Chocolate Genoise Cake with Mocha Mascarpone … cake nirvana
George Harrison
I don’t think it’s going to be easy going back to regular frosting or whipped cream again. This was my maiden attempt at making homemade mascarpone, & I cannot believe how luxurious cream can get. Bless the Italians. Panna Cotta has been on my faves as dessert for long enough; now along comes mascarpone! WOW!! I bought a local brand of mascarpone a while ago, used it with Balsamic Strawberries here, though the dessert was delicious, the mascarpone itself was very disappointing. My homemade one just ROCKED!
With that idea in mind, I stopped by at Vera’s Baking Obsession, which is my ready reckoner of sorts now, and went through each cake recipe. Her chocolate genoise seemed like my answer. Yes, the idea was forming in my mind. The only ingredient deviation from Vera’s genoise recipe is that I used clarified butter/ghee instead of heating the 4 tbsps of butter & taking 3 tbsps once it was clarified. A simple shortcut as I have ghee at home. 
The crumb of the genoise was light, tender & moist, & the coffee syrup made it perfect! Sandwiched with a cream as luxurious & indulgent as homemade mascarpone, the cake was perfect. Just right – not exceedingly sweet, light, yet luxurious! I made the mascarpone 2 days in advance, the genoise a day in advance, & refrigerated both.
HOMEMADE MASCARPONE CREAM
as adapted from Baking Obsession
Makes about 12 oz
Ingredients:
600ml low fat cream (25 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Method:
-
Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering.
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Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating.
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Add the lime juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir.
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Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
CHOCOLATE GENOISE
As adapted from this recipe @ Baking Obsession
Ingredients:
3 tbsp clarified butter/ghee
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
4 large eggs (I used 5 as the eggs were smallish)
2/3 cup fine granulated vanilla sugar
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line, grease & flour an 8-inch round cake pan.
- Sift the flour and cocoa together three times; reserve.
-
Bring some water to a boil in a large pan/griddle & reduce to simmer. Place eggs & sugar in a large bowl, whisk constantly over the simmering water, heat the eggs to lukewarm (about 105F). Remove the bowl from the pan; leave the skillet on the stove but turn off the heat. With an electric mixer, beat the egg mixture at high speed until it has cooled, tripled in volume, and resembles softly whipped cream, about 5 minutes in a heavy-duty mixer or longer with a less powerful mixer.
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Meanwhile, set the bowl of clarified butter/ghee and vanilla in the skillet of hot water, with the burner off, to keep it warm.
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Sift about one-third of the flour and cocoa over the whipped eggs. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the mixture-quickly but gently-until combined. Fold in half the remaining flour and cocoa, then fold in the rest. Remove the warm butter mixture from the skillet. Scoop about 1 cup of the batter into the bowl with the butter and fold together until completely combined. Use the large rubber spatula to fold the butter mixture completely into the remaining batter. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and tilt to level.
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Bake until the cake beginning to shrink slightly around the edges and the top springs back when pressed with your finger, about 40-45 minutes. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a rack.
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To unmold, run a small knife or spatula around the inner edges of the pan. Invert it onto a rack and remove the parchment liner. Turn the cake right side up. The génoise can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
MOCHA MASCARPONE FROSTING
Ingredients:
12oz Mascarpone Cream (recipe above)
200ml low fat cream (25% fat)
1 tsp coffee powder (increase or omit as desired)
2-3 tbsps ground vanilla sugar, or regular sugar (according to taste)
Method:
-
Beat mascarpone cheese with a wooden spoon till smooth. Fold in the rest of the ingredients & mix with the spoon till smooth.
CHOCOLATE GENOISE CAKE with MOCHA MASCARPONE
Ingredients:
1 chocolate genoise sponge (recipe above)
1 portion of Mocha Mascarpone Cream (recipe above)
Coffee syrup
Dark chocolate shavings, flakes & coffee beans etc to garnish
To assemble:
-
Make a strong coffee syrup with 1/4 cup of hot water, 2-3 tsps sugar & 2 tsps coffee powder. Cool.
-
Cut the genoise into 2 horizontal layers.
- Place one layer on the cake platter. Brush well with the coffee syrup. Sandwich with a little less than half the mocha mascarpone.
- Top with the second layer, & brush that well with the coffee syrup.
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Frost the top & sides of the cake with the remaining mascarpone. Grate dark chocolate over the top, edge with coffee beans, & sift cocoa over the edges.
- Chill for 3-4 hours.
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Deeba @ PAB
About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.
