the filling to be VERY gritty and a very "wet" texture. I actually did this step 4 times until I did something different.

What I did was I melted just the chocolates, mixed in the coffee/rum flavoring and let it sit. I whipped some heavy cream to peaks and slowely added the cooled (room temp.) chocolate mixture to that. Beat that until very thick and to almost peaks. I then took the 1/4 cup cream (actually used a little more) and a package of gelatin and cooked as directed until gelatin desolved. I beat that it into the chocolate/cream mixture. Let it sit in the fridge for a little bit until thickened. Took it out and beat it more until ready to add to cake.

This turned out PERFECT!!! The kids are amazed that made this cake. Definitely would make again.

This is a followup. well, I did the next step. I made the whipped cream, and then 'beat' the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream (not the other way around, and not folded). It came out like a 'cookies and cream' blend, that is to say, with teeny little bits of chocolate in it. but thin. so it is sitting in the fridge right now to thicken up. then I will put it all together, and whipped cream frost the whole thing, and tell everyone that it is with a 'cookies and cream filling'. but I would never make this again. Actually, there is another recipe online 'very easy chocolate cake' which i have made successfully before, instead of the box mix, and now kool whip has 'seasonal' chocolate and french vanilla toppings. 1-2-3, done. way easier.

I am in the middle of making this cake. My question is, "In the melting phase, melt all of that together, then stir in coffee granules and rum extract." It seemed 'grainy', not like a smooth ganache; then the gelatin part and then stirred that into the cooled chocolate mixture. still grainy, and somewhat separating, that I had to keep stirring it to keep it all blended; it tastes kinda gummy (I suppose that is the gelatin part). It is still cooling. I was going to start the whipped cream part BUT.....it says until peaks form (fine), then 'beat' it into the chocolate mixture until peaks form. if I beat whipped cream, doesn't it deflate the whipped cream? I am hoping it will change the consistency of the chocolate mixture. is the instruction incorrect, in that I should have 'folded' the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture and be done with that? Is the intent to make a sort of 'mousse'?

Five Stars for Susan's cake. See it pictured on my page. I used mini chips in the batter instead of the regular size ones. They melted into the cake which was pure velvet. I loved that you could taste a hint of the Kahlua.The filling is fantastic, love the texture. Once I assembled the cake (without frosting) I cut it and froze half. One half was great with the whip cream frosting. Three weeks later I took out the frozen half, thawed and frosted with homemade butter cream frosting. Oh then it was sweet sweet. This cake (not frosted) froze well for me. Enjoy!

Made this cake for a Christmas party. It is rich and chocolatey, but not heavy. Looks great garnished w/ chocolate curls. Even the guy who "never eats cake" had seconds!

I come from a family of excellent cooks, but I'm the baker of the family. I made this cake for our Christmas gathering this year and virtually everyone there said it was the BEST dessert I ever made. It was fabulous.

I ate some of this cake and it was one of the best cakes I have ever had! Had to have the recipe!

This was an absolute smash hit. Everyone that ate this cake just loved it and wantd the recipe. Can't wait to my sons get home for Christmas so I can try it out on them.