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The Best Mocha Heart Cake

This mocha heart cake is a showstopping layered dessert that combines rich chocolate cake with deep coffee flavor in every bite. Moist cake layers are filled and frosted with silky mocha buttercream and chocolate-espresso ganache, creating a balanced mix of sweetness and bitterness. Finished with decorative piped borders and a heart-shaped silhouette, it’s an elegant bake designed for celebrations, special occasions, or anytime you want a dramatic chocolate dessert that feels bakery-worthy.

Ivanna Lopez Guajardo & Raquel Alessi
Tasty Team
Total Time

3 hr 35 min

3 hr 35 min

Prep Time

25 minutes

25 min

Cook Time

3 hr 10 min

3 hr 10 min

The Best Mocha Heart Cake
Total Time

3 hr 35 min

3 hr 35 min

Prep Time

25 minutes

25 min

Cook Time

3 hr 10 min

3 hr 10 min

Ingredients

for 12 servings

Cake Layers:

  • cooking spray
  • 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup sifted cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons sifted instant espresso powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Chocolate-Espresso Ganache:

  • 5¼ (3.5-ounce) bars 70% cacao dark chocolate, finely chopped
  • 3 cups heavy cream, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons dark rum
  • 2 tablespoons sifted instant espresso powder
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Mocha Buttercream:

  • 3 lb sifted powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sifted cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons sifted instant espresso powder
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¼ cup heavy cream, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Chocolate-Espresso Buttercream:

  • 2 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream (as needed), room temperature

Additional Ingredients:

  • Gold edible pearls (assorted sizes)
  • Premade white fondant alphabet decoration

