5 from 1 vote

Italian Espresso Cake

This espresso cake is super simple and so good! Light, fluffy, and packed with coffee flavor. Perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea or dessert.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Serving: 12

Calories: 186kcal

Author: Andrea Soranidis

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

Baking tips:

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.
For a stronger chocolate note, add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder to the cake batter.
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.

Storage tips:

Store your cake in an airtight container in the fridge or in a cool spot in your kitchen, for up to 3 days. You can cut into slices and freeze individually in freezer bags up to 3 months.

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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.