This espresso cake is super simple and so good! It’s light, fluffy, and packed with coffee flavor. Perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea, or even as a holiday dessert!
As an Italian, this espresso cake brings together two of my absolute favorite things— espresso coffee and cake. It’s the perfect combo and a true taste of home!
It’s made with only 8 basic ingredients including shots of espresso coffee and dark chocolate, and doesn’t call for butter, so it feels a little lighter but still tastes amazing.
Enjoy it plain with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, or even add some chocolate chips on top for extra chocolatey goodness.
You can even easily turn it into a tiramisù cake! Simply top it with a layer of mascarpone coffee cream and a dusting of cocoa powder, like I did.
The result? An absolutely irresistible dessert all coffee lovers will love!
Other favourite ways to serve it include a scoop of vanilla ice cream or zabaglione cream for a truly indulgent dessert.
Did I mention this chocolate espresso cake is one of those classic Italian cakes that’s perfect for any time of day?
Enjoy it for breakfast with a cup of tea or cappuccino, as a sweet afternoon treat, or even as a Christmas dessert for the holidays!
Ingredients
This espresso cake recipe is made with basic ingredients you most probably have in your kitchen already.
Also, if you skip the mascarpone frosting, this cake is 100% dairy-free.
Here are the 8 ingredients you'll need:
- Coffee: I use freshly-brewed strong espresso coffee. You can use a coffee pod machine, a fancy espresso machine, or the truly italian moka pot.
- Chocolate: I use dark chocolate chips, you can swap them with semi sweet or milk chocolate chips for a milder chocolate flavor or skip them altogether.
- Eggs: Use medium-sized eggs, and make sure they’re at room temperature for the best results.
- Flour: All-purpose flour or Italian 00 flour Italian 00 flour works perfectly in this recipe.
- Olive oil: Use a light olive oil or sunflower oil, you can substitute with an equal amount of melted butter (at room temperature).
- Sugar: I use caster sugar (a finer version of granulated sugar), but regular granulated sugar or raw cane sugar are great alternatives.
- Vanilla: A teaspoon of pure vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor and adds a sweet, aromatic note.
- Baking powder: A small amount helps the cake rise beautifully and gives it a light, airy texture.
VARIATIONS
- Mascarpone Topping: Turn your Italian coffee cake into a tiramisu cake by topping it with a mascarpone coffee cream.
- Nuts: For added crunch and nutty flavor, you can add a handful of toasted nuts such as pecans, almonds or hazelnuts into the cake batter.
- Coffee glaze: For a stronger coffee flavour, whisk one cup (130 g) of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of cold espresso coffee, if it's too thick, add one extra tablespoon of coffee.
- Pastry cream: Slice the cake in half horizontally and spread a layer of Italian pastry cream (crema pasticcera) in the middle, for a luxurious dessert.
How to make espresso cake
This espresso cake recipe couldn't be easier to make!
You only need one bowl, and it takes just 10 minutes to put together.
Check out the quick recipe overview below with step-by-step pictures.
Scroll down until the end of the post for the full printable recipe.
STEP 1. Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla until you have a pale frothy mixture.
STEP 2. Slowly whisk in the oil, followed by the espresso coffee.
STEP 3. Place a sieve over the bowl, add flour, and baking powder, mix briefly to combine all the ingredients, then mix in the dark chocolate chips.
STEP 4. Pour the batter into the cake pan, and bake for about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cool completely.
Once your espresso cake is ready, top it with powdered sugar or with the mascarpone coffee cream and serve.
Italian espresso cake tips
- You can substitute the shots of espresso with instant coffee, simply dissolve 3-4 tablespoons of instant coffee granules in ½ cup of hot water.
- Always add the espresso coffee at room temperature and not hot.
- Use eggs at room temperature.
- You can use chopped dark chocolate instead of chocolate chips.
- For a stronger chocolate note, add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder to the cake batter.
- For best results, measure the flour accurately (I recommend using a scale). Do not pack it in.
- Always add flour and baking powder through a sieve, this will make your cake airy and fluffy.
Storage tips
- Serve: You can leave your espresso chocolate cake at room temperature for up to 1 hour. If you want to keep it out longer, store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry spot in your kitchen.
- Fridge: The cake will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Cut the cake into slices, place them on a tray, and freeze for 30 minutes. Then, transfer the slices into ziplock bags and freeze for up to 1 month.
More Italian cake recipes to try
If you loved this chocolate and espresso cake, try other family-favorite Italian desserts like apple cake, pear cake, almond cake or the famous hangover cake!
Did you try this recipe?
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Recipe
Italian Espresso Cake
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 180 g sugar, approx ¾ cup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 155 ml light olive oil, or sunflower oil, approx ⅔ cup
- 100 ml espresso coffee, at room temperature, approx ⅖ cup
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder,
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 80 g dark chocolate chips, approx ½ cup
Mascarpone coffee cream: (optional)
- 250 g mascarpone cheese
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 30 ml espresso coffee, approx ⅛ cup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F and adjust a baking rack onto the middle shelf. Grease and line with parchment paper a 9-inch cake pan and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla on high speed until the mixture is pale, light, and frothy.
- Gradually drizzle in the oil in a steady stream, allowing it to fully combine, then whisk in the espresso coffee.
- Place a sieve/ strainer over the bowl. Add flour and baking powder, and sift into the cake batter, followed by dark chocolate chips and a pinch of sea salt. Use a whisk to mix until just combined (do not overmix).
- Bake in the oven for approximately 40 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of baking time, cover the top of the cake with foil to prevent it from browning too much. To check if the cake is ready, insert a toothpick in the center, if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
- Remove the cake from the oven, allow to cool, then gently remove the cake from the pan.
- Once ready, dust the Italian espresso cake with powdered sugar or top it with the mascarpone coffee cream, and serve at room temperature.
Mascarpone coffee cream:
- Mix the mascarpone, sugar and coffee until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- I always recommend using a baking scale to weigh your ingredients. US cups measurements are provided but please refer to grams measurements for best results.
- You can substitute the shots of espresso with instant coffee, dissolve 3-4 tablespoons of instant coffee granules in ½ cup of hot water.
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- Always add flour and baking powder through a sieve, this will make your cake airy and fluffy.
- You can use chopped dark chocolate instead of chocolate chips.
- Always use eggs at room temperature.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
teresa matteucci says
recipe sounds good except you refer to it as 'an Italian almond cake' ...no almonds or almond flour as far as I can read !
Andrea says
Hello teresa, thank you for spotting the typo, which has now been corrected. The recipe is obviously for the espresso cake 🙂
Julie says
I just baked this espresso cake and first thing I wanna say it smells incredible, plus you can taste the coffee but it’s well balanced not overpowering. Also, I added the mascarpone coffee cream as suggested and boy it really is the perfect combo!! I will make it again for Christmas because it’s one of the best cakes I’ve ever made! Thank you Andrea 🙂