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I have to admit when I started out to make this Monster Layer Cake, this was going to be an Opera Cake. An Opera Cake is a delicate beautiful layer cake. I have to laugh at myself or those of you that know what an opera cake is have to laugh at me. It’s OK. Experience is a great teacher. I did not understand the proportions of the layers. So after I started to make my opera cake, I had to turn it into something more. Hence, the Monster Layer Cake.
Monster Layer Cake
My cake has the components of an opera cake but is presented very differently. The cake is a mocha coffee flavored. The buttercream is real lightened butter fully whipped. The coffee infused into the cake. The intense chocolate layer yet still light. Then the chocolate sauce, and finally, finished a chocolate ganache. The layers and flavors blend together so well.
I have to give some kudos to my wife. She is the ultimate baker and teacher in this family. Any thing my daughter learned, she learned from her mom. I had started this cake on an early Saturday afternoon. Suddenly, I was very aware that this recipe was not going to turn out anything like the original. When she walked in, I said I think I ruined the cake. She understood the consistency, and said, I only needed to top with the coffee to get the desired result. I bow to you honey – you are still the baker in the family, though your daughter is fast on your heals.
- 4 egg whites
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/3 cup icing sugar
- 1 1/3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 4 eggs
- 1/3 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon coffee granules
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1-2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 tablespoons coffee granules
- 8 tablespoons dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 6 tablespoons dark chocolate
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoons honey
- Line one sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Beat the egg whites in a bowl until they form soft peaks, then add sugar and beat until they are stiff and glossy.
- Beat the icing sugar, cocoa and eggs in another bowl until light and voluminous. Add the flour and beat until just combined.
- Fold the egg whites into flour mixture, then fold in the butter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 9 minutes. Cool completely and set aside.
- Warm the water then stir in the sugar and coffee. Set aside until ready to use.
- Dissolve coffee in water and set aside.
- Whisk sugar into egg whites over a simmering pan of water until hot to the touch, about 3-5 minutes.
- Beat until cool, about 5 minutes, then beat in the butter in 1-2 tablespoon chunks.
- Beat in the coffee and continue to beat until smooth and fluffy, about 5-10 minutes.
- Melt chocolate and 1 tablespoon cream in the top of a double boiler. Set aside and cool completely.
- Whip the 1/4 cup of cream until it is in stiff peaks, then fold it into the cooled chocolate ganache.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Melt all ingredients in the top of a double boiler.
- Let cool slightly and use immediately.
- Cut the cake into equal pieces and set aside.
- Place one sheet cake onto your work surface or cake plate and moisten with the coffee syrup.
- Spread 1/2 of the buttercream over the cake, making sure to keep it an even layer (maybe not so even).
- Place another cake on top of the buttercream and moisten with more syrup.
- Spread the ganache over the cake.
- Place a third cake on top and again moisten with syrup.
- Spread remaining buttercream over the top of this cake.
- Place the final layer of cake on top, and pour the glaze over the top of the cake.
- Refrigerate for one hour before trimming the sides to get a smooth finish.
Ingredients
The dry ingredients for the cake.
Dry Ingredients
Wet ingredients including the vanilla added to the icing sugar.
Sugar and Milk
Vanilla Added
Whipped
Egg Whites folded into the cake and then mixed.
Cake Mixed
Coffee Butter cream put together.
Butter Added
Butter Cream Whipped
The chocolate ganache and glaze are made as typically done by melting over hot water in a bowl. Then, the cake layers are topped on one another, one after the other.
Cake Cut after Baking
Coffee Added to Cake
Buttercream Added
Coffee Soaked on Cake
Chocolate Ganache Added
Cake Top Added and Coffee too
Chocolate Sauce Added
And the final monster layer cake.
Plated
Do you include the 1-1/3 cups of flour together with the 1/3 cup of flour together? Or where does the 1/3 cup of flour go?
Opera cake gone awry or not, this looks incredible. May I have a slice or two please?
It went awry but the result was very satisfying.
Two things: 1) I would eat that cake with no regrets! and 2) Years ago I sold Tupperware just so I could equip my pantry with those containers. They were so modern looking and looked fabulous stacked on top of each other. They still look pretty good, although they’re showing some wear 🙂
I am laughing at the Tupperware comment. We cannot have enough good containers. And I would pay to have the right sizes!
I’m pretty sure there’s something wrong with either the directions for the cake or the pictures – or both. I just made this and realized there are pictures of a cake batter that includes milk and vanilla but none listed in the ingredient list. Also – the ingredients for the cake list 1 1/3 *tablespoons* of cocoa but 1 1/3 *cups* of flour. I didn’t notice that one until the batter was mixed (I was worried about the milk/vanilla thing) and realized it wasn’t very dark. Also – there’s a third of a cup of flour hanging near the end of the ingredient list for the cake that I didn’t know what to do with so didn’t include it (figured it was wrecked anyway). It’s done but I haven’t eaten any yet so I don’t know what it tastes like. It’s a birthday cake for my daughter. I’ll let you know after we eat it how it tastes.
What is the exact size of the pan you use?
Thanks!
I used a 9″ x 13″ baking pan.
This looks incredible! I have a major sweet tooth right now and looking at your pics is totally not helping. I’m definitely going to have to make this.
Chocolate and coffee go so well together any way you slice it! A winner here Peter! Looks fantastic and ecadent!
Thx for the laugh – “any way you slice it”! LOL
This cake looks wonderful!!!! I love the thick layers of coffee buttercream!
That is not how I set out to do but what I did to make the monster!
WOW, Peter ! This looks wonderful – definitely a Monster 😉
It is something!
What a labour of love, this! It’s absolutely gorgeous and I would quite gladly tuck into it! Yum!
Elizabeth, it is a labor but well worth it.
Monstrous pleasure!!!
LOL Katerina.
Spectacular Peter!!!
Thx Nancy.
Better than an opera cake, Peter! I love those thick layers…sounds so decadent and delicious.
Thx Catherine. You support the lemonade out of lemon theory.
What an elegant looking cake! I’m sure it tastes even better than it looks!! Any chance I could get an invite to your group Pinterest board – Blogger Recipes? It would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Mona, thx for stopping by. Happy to send you some invites. Can you send me your gmail address?
Oh my word! I’m not a big dessert eater, but I would devour this in a heart beat! This is amazing! Good job! Sometimes when things don’t come out how we expect, we get something even better! I guess that may go for life as well as for cake! Yum!
It certainly does Debi. Well said.
Can I have this for breakfast please?! I love the wibbly wobbly layers, adds so much to the visual appeal.
Back in the day, I would eat something like this for breakfast too.
what a great looking cake! reminds me of cake class in culinary school – layers upon layers of goodness.
It was great. It was a lot of work with all those layers though.
Once again you have made me a fan of cake, I don’t often see a cake that makes wish I had a slice, yours looks like I could have 2!!
Glad I could help Heidi.
This most certainly is a monster, in a good way. I wish I had a large piece right now with my coffee.
I am glad you clarified your comment Janette. 🙂
This looks absolutely amazing, I love all the layers of goodness you’ve used!
Thx so much Rebecca.
I’ve never heard of opera cake, but who the heck cares about that cake now that I’ve set my eyes on THIS!!! This is just the right amount of decadence. It looks like something I would totally order in a restaurant! Great job.
Thx Christine. I would say this is a lot of decadence!
Peter, this is a spectacular looking cake!!! Every layer sounds more delicious then the one before. Wonderful job!
Thank you very much Angela. The chocolate layers are awesome.
I love Opera cake! But I would NOT say no to this! It looks fantastic! 😀
It was the best I could do when my cake didn’t start out how I needed it.