This is it everyone. I am super stoked about this weeks post because A.) blogeina is giving me mad props on blogging and has given me the hook up on the hook up. and B.) This cake is an insanely good, slap yo mama worthy recipe!
Anyhoot, I just got into my hotel room here in San Franciso working a flight in from Honolulu! The passengers are always so nice coming from Hawaii. It’s that vacation spirit they got going on. What a nice change of pace serving Hawaiian vacationers versus businessmen. The airlines has us staying in the financial district here in Chinatown and I love getting lost shopping at the tea bars and going to the bakeries. The Chinese have a similar version of a mocha frosting in some of their pastries that resemble that of the Filipino mocha cake, which is the recipe I am sharing on this weeks post for the end all and be all cake of the Philippines.
I’ve searched far and wide for the infamous mocha sponge cake recipe just like how the famous Filipino Goldilocks bakery does it and after several attempts and failures, I’ve finally come up with a winner. I was driven to make this cake, mainly because of my love for it as a child. And my shear determination of finding the “secret” recipe no Filipina would ever share with me. That and I recently purchased