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Mocha Cake Recipe – 7 Layer Ombre Cake

August 3, 2021 By Gretchen 8 Comments

Ok so I’m obsessed with Ombre! I can’t help it!

This 7 Layer Mocha Cake in Ombre shades is going to change your life!

Mocha Cake Recipe - 7 Layer Ombre Cake

Before we even get started let’s just clear up one thing.

Mocha is a combination of chocolate and coffee.

Mocha Cake Recipe - 7 Layer Ombre Cake

It’s surprising that many people think Mocha is pure coffee flavored icing with a vanilla cake.

While this can be a fabulous flavor combination for a cake, it’s not a true mocha cake

A true mocha cake recipe is going to be chocolate and coffee together with typically a chocolate cake but I have seen it done with vanilla.

Today I am going to satisfy everyone all at once!

By starting with my vanilla cake recipe as a base and gradually adding cocoa powder to the layers for an eye catching Ombre effect!

Mocha Cake Recipe - 7 Layer Ombre Cake

Seven layers of cake with the filling and icing of pure mocha buttercream that will tie everything together for the most delicious and stunning cake ever!

Instant coffee granules and cocoa powder dissolved in hot water transforms your regular buttercream recipe into the most perfect Mocha Buttercream Icing ever!

Vegan Buttercream ~ Mocha Buttercream

Mocha Buttercream

As I mentioned I am using my best vegan vanilla cake recipe as the base recipe to make the graduating layers of light to dark cocoa.

The gradual addition of cocoa powder to this cake recipe will turn this cake into a more fudge-y brownie-like cake layer by the very last addition

While I don’t often try to talk you guys into buying “more stuff” it would be worth the investment to buy the 4- 1/8 sheet pans.

There are not many things that I say are “must haves” but lately with my Ombre obsession

These pans sure do make the work fast and efficient.

Mocha Cake Recipe - 7 Layer Ombre Cake

But if you don’t want to buy the pans or just aren’t into making the ombre layers at all,

You can certainly just make a chocolate cake with coffee buttercream filling and icing and be done with it!

And for those that still maintain that the Mocha Cake Recipe should be made with vanilla cake?

By all means get down wit’ yo bad self!

Now for those who want to get a little bit freaky, grab your quarter sheet pans and let’s Ombre it up!

Mocha Cake Recipe - 7 Layer Ombre Cake

Fun fact: the name Mocha is derived from the city of Mocha in Yemen which was one of the early centers of coffee trade.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS CAKE!

**In the video you may notice I keep saying 1/4 sheet pans! this was an error!

I am using 1/8 sheet pans!

One more note about this cake before we begin, is that it is a giant cake!

7 Layers of cake with the filling and icing makes a really tall cake that will serve close to 16 or 20 people!

So if you don’t need that much cake you can scale it down to just half recipe of cake batter for a very beautiful ~ 4 layer cake instead!

As you already saw my recent Matcha Green Tea Cake was only 4 layers and quite stunning!

Matcha Cake Recipe ~ Vegan Green Tea Cake

 

For my all time favorite layer cakes click the links below

Chocolate Orange Mousse Cake
Chocolate Orange Mousse Cake
Strawberry Vanilla Ruffle Cake
Strawberry Vanilla Ruffle Cake
Mint Chocolate Chip Cake
Mint Cake

Chocolate Orange Mousse Cake

Strawberry Vanilla Cake ~ Vegan

Mint Chocolate Chip Cake

 
 
