Layers of coffee infused sponge cake wrapped in a fluffy mocha whipped cream, this cake is a coffee lover's dream come true! Coffee and cream sponge cake is a grown up dessert that is sure to impress.
Optional but encouraged: Chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Coffee Sponge Cake
Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Prepare 2 9-inch pans. I sprayed mine with baking spray (the kind with the flour in it), but you can do whatever works best for you.
Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together and set aside. Alternately, you can put them in a mixing bowl and fluff them up with a wire whisk.
Dissolve coffee granules in the hot water and set aside.
In your mixer bowl, beat the 3 egg yolks, ¾ cup of sugar until pale and thick. Turn mixer to low and stir in a couple of tablespoons of the flour mixture. Add the vanilla and coffee mixture, beating until smooth. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
In a separate clean bowl, beat the 3 egg whites and salt until foamy. Slowly add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and continue to beat until they form soft peaks.
Spoon a small amount of the egg whites into the yolk mixture and fold in to lighten it. Fold in the rest of the egg whites until blended, but not any more than you have to.
Spread into prepared pans.
Bake 20-25 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched.
Cool for 2 minutes, then turn out. Continue to cool, right side up on a wire rack until completely cooled.
Mocha Whipped Cream Frosting
Place your mixer bowl and beater in the refrigerator.
Chop the chocolate and melt in the microwave. Start with a thirty second burst, then go in fifteen second increments stirring between each one until the chocolate is smooth.
Stir the coffee granules into the water until dissolved. Pour over chocolate and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.
Once the chocolate mixture is close to room temperature, add a couple of tablespoons of the cream to it and stir until smooth.
In the chilled bowl, whip the remaining cream, vanilla and sugar until soft peaks form. While the beater is running, add the chocolate mixture and beat until the cream is stiff enough to work as an icing.
Layer the cake and frosting, smoothing the whipped cream as you go. It is soft and billowy, so you can make it look nice as is, but chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips add a little fun.