Mocha Cake with Coffee Everything - Celebrating One Year of Mood!

Mocha Cake with Coffee Everything - Celebrating One Year of Mood!

Mood Turns One: Celebrate with Our Mocha Birthday Cake

Mood Artisan Coffee just turned one.

When I started Mood, my vision was simple: create a coffee company that put women first. Women producers. Women-led co-ops. Women with the courage to carve their own space in a male-dominated industry. One year later, I look back and see more than bags of coffee roasted and shipped across Canada. I see a community that has chosen to make their daily coffee a moment of intention.

So how do you celebrate one year of coffee that means something? With cake, of course. But not just any cake. A tall, unapologetically coffee-forward cake with Mood's coffee beans woven into every element: from the sponge to the frosting to the crunch.

This recipe brings together chocolate, caramel, and coffee in the most indulgent way. Think deep chocolate espresso sponge, salted caramel espresso buttercream, espresso shortbread crumble, and a whipped ganache frosting with dark chocolate (and coffee) that’s glossy and dramatic. It’s rich, layered, and intentional, everything Mood stands for.

Now, let’s bake.

🎂 Mood’s 1st Anniversary Mocha Cake

(Makes one 6-inch, 4-layer cake)

🟤 Chocolate Espresso Sponge

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups (185g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (90g) cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) sugar
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temp
  • ⅔ cup (160ml) freshly brewed espresso or strong coffee, cooled slightly
  • ⅔ cup (160ml) neutral oil
  • 3 large eggs, room temp
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prep: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two deep 6-inch cake pans with parchment.
  2. Dry ingredients: Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This keeps the sponge light and avoids lumps.
  3. Wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk sugar, buttermilk, cooled espresso, oil, eggs, and vanilla until glossy and smooth. The brewed coffee deepens the chocolate flavour while keeping the crumb moist.
  4. Combine: Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks remain. Over-mixing can toughen the cake.
  5. Bake: Divide evenly between pans (no more than ⅔ full to avoid overflow). Bake for 35–40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Cool and slice: Allow to cool completely before carefully slicing each cake in half horizontally to create 4 even layers.

☕ Espresso-Salted Caramel Buttercream

Ingredients

  • ⅔ cup (150g) unsalted butter, room temp
  • 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) salted caramel sauce
  • 2 tbsp freshly brewed espresso or strong coffee, cooled
  • ½ - 1 tsp sea salt (adjust to taste - I like a salty caramel!)

Instructions

  1. Beat butter until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  2. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low until incorporated.
  3. Blend in caramel, cooled espresso, and salt. Beat again until silky. This will be spread between layers to balance sweetness with a coffee bite.

🍪 Espresso Shortbread Crumble

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup (75g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ⅓ cup (65g) sugar
  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp very finely ground coffee (espresso grind)
  • Pinch salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
  2. Cream butter and sugar until light. Mix in flour, ground coffee, and salt until crumbly.
  3. Press dough thinly into a parchment-lined sheet pan.
  4. Bake 12–15 minutes until golden.
  5. Cool fully, then break into small chunks. These crunchy bits will add texture between layers.

🍫 Espresso-Dark Chocolate Ganache Whipped Frosting

Ingredients

  • 10 oz (280g) dark chocolate (60%), chopped
  • 1 ¼ cups (300ml) heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp freshly brewed espresso or strong coffee

Instructions

  1. Heat cream and butter until just simmering. Stir in espresso.
  2. Pour over chocolate and let sit 2 minutes before whisking into a smooth, glossy ganache.
  3. Chill in the fridge 45–60 minutes until thick but scoopable.
  4. Whip with a stand or hand mixer until mousse-like. This frosting is your final coat, rich and dramatic.

Assembly

  1. Place your first cake layer on a board or stand. Spread a layer of buttercream, then sprinkle generously with shortbread crumble.
  2. Repeat with the remaining layers, stacking evenly.
  3. Apply a thin crumb coat of whipped ganache to seal in crumbs. Chill 20 minutes.
  4. Spread the remaining ganache smoothly over the cake, using an offset spatula for sharp edges.
  5. Optional: Add a dark chocolate drip for extra flair. Finish with crumble or caramel swirls on top for texture.

A Celebration in Every Slice

This cake is a reflection of everything Mood stands for: boldness, intention, and craft. It’s coffee at its most indulgent, layered into every bite. Whether you’re baking it to mark an occasion or simply to savour the ritual of making something from scratch, it’s proof that coffee can do more than fill your cup. It can inspire joy, connection, and a little drama at the table.

Here’s to year one, and many more.

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