Cappuccino Cream Cake

Preheat and prepare pans

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4. Grease and flour three 8-inch pans; set aside.

Mix dry ingredients

Combine together the flour, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugars

In a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer set on low speed, whisk the butter until creamy. Then, add the brown sugar and sugar and increase the speed to medium-high and mix until the sugars and butter are well incorporated and creamed. The batter should be light and fluffy.

Add wet ingredients

Set the mixer on low and add the vanilla extract followed by the eggs.

Combine wet and dry

In alternating batches, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients, followed by the milk, then the remaining dry ingredients—beating on low in between. Whisk until the mixture is just combined and scrape down the bowl.

Add coffee

Pour in the hot coffee and whisk until smooth.

Bake cakes

Distribute the batter between the 3 pans. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool cakes

Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, remove from the pans.

Prepare coffee soak

In a saucepan, mix all of the ingredients together. Bring the mix to a slight boil.

Simmer and cool

Lower the heat, simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Remove and let it cool until use.

Heat egg whites and sugar

Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites and sugar just until combined. Place the bowl over a pan of hot water to make a double-boiler. Stirring constantly, heat the egg mix until it reaches 160°F on a candy thermometer.

Beat to stiff peaks

Carefully transfer the bowl back to the stand mixer. Beat the egg mixture on high for around 10 minutes until glossy, stiff peaks form.

Add butter

With the mixer on low, gradually add cubed butter and beat until combined.

Add vanilla

Add vanilla and beat until silky smooth, around 3 minutes.

Reserve and flavor

Reserve one cup of the buttercream; set aside. To the remaining buttercream, add the espresso powder and whisk the frosting until smooth.

Soak cake layers

When the cakes are cooled, generously brush them with the coffee soak.

Layer first cake

Place the bottom cake layer on a serving dish or cake board. Spread on around one cup of espresso buttercream with an offset spatula.

Add second layer

Top with the next layer of cake and repeat with buttercream.

Frost entire cake

Use the remaining espresso buttercream to frost the entire cake.

Decorate

Fill a piping bag fitted with a medium round piping tip with the reserved vanilla buttercream. Pipe dollops of frosting around the top edge of the cake. Top with coffee beans and a few pinches of cocoa powder.