Preparation

  1. Make the cake layers: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with the racks in the upper and lower third positions. Lightly coat 3 (8-inch) heart-shaped silicone baking molds with cooking spray. Place the molds onto 2 half-sheet (18 x 13 inches) baking sheets: 2 molds on 1 baking sheet and the remaining mold on the second baking sheet.
  2. Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until incorporated and no streaks remain, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Whisk together the vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla in a separate large bowl until smooth and fully combined, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add the flour mixture to the oil mixture in 2 additions, stirring with a spatula until the ingredients are incorporated and no dry bits remain, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Do not overmix. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 prepared molds.
  5. Bake the cake layers on the upper and lower third oven racks for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Remove the cake layers from the oven, and let them cool in their molds for 15 minutes. Remove the cake layers from the molds, and place them on a wire rack. Chill them in the refrigerator until completely cooled, about 30 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
  6. Make the chocolate-espresso ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a large microwaveable bowl, and pour the cream over the top. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH until the cream is hot and the chocolate is mostly melted, about 3 minutes, stopping to stir every 30 seconds. Remove the mixture from the microwave, and let it stand for 1 minute. Stir until smooth and glossy. Stir in the rum, espresso powder, and vanilla until fully dissolved. (You will have about 6 cups ganache.)
  7. Divide the ganache evenly between 2 bowls, reserving 3 cups for drizzling between the cake layers and for piping the cake decorations, and the remaining 3 cups for making the base of the chocolate-espresso buttercream. Let stand at room temperature until cooled, about 30 minutes. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use. (If your ganache becomes too firm once you're ready to use it later, you can soften it by gently warming it in the microwave. Use very short bursts of 5–15 seconds on LOW or MEDIUM power, making sure to stir thoroughly after each burst. The ganache is ready when it is slightly warmer than room temperature, has a thick, syrup-like consistency, and easily slides off the back of a spoon.)
  8. Make the mocha buttercream: Whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 4–5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the powdered sugar mixture to the butter in 4 additions, beating on low speed for about 6 minutes, or until thick and tacky, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the cream and vanilla, and beat for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth, fluffy, and easily spreadable. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and set aside.
  9. Make the chocolate-espresso buttercream: Place a clean mixer bowl in the stand mixer. Add the butter, and beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until pale and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually beat in add 3 cups of the cooled chocolate-espresso ganache, 1 cup at a time, beating until fully incorporated, about 2 minutes per addition and stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition. Add the powdered sugar in 2 additions, including the salt with the second addition, beating until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes per addition, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the cream until the mixture is smooth, fluffy, and easily spreadable, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon cream if needed. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and set aside.
  10. Fit a piping bag with a 16mm round piping tip. Place the tip facing down into a tall glass, and fold the top of the bag over the rim to create a wide opening. Spoon mocha buttercream into the bag until it is about two-thirds full. This bag will be used to frost the cake. Remove the bag from the glass, unfold the top, twist it shut, and secure it with a rubber band. Set aside.
  11. Fit a second piping bag with a medium open star piping tip. Place the tip facing down into a tall glass, and fold the top of the bag over the rim to create a wide opening. Spoon mocha buttercream into the bag until it is about two-thirds full. This bag will be used for decorating the frosted cake. Remove the bag from the glass, unfold the top, twist it shut, and secure it with a rubber band. Set aside.
  12. Fit a third piping bag with a small leaf piping tip. Place the tip facing down into a tall glass, and fold the top of the bag over the rim to create a wide opening. Spoon mocha buttercream into the bag until it is about two-thirds full. This bag will be used for decorating the frosted cake. Remove the bag from the glass, unfold the top, twist it shut, and secure it with a rubber band. Set aside.
  13. Fit a fourth piping bag with a large open star piping tip. Place the tip facing down into a tall glass, and fold the top of the bag over the rim to create a wide opening. Spoon chocolate-espresso buttercream into the bag until it is about two-thirds full. This bag will be used for decorating the frosted cake. Remove the bag from the glass, unfold the top, twist it shut, and secure it with a rubber band. Set aside.
  14. Fit a fifth piping bag with a small open star piping tip. Place the tip facing down into a tall glass, and fold the top of the bag over the rim to create a wide opening. Spoon chocolate-espresso ganache into the bag until it is about two-thirds full. This bag will be used for decorating the frosted cake. Remove the bag from the glass, unfold the top, twist it shut, and secure it with a rubber band. Set aside.
  15. Place the cooled cake layers on a flat work surface. Using a long serrated knife held parallel to the counter, gently saw off the domed top of each cake layer to create a flat, even surface, ensuring all layers are uniform in height. (The shaved-off cake dome tops can be discarded or saved for other uses, such as making cake pops, parfaits, or milkshake mix-ins.)
  16. Place a small dollop of the mocha buttercream on the center of a turntable, cake board, or large plate. Place the first cake layer, cut side down, on the buttercream to anchor it in place.
  17. Using the piping bag fitted with the 16mm round tip and filled with mocha buttercream, pipe a ring of buttercream around the perimeter of the first cake layer. (This ring serves as a dam to contain the ganache and buttercream filling.) Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the chocolate-espresso ganache over the center of the cake layer. Using a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon, gently spread the ganache evenly across the center. Using the same 16mm round tip piping bag, fill the center of the cake layer with mocha buttercream, and then smooth it into an even layer using the offset spatula. Place a second cake layer on top, and repeat the process of piping and filling with the second layer. Repeat the process with the third cake layer.
  18. Using an offset spatula, apply a thin layer of mocha buttercream (from the 16mm round tip piping bag) over the top and sides of the stacked cake, smoothing over any crumbs and filling in any gaps (this “crumb coat” should be thin and even). Place the cake in the refrigerator, and chill for about 20 minutes, or until the frosting is firm to the touch.
  19. Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Using a paring knife, gently skim off the extra chilled frosting around the perimeter of the top of the cake. Spread a generous amount of mocha buttercream (from the 16mm round tip piping bag) around the sides of the cake in smooth, upward strokes, following the heart shape. Smooth the shape using a bench scraper or a spatula.
  20. Using the piping bag fitted with the large open star tip and filled with chocolate-espresso buttercream, pipe a continuous border of frosting around the outer edge of the top of the cake, starting at the top left corner of the heart's perimeter. Directly inside the chocolate-espresso border, use a piping bag fitted with a medium open star tip and filled with mocha buttercream to pipe a second continuous border on the top of the cake, again starting at the top left. Repeat this entire 2-layer piping process along the bottom perimeter of the heart, starting at the very bottom of the cake and moving up the cake.
  21. Using the piping bag fitted with the small leaf tip and filled with mocha buttercream, pipe a continuous row of curtains around the middle of the cake. Starting at the top left corner of the heart's perimeter, directly under the row of chocolate-espresso buttercream shell border, begin to pipe the curtains by holding the bag at a 45-degree angle with the V-points in a horizontal position, squeezing while pulling back, draping the frosting into a semicircle shape that meets back up to the bottom of the chocolate-espresso buttercream shell border. Repeat 5 times for a total of 6 curtains.
  22. Using the piping bag fitted with the small open star tip and filled with chocolate-espresso ganache, pipe small rosettes on top of the mocha buttercream curtains, spacing them out 2–3 inches apart from each other, until you reach the other side of the cake.
  23. Decorate the top of the cake with gold edible pearls and premade fondant decorations as you desire. Use extra frosting to pipe additional decorative rows of frosting and ganache onto the cake as you desire. Any remaining frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  24. The cake can be served immediately or stored in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. To store the cake in the refrigerator, chill it, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then insert toothpicks into the top and sides of the cake, and loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap. (Alternatively, you may store it in a cake box in the refrigerator.) For optimal flavor and texture, let the cake come to room temperature for 1–2 hours before serving.
  25. Enjoy!
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