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–+ servings
cappuccino cake decorated with chocolate shavings and whipped cream on a tall cake platter.
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5 from 1 vote

Cappuccino Cake

An amazingly moist cappuccino cake with whiskey, filled with luscious cream cheese and whipped cream filling.
Prep Time2 hours
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Cakes
Cuisine: American, German
Servings: 12 -16 slices
Calories: 303kcal
Author: Adina

Equipment

  • springform 8-inch/ 20 cm
  • Electric mixer
  • Saucepan large enough to hold the entire egg-cream cheese mixture + the whipped cream at the end

Ingredients

Cake (Note 1):

  • 3 eggs large
  • 2 tablespoons warm water
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 g
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour 90 g
  • ¼ cup cornstarch 30 g
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Cappuccino filling:

  • 3 egg yolks Note 2
  • 4 tablespoons whiskey + a few tablespoons more for a stronger whiskey taste, Note 3
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 6 teaspoons instant cappuccino
  • ⅔ cup cream cheese 150 g
  • 2 sheets gelatin I use Dr. Oetker
  • 1¼ cup heavy cream 300 ml

Soaking mixture:

  • ⅓ cup strong coffee or espresso, 75 ml
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons whiskey

Decoration:

  • ⅔ cup heavy cream 150 ml
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • chocolate coffee beans optional (one for each slice of cake)
  • 1 teaspoon instant cappuccino
  • dark chocolate shavings

Instructions

Cake:

  • Preparations: Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Line the base of the springform with parchment paper. Don't line or butter the sides of the form.
  • Egg whites: Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites and the warm water until stiff peaks start to form. Slowly and gradually add the sugar while beating all the time until the egg whites are stiff and glossy.
    3 eggs + 2 tablespoons warm water + ¾ cup granulated sugar/ 150 g
  • Egg yolks: Lightly beat the egg yolks in a small bowl with a fork. Add them to the egg whites and incorporate them very carefully.
  • Add dry ingredients: In another bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Sieve them over the egg mixture and incorporate them carefully using a silicone spatula or a larger spoon.
    ¾ cup all-purpose flour/ 90 g + ¼ cup cornstarch/ 30 g + 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • Bake cake: Pour the mixture into the prepared springform and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until golden. A toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake should come out clean.
  • Cool cake: Remove the cake from the springform and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

Filling:

  • Make the filling: Place the egg yolks, whiskey, sugar into a heat-proof bowl, and beat on bain-marie for about 10-13 minutes or until the mixture thickens slightly. You will have to stand by and whisk continuously.
    3 egg yolks + 4 tablespoons whiskey + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • Tip: Make sure that the water doesn't start to boil at any time; if it does it will ruin your mixture. If the water starts to simmer, remove from the heat, continue whisking, and only return to the heat when the water has cooled down a bit, so it will not simmer anymore.
  • Add cappuccino: When the mixture has thickened slightly, remove it from the heat and mix in the instant cappuccino powder. Leave to cool completely.
    6 teaspoons instant cappuccino
  • Add cream cheese: When the egg mixture has reached room temperature, add the cream cheese to it and incorporate, the mixture should be smooth.
    ⅔ cup cream cheese/ 150 g
  • Soak gelatin: Place the gelatin sheets in a bowl and cover them with cold water. Let bloom according to the packet's instructions, 10 minutes in my case.
    2 sheets gelatin
  • Dissolve gelatin: Squeeze the gelatin leaves slightly and place them in a saucepan That is large enough to hold the entire egg-cream cheese mixture + the whipped cream at the end. Place the saucepan on the lowest heat possible and start dissolving it while stirring continuously with a spoon. This is a matter of seconds. Do not let the gelatin overheat or start boiling. Just stir for 10-15 seconds or until it becomes liquid without starting to simmer.
  • Mix filling: Add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture to the dissolved gelatin and stir vigorously and thoroughly until completely incorporated. Add another tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture and stir again until incorporated. Proceed in the same matter until about half of the cream cheese mixture is incorporated. After that, you can start adding 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture at a time without any risks of getting a clumpy filling.
  • Chil briefly: When all the cream cheese mixture is incorporated place the saucepan in the fridge and let the filling stand until it starts to thicken. It should only START to thicken, not become stiff already.
  • Whip heavy cream: In the meantime, beat the heavy or whipping cream until soft peaks form.
    1¼ cup heavy cream/ 300 ml
  • Add heavy cream: Check the cream cheese mixture after about 5 minutes or so and if it has started to thicken, carefully fold in the whipped cream. Taste the mixture and add more whiskey if you want a stronger whiskey taste. I did add about 3 tablespoons more.

Soaking mixture:

  • Brew a strong coffee or espresso. Let cool and mix with vanilla extract, sugar, and whiskey.
    ⅓ cup strong coffee / 75 ml + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + 4 tablespoons whiskey

Assemble:

  • Slice the cake into 3 slices (Note 3).
  • Assemble the cake: Place one slice of the cake on the serving platter. Soak it with about half the whiskey-coffee mixture. Use a bit less liquid for a less moist cake; it is a matter of taste, but we loved it really moist in this case. Spread half of the cream cheese filling on top.
  • Cover the cake: Place the second slice of cake on top and soak it with the whiskey-coffee mixture. Spread the remaining filling on top and cover with the last cake slice.
  • Refrigerate the cappuccino cake for several hours, ideally overnight.

Decorate:

  • Whip heavy cream shortly. Slowly add the sugar and vanilla extract and continue whipping until the cream is stiff.
    ⅔ cup heavy cream/ 150 ml + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Cover cake with cream: Place 2-3 tablespoons of the whipped cream in a piping bag. Use the rest of the whipped cream to generously and smoothly cover the cake.
  • Mark the cake slices on the top of the cake, 12 to 16 slices, depending on how large you want them.
  • Decorate cake: Pipe the remaining whipped cream on top of the cake and decorate it with the chocolate coffee beans, if you are using them. Sprinkle the top of the cake with some instant cappuccino powder and the sides of the cake with dark chocolate shavings.
    1 teaspoon instant cappuccino + chocolate coffee beans + dark chocolate shavings
  • Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Notes

  1. Measurements: Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
  2. Whiskey: I had Tullamore Dew.
  3. Leftover egg whites: You can freeze them in a small container or freezer bag for up to 1 year. 
  4. Tip: Cut one sheet of baking paper in half. Place the baking paper halves, slightly overlapping in the middle, on the cake platter. This will allow you to decorate the cake with whipped cream directly on the platter without making the platter dirty. When you are finished decorating, carefully pull away the baking paper from underneath the cake.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice from 14 | Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 98mg | Sugar: 17g