Mocha Cake: Toffee Crunch Madness |Cooking With Amanda

When it comes to the holidays, it's all about decadence, entertaining and usually overindulgence. In my book, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. We're so good throughout the rest of the year. Why shouldn't we indulge? Why shouldn't we treat ourselves? I say we treat ourselves to a nice big slice of this mocha cake with toffee crunch!

My favorite way to indulge is usually chocolate or caramel. In my opinion, there are few other treats so satisfying. But put those humble indulgences into cake form and I'm powerless. Salted caramel chocolate cake has been my go-to cake when celebrating or gathering with family and friends. But now I think it will be competing with this mocha cake for sure!

Trust me, you'll want to indulge in these tender, moist layers of chocolate cake covered with a smooth chocolate mascarpone frosting and bits of buttery toffee. The layers of chocolate toffee goodness will be sure to impress your guests and will elicit ooo's and ahh's as it's brought to the table. Forks will be in hands waiting anxiously even before that first pass of the knife through the smooth creamy frosting.

This impressive mocha toffee crunch cake is easy to make and will surely be the star of your holiday dessert table. The coffee undertones are a beautiful complement to the rich chocolate. Bite after bite, it's worth every stinkin' calorie.

I think this cake is why new year's resolutions were born. I'll be resolving to have a second slice!

Need more chocolate indulgence? Christy's Hot Chocolate Cheesecake recipe alongside a plate of Aimee's chocolate caramel candy recipe is the answer.

Mocha Cake Recipe

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Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, high quality
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
4 teaspoons espresso powder, dissolved in 1 cup hot water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, high quality
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled and divided
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
16 ounces mascarpone, chilled
1 cup heath toffee bits, divided
2 chocolate covered toffee bars, cut into 4 pieces each

Directions

To Make the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a parchment circle into the bottom of two 9-inch cake pans. Spray lightly with nonstick baking spray containing flour. Set aside.
Over a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Add the eggs, buttermilk, espresso mixture, oil, and vanilla. Beat well to combine using a whisk or a mixer on low speed until no lumps remain. Batter will be thin.
Divide evenly between cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, rotating pans in oven half way through. Remove pans to wire racks to cool for 20 minutes then invert, remove from pans and cool completely.

To Make the Frosting:

In a large bowl, sift together cocoa powder and espresso powder. Set aside.
In a small sauce pan over medium heat, bring 1 cup heavy cream to a boil. Pour hot cream over cocoa mixture and whisk until dissolved. Add remaining 1/2 cup cold heavy cream and granulated sugar. Whisk until sugar has dissolved. Cover and chill until cold, about 2 hours.
Remove cream from fridge. Add mascarpone and using a stand or hand mixer, beat on low speed until smooth. Increase speed and beat until thickened and medium peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Do not over beat or the mixture will curdle.

To Assemble the Cake:

Place one cake layer cake plate or cake board. Top with 1 cup frosting and spread evenly over cake layer. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup toffee bits. Place second cake layer on top. Frost top with 1 cup frosting then frost sides of cake, reserving a bit of frosting to make 8 decorative swirls on top, if desired.
Sprinkle top of cake with remaining 1/2 cup toffee bits.
Using a small star tip, make 8 decorative swirls at even intervals around edge of cake. Place 1 large toffee piece into center of each swirl. Chill cake at least 2 hours before serving. Set at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to serving.