92 Comments
Maria
Your cake is fantastic. You can't go wrong with chocolate!
Elle
Do you know what you have done? You've given me a craving for chocolate cake with mascarpone! It's a gorgeous cake–you've outdone yourself on this one. Just beautiful!
Nithya
Can something tempt me more than this one.. too much.. it looks absolutely delicious 🙂 Perfect cake.
browniegirl
OH MY HAT!!!!!!! YUMYUM!!! I am sooo going to try this soon. As soon as I stop running back and forth to hospital since Dons accident. Have had NO time for baking. Thank you Vindee. Ive never made mascarpone before and really want to try it as well. Cant always find it in the stores. I always make my own ricotta for the same reason. Happy birthday to your dad for whenever it was. Hugs & thanx for the good wishes xxx
lisaiscooking
This is just an incredible cake! You did a great job, as always. I'm going to have to try making mascarpone. It sounds amazing.
oneshotbeyond
this is one of those cakes I fear making! You make it all look so easy.
Judy@nofearentertaining
That cake looks so INCREDIBLE!!! Thank you so much for posting the homemade mascarpone, can't wait to try it. Now I just need to find the cream!
Rosa's Yummy Yums
That looks fantastic! An awesome genoise! How do you do to bake when it's hot? Everything tends to melt and the kitchen turns into a real sauna ;-P….
Cheers,
Rosa
Rush
the ultimate mascarpone cake..i wana a BIG BITE!!!
Barbara Bakes
Homemade mascarpone sounds amazing! A gorgeous cake – you may never need to go to a bakery again!
Pavithra
Looks heaven and moist lovely looking .. Wish to learn more from you..
pigpigscorner
ahhh chocolate, something I cannot resist! Looks so beautiful!
Fan of cakes
This looks so good! I am going to trying making this. Uhhhmm… This might sound silly, buy where do u get the coffee bean shaped chocolate and chocolate shavings for the decorations? (You can tell I am a novice)
Thank you!
Deeba @ PAB
hey thanks. I make all the decorations myself but I think you could buy coffee bean shaped chocolate at a confectionary.
Marta
Bless the Italians indeed!
I love homemade mascarpone, it just tastes so clean and fresh… and it's exponentially cheaper than store-bought!
This cake looks magestic!
Oh, by the way, I tried your chocolate, cherry, walnut bars and they came out delicious, I took them to a hike and they wer an absolute hit!! Thanks 🙂
The Duo Dishes
Your photos are so great, and this cake…well it is a delicious masterpiece. Very well done.
Soma
A slice of heaven & i could die for it! Deeba this is the best so far:-) If i ever go to Delhi, this is what i want from you;-D
I have no patience to read further now, will come back. right now i am just filling myself up with the pictures.
had no idea that mascarpone can be made at home! this is one of my fav. dessert (cheese).
oneordinaryday
Looks positively gorgeous. I didn't know you could make your own mascarpone. Thanks for sharing this!
unconfidentialcook
OMG, this is so fantastic, and right up my alley. I just LOVE it, and can't wait to give it a try. Gorgeous!!!
Helene
Homemade ricotta. This is so great. Love your cake. It's beautiful.
Steph
Deeba, your cake looks amazing!! I know it tastes better than a storebought cake judging by the nice crumb and the homemade mascarpone. I just attempted a genoise and it was horrible. It looked ok before it went into the oven, but once it was in, it bubbled like crazy and then collapsed into a flat board with a million large holes everywhere. I think genoises are the toughest cake to make and not everyone can do it. I hope one day I can finally bake one as nice as yours.
Linda
Like a work of art…just beautiful. It looks so delicious.
Liliana
Deeba, this cake is DECADENT! You did a wonderful job!
Tangled Noodle
Deeba, this cake is magnificent! It would be so difficult to choose which of your creations is my favorite but this would come very close to the top. I was so proud of myself for making crème fraîche and now you've given me a reason to try making mascarpone.
You've undone yourself with this cake . . . that is, until your next awesome baking endeavor!
Gloria
Deeba look absolutely WONDERFUL and AMAZING, you are a Master! xoxoxoxoxoxo Gloria
Gera @ SweetsFoods
Now I see the complete chocolate Nirvana hehe, not only at twitter… irresistible and spectacular!
Deeba I want at least a slice…
My sweet tooth is at the maximum level :)))
Cheers!
Gera
Jennifer
Over the top!!! WOW!!!!!!
Karine
That cake looks amazingly chocolaty delicious!