4.5 from 2 reviews
Mocha Cake Recipe - 7 Layer Ombre Cake
 
Print
Prep time
90 mins
Bake time
20 mins
Total time
1 hour 50 mins
 
Note the servings on this cake!
If you do not need such a tall massive cake, scale everything by half!
Preheat your oven to 350°F
Grease & parchment line 4- ⅛ sheet pans
Be sure your ingredients are at room temperature before mixing
Adjust this recipe to a round cake by dividing the batter into 7-6" cake pans instead
Serves: serves 16-20 people
Ingredients
  • Vegan Butter *room temperature 1½ cups (336g)
  • Granulated Sugar 3 cups (600g)
  • Golden Flax Meal 8 Tablespoons (64g)
  • Hot water 1 cup (237ml)
  • Soy Milk 2 cups (474ml)
  • Apple Cider Vinegar 2 Tablespoons (30ml)
  • Vanilla Extract 2 teaspoons (10ml)
  • All Purpose Flour 5 cups (625g)
  • Baking Powder 6 teaspoons (12g)
  • Salt 1 teaspoon (6g)
  • Cocoa Powder 8 Tablespoons (48g)
  • 1 Recipe Mocha Buttercream
  • Optional garnish:
  • Cacao Nibs
  • ¼ recipe Vegan ganache
Instructions
  1. Combine the flax meal with the hot water & whisks smooth, set it aside to thicken
  2. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt
  3. Combine the apple cider vinegar with the soy milk and the vanilla extract and let it stand to thicken for approximately 5 minutes.
  4. With an electric mixer cream the softened vegan butter with the granulated sugar on medium to high speed for approximately 5 minutes until light & fluffy.
  5. Scrape the bottom & sides of the bowl as you mix and then add the flax paste while mixing on medium speed.
  6. Increase speed to high and whip for 30 seconds to emulsify
  7. Add ⅓ of the sifted dry ingredients mixing only until combined then add half of the soy milk mixture mixing just until combined
  8. Scrape the bottom & sides of the bowl and then add another ⅓ of the dry ingredients
  9. Add the rest of the soy milk mixture and then the last of the dry ingredients.
  10. Mix well
  11. Spread approximately 1¾ cups of the batter into one of your prepared pans.
  12. The first addition of cocoa powder will be 2 Tablespoons to the remaining batter in the bowl and mix well.
  13. Spread approximately 1¾ cups of the light cocoa batter into another pan
  14. The remaining cocoa additions will now only be 1 Tablespoon at a time to the remaining batter until all the cocoa powder is gone and you have spread the graduating layers of cocoa batter into each of your prepared pans.
  15. If you are like me and only have 4 - ⅛ sheet pans, you will have had to stop and wait for the first 4 to bake.
  16. The bake time in a preheated oven for these thin layers of cake are approximately 15-18 minutes or until springy to the touch when you gently press the centers.
  17. Cool the cakes, then re-grease & parchment line the cake pans again for the remaining batter and layers.
  18. Once the cakes are completely cooled, fill & ice with mocha buttercream
  19. Garnish with cocoa nibs and ganache drip * optional
Notes
7 Layer Mocha Cake can be stored at a cool room temperature for up to 2 days.

For longer storage keep refrigerated for up to 10 days

Freeze wrapped well for up to 2 months
3.5.3251
3.5.3251
3.5.3251

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: All Recipes, Cake Decorating, Layer Cakes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rajni

    June 7, 2021 at 8:28 pm

    Hi
    With thus recope u solved my problem, my daughter she is turning 21,and she want cake exactly like [email protected] but my question is I have gathering for 30/40 people,how much ingredients and what size cake pan should I use?
    Please let me know 🙏thanks

    Reply
    • Gretchen

      June 8, 2021 at 1:07 am

      Hey great! This cake will serve about 16 people, it’s quite large! So if you double it.. there is at least 30 servings 😀
      I would say to use ¼ sheet pans though for a larger cake 2X all the recipes, same method, temperature and bake time

      Reply
  2. Rachel

    August 6, 2021 at 4:03 pm

    Is it possible to do this in with circular cake pans, but just not fill up the pan entirely? Like weigh the batter and distribute accordingly?

    Reply
  3. Beth

    August 10, 2021 at 6:59 pm

    The first time around I tried the instant granules and it was okay but this time I used coffee emulsion and The Taste was absolutely incredible! I made my buttercream recipe as usual added cocoa powder and coffee Emulsion and I tested it so much my stomach hurt LOL

    Reply
  4. Beth

    August 10, 2021 at 7:00 pm

    Okay I just posted my comment and autocorrect put in a bad word I tried to say coffee Emulsion and well you can read what it wrote…..

    Reply
    • Gretchen

      August 10, 2021 at 8:16 pm

      LOL I corrected it for you ~ although I kinda liked the autocorrect version! hahahaha

      Reply
  5. Amy McCutchan

    August 25, 2022 at 8:13 pm

    Hey Gretchen!
    I know this is an old post so i hope you don’t mind me asking
    I was planning on making this but doing a 4 layer cake because I’ve only got about 8 people to feed. What ratios of cocoa powder would you recommend to add to keep the ombre effect?

    You’re amazing,
    Amy

    Reply
    • Gretchen

      August 25, 2022 at 8:46 pm

      Thanks Amy! Sure thing, If you wanted to keep the same size pans as me, but just make a 4 layer cake, you can do so by cutting the recipe in half.
      I would start with the plain vanilla layer as usual then add just 1 Tb cocoa to the next, and repeat again with just 1 Tb cocoa each time for the next 2 layers
      *As I mentioned in the text~ by doing it this way, you will end up with a more “fudgy” cake texture by the last layer.

      Reply

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Yep, it's me Gretchen~ Owner of Gretchen's Bakery. Well, I no longer own a physical bakery since I sold mine in late 2014 & since 2016 I make nothing but the best vegan recipes! Read More…

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