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Yields:
12 - 16 serving(s)
FOR THE CAKE
- 200 g
unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease
- 250 g
self-raising flour
- 1 tsp.
bicarbonate of soda
- 50 g
sifted cocoa powder
- 125 g
each light muscovado and caster sugar
- 150 ml
tub soured cream
- 3
large eggs
- 1 tsp.
vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp.
espresso/strong coffee, cooled
- 2 Tbsp.
Kahlùa
FOR THE ICING
- 400 g
full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature – we used Philadelphia
- 100 g
unsalted butter, softened (at room temperature)
- 100 g
sifted icing sugar
- 2 tsp.
espresso coffee powder dissolved in 1tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp.
chocolate coffee beans
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. For the cakes, grease and line 2 x 20.5cm (8in) round bake tins. Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa, sugars and a pinch of salt into a large bowl or freestanding mixer. Into a jug, measure the soured cream, eggs and vanilla. Whisk briefly to combine. Pour on to the dry ingredients and whisk until fully incorporated, then whisk in the melted butter, coffee and Kahlúa. Divide the mixture equally between the tins.
- Step 2
Bake for 25-30min until risen and firm. Leave to cool for 10min in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Step 3
For the espresso syrup, put the espresso, Kahlúa and caster sugar into a small pan, heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then increase the heat and simmer for 4-5min until reduced and syrupy. Set aside to cool.
- Step 4
When the cakes are cool, cut each in half horizontally to make 4 even layers. Make sure all of them are cut-side up, then drizzle each layer with 1tbsp espresso syrup.
- Step 5
For the icing, whisk together the cream cheese, butter and icing sugar until smooth. Then whisk in the coffee mixture until combined.
- Step 6
To assemble, place the first layer of cake on a cake stand, spread with a thin layer of cream cheese icing, top with another cake layer and repeat twice more, finishing with the final cake layer. Top with the remaining icing. Scatter with chocolate coffee beans and drizzle with the remaining syrup.
GET AHEAD: Bake the cakes up to a day ahead.When completely cool, store in an airtight container. Assemble just before serving. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Per Serving:
- Calories: 422
- Fibre: 1 g
- Total carbs: 41 g
- Sugars: 29 g
- Total fat: 25 g
- Saturated fat: 16 g
- Protein: 5 g
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