Jo
This is an absolutely gorgeous cake and I can already taste the mascapone and chocolate in my mouth.
Cheri
Oh my! This looks and sounds absolutely divine. I can't wait to try the mascarpone cheese. I stumbled across you on foodgawker.. and am I ever glad I did. I will definitely have to give the recipe a try!
arundati
what are you doing girl?? this is just fantastic….and i dont think i will ever be making it!! happy belated birthday to Dad…
Nags
i've only seen cakes like this in gourmet bakeries. whoah! 🙂
Heather
This truly is Cake Nirvana! Beautiful – and thanks for the lovely recipes too.
Madhuli
Hey Deeba..what a cake..blissful and I am specially happy since you have made the mascarpone making look so easy!thanks…i wish I stayed in delhi!:)
Prathibha
That look absolutely gorgeous..Wish I could have had a bite of it..
Rachelle @ "Mommy? I'm Hungry!"
Oooh, that is beautiful, and looks so delish!
If I ever get around to making Tirimisu, I want to make my own mascarpone too.
muralimanohar
Homemade mascarpone. I would have never have thought of that on my own But you made it so easy, I HAVE to try it! 😀
Nicisme
I've never made my own mascarpone, but I use it a lot in cakes, I might try it myself after seeing this.
The cake lookes awesome, would really love a slice, or two – no – make that three!!
Sophie
What a fabolous filled coffe & chocolate cake:
absolutely filling, decadent & so awesome!! waw!!
Pari
Wow Thats a beautiful cake. You are truly a daring Baker Deeba. I have been just planning and planning of making mascarpone at home but never 'dared'. Will take some inspiration from you.
Raaga
lovely cake. Which brand of mascarpone are you talking about? Flanders? I didn't buy it though I saw it. Am off desserts for a while 🙂
Eliana
Homemade marscarpone sounds divine! Awesome job.
Curry Leaf
Awesome.I too would have licked the plate clean and demanded more and more.Love the cake,thanks for the mascarpone recipe as well.You r truly PASSIONATE
Dharm
Ooh! Oooh! I want some of this now!! Tell me, does Dutch Process really make a difference or would ordinary cocoa do? What about that homemade mascarpone – truly inspiring!!
Lucy
Eye candy at it's best!! soooo tempting!
Tartelette
Nothing beats homemade dairy! And to turn it into such a gorgeous cake? Well, bravo!! Absolutely delish!!
stephchows
ok WOW, this cake looks amazing!!! GREAT JOB!!!!
Donna-FFW
That is a beautiful masterpiece. The frosting alone sounds like a bit of Heaven!
nithya at hungrydesi
oh, wow. can i just order one from you?
Teanna
Deeba, that cake is outSTANDING! WOW WOW WOW!
Zita
Congrat's on your dad's b'day, this is defenitely the cake from my kind of heaven 😉
I'm a triple teen but I'll lick the plate to if I was served a slice of this cake 🙂
Dana
Holy wow! Absolutely gorgeous. You did such great work here and the photos are phenomenal. My birthday is at the end of the month… 🙂
Betty's Cuisine
This is an absolutely fantastic cake! You have done a great job here…Bravo!!!
RedFenyx
OMG! This chocolate cake seems to be delicious!
I do love mascarpone too, as many italians do ;D
Definitely have to try it!
Natashya
Such a gorgeous cake! And congratulations on making your own mascarpone. I have that on my list of things to make, I am trying to get cheesy this year. 🙂
Donh
The Tbs of lime juice? The picture looks like lemons?
Ramya Kiran
Wow, this cake looks magnificent and scrumptious! I dint know Mascarpone cheese could be made at home. Lovely clicks too!
Marc @ NoRecipes
Looks delightful. I almost never crave chocolate desserts, but now I want this!
ButterYum
My taste buds are flipping over this flavorful combination! Looks amazing!
My comfort food network
This is sooooo mouth watering!!!! Drooooool! I can't imagine you made mascarpone at home. That is so awesome. I wouldn't have even imagined that you could make it at home. This looks really rich. Beautiful!
jasmine
It looks amazing. I love how you made your own marscapone.
j
Vera
What a gorgeous cake, Deeba! Your dad must be so pleased! Very Happy Birthday to him and the best wishes!
Thank you very much for using the recipes and for your kind words 🙂
Hanaâ
Wonderful cake, Deeba. Decadent and creamy. I have Vera's mascarpone recipe on my todo list. After seeing your post, I bumped it up higher on my list :o)
Congrats on the most popular blog post!!! :o)
What a sweet daughter you are to make your dad such a gorgeous cake. He must be proud. Happy bday to him.
Ria
What a stunner Deeba!!! It's really beautiful!! I'm sure your dad must have had a great day with such a great baker in his daughter!! Belated Birthday Wishes to your Dad!!! 🙂
Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]
The cake looks soo good! You've officially made me want to make mascarpone now, something I NEVER thought I would do!! You are a great daughter 🙂 Belated birthday wishes to your dad!
Shabs..
Cudnt go without passing this comment on to u…..ur cake looks absolutely fabulous……and the photo is fantastic….great job…bookmarking u ….
cheers
Kerstin
Words can't describe how amazing your cake looks Deeba! Wow! The mocha mascarpone sounds so fantastic on its own!
Antonio Tahhan
the mascarpone in the middle sounds heavenly, as does everything around it.
Miakoda
This looks so luscious, Deeba and I'm always grateful for finding such recipes on your blog coz being in India too, most of the time, I can find the ingredients to re-create some of your delightful treats 🙂
Parita
Fabulous deeba! looks soo good!
Who Has Time To Cook?
Oh my. I keep thinking about everything my husband would do for me if I made him this cake. You think women are chocoholics — you haven't met my husband!
Divya Vikram
Looks just divine and gorgeous!
lisa (dandysugar)
Fantastic! Homemade mascarpone cream is my favorite frosting on a cake. I rarely ever do buttercreams anymore. Beautiful cake, Deeba! A perfect birthday gift!
Peter M
Deeba, my jaw has dropped – which isa good thing because now I can gulp a huge slab of this cake….Bravo, m'lady.
syrie
You are a true artist. This is absolutely stunning.
Yasmeen
Fabulous as always,Deeba!.Luscious homemade mascarpone sounds easy to make.
meeso
Nirvana, no kidding!
Palidor
Your layers look perfect. I wish I could tort a cake as well as you can.
Kamran Siddiqi
My kind of cake! Chocolate. I love how you used coffee syrup in the cake and coffee beans as a garnish. It really boosts the taste of the chocolate, which I love.
Bridget The Internet Chef
Hi Honey!
What a beautiful recipe, thank you for sharing!
I love it so much I've included it the "Top 21 Chocolate Cake recipe posts on twitter"
Keep up the good work!
Love,
Bridge
nora@ffr
ye cake look soo pretty!! sound choclatishly yummyy! 😀
stephchows
Fabulous!!! simply fabulous 🙂
Anonymous
Hi! love ur creations! i tried making mascarpone and i think it turned out ok..it was dry wen i took it out of the fridge.But then to make the frosting wen i mixed with with a spoon and just little cream..it turned out watery u know not the cosistency of cream…Could u tell me where i went wrong?Thanx. Bsh.
Parita
Hi Deeba, I am planning to make some mascarpone cheese at home for a friend's bday cake all thanks to u as u r the inspiration 🙂 I wanted to know the shelf life of mascarpone cheese and how can i store it in fridge? is there any specific way? Thanks!
lúdanyó
Hi, Deeba, I made this cake for my Mother's 75th birthday and it was excellent!! She loved it (and we also). Thank you for the recipe 🙂
s
This was one helluva fantastic cake. I made it a while back but am posting it now…thanks a ton deeba.
Mary Jeanette
i’m so gonna bake this cake!!
kalpana
Superb cant stop replying about the pictures displayed .Thanks for the recipe.
Aruna
Thanks a ton! I am making this right now for my marriage anniversary. It seems to have turned out pretty ok.
Aiyesha
Hi Deeba, I am planning to bake this for my mum’s birthday right now. Quick Question – does the Genoise recipe actually use only 1/3 cup flour or should it be 1/2 cup instead? I googled other Genoise recipes and they all have 1/2 cup flour for 1/3 cup cocoa so that got me thinking. I will go ahead and try it out the way you have it written here.. hope it turns out okay 🙂 Would really appreciate it if you could confirm. Thanks a ton – Aiyesha
Aiyesha
Update – my genoise turned out pretty dry and flattish. I think I should have beaten the egg mixture a bit longer as even though it tripled in volume and turned lighter in colour, it still seemed thin. 🙁
kalpana
I made this cake and it tasted heavenly. My relatives live in France, when I told them that I made mascarpone they were stunned as they themselves haven’t tried it and they use store bought ones.
loads of thanks for sharing I haven’t left a comment in the recent years in any of the sites but this post is simply fantastic which pushed me to type this comment and I am a half baker by trying your recipes .Thanks once again