My original post for yesterday was supposed to be the recipe for this awesome Mocha Torte that I made for my Dad’s 78th birthday. However, I ended up sharing how to rescue what seemed to be a ruined cake because I under baked it and it sank in the middle. So, as promised here is one of my all time favourite cake recipes. My friend Kirsten passed this cherished family recipe on to me a few years ago and like her family, it’s now one of my go to recipes as well! This is easy to make, looks great and tastes decadent. I love that you can make it the night before and it keeps perfectly!
Kirsten’s Mocha Torte:
Ingredients:
- Duncan Hines Fudge Marble cake mix (I often bake a chocolate cake from scratch instead)
- 1 cup margarine
- 1 Tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in 1/4 cup boiling water
- 2 cups icing sugar + 1/4 cup icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 2 cups of whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Optional decorations (chocolate curls, slivered almonds, etc.)
Method:
1. Bake cake mix in 2 round pans. Split into 4 layers by cutting each cake in half horizontally.
2. Mocha Filling: Put the softened margarine in a bowl. Add the coffee/water mixture, 2 cups of the icing sugar and cocoa. Beat until smooth.
3. Whip 2 cups of whipping cream. Add 1 t. vanilla and 1/4 c. icing sugar.
4. Assembly: Spread mocha filling on first layer, followed by whipped cream. Repeat 3 more times. Cover top and sides with whipped cream. Decorate as desired. Make one day ahead.
It wasn’t until I was typing out this recipe that I realized that I actually messed up when building my cake. That’s two major errors on the same cake. Yikes! (It has been a stressful week.) First I under baked the cakes and then I assembled it wrong. I actually never even thought about the assembly, as I was so consumed with salvaging the cake. I completely forgot to add a layer of whipping cream on top of the layers of mocha filling. I should have clued in when I went to complete the cake with the whipping cream on the top and sides. I generally feel there is not quite enough to do the sides nicely and end up giving the top a nice thick layer and then let it flow slightly over the edges, but with the sides and layers of the torte revealed. I was surprised when there was ample whipping cream to cover both the top and sides nicely – dah! Oh well, the flopped cake tasted great and no one knew the difference. (Including me, the gal that has made this exact recipe more times than I can remember!)
This is recipe is a sure hit! If you enjoy Mocha, you’ll love this.