C'est La Cuisine Feature: Opera Cake

Prep and assemble: 1 hr 10 minutes Bake: 12 minutes

For French Pâtisserie day, I made an Opera Cake. This looks phenomenal but is honestly super easy when you break down each section. This layered cake might remind one of Tiramisu but is a bit fancier. Let’s dive in.

Ingredients

Sponge Cake

• 3/4 cup almond flour

• 1/4 cup 2 tbls powdered sugar

• 3 tbls cake flour

• 2 eggs

• 2 egg whites

• 3/4 tbls sugar

• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Coffee syrup

• 1/2 cup brewed coffee (we used french roast)

• 1/4 cup sugar

Coffee buttercream

• 2/3 cup softened butter

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 2 tbls brewed coffee

Chocolate ganache

• 3 oz dark chocolate

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Sponge Cake

1. Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C)

2. In a large bowl whisk the 2 eggs together

3. Whisk in the powdered sugar

4. Add both flours and mix until smooth and combined

5. In a stand mixer (or hand mixer) whisk the egg whites until they start to foam

6. Add the sugar slowly so that it stars to thicken and you have thick peaks

7. Add about a third of this to the large bowl and mix well

8. Fold in the remainder of the egg whites gently to keep the air

9. Take a quarter baking tray and line with parchment paper, keeping some off the edges to lift later

10. Spread out the batter to make a rectangle

11. Bake for 12 minutes until springy to the touch

12. Allow to cool on a wire rack

13. Slice into 3 equal sections

14. Take the chocolate chips and melt them

15. Take 1 section of the sponge cake and spread the chocolate chips to create a layer

16. Put in the freezer to set

Coffee Syrup

1. Brew your coffee

2. In a pot on the stove, add the coffee and sugar, mixing well and allow to simmer

3. Set aside off the heat to cool and thicken

Buttercream

1. Add the softened butter and powdered sugar into the mixer and mix until a smooth cream icing, add the coffee and continue on medium until combined

2. Set aside

Chocolate Ganache

1. Heat the heavy cream (but do not boil)

2. Pour over the chocolate and stir until melted and smooth

Assemble

1. Take out the chocolate bottom cake layer you created

2. Flip so the hardened chocolate side is down

3. Brush the syrup over the top of this sponge

4. Add a layer of the butter cream

5. Add the next slice of sponge cake

6. Brush more of the coffee on top of this slice

7. Add a layer of the ganache

8. Set cake into the fridge to set the ganache layer, about 5 minutes minimum

9. Add a second layer to make a nice thick layer of ganache and set again for 5 minutes in the fridge

10. Add the last layer of sponge and brush with the syrup

11. Add the last of the butter cream on top of this layer

12. Use the last of the ganache to make the final layer on top of the stack

13. Allow to set in the fridge, the longer the better (over an hour)

14. Trim all edges to clean the look of the cake up

Afterthoughts

This was such a fun cake to make and my friends had a grand time eating it. The coffee was not a strong flavor but the layers were all very decadent and airy to eat through. This is a delicate cake that can easily impress the family! It is about a slice for maybe 2 people though for all the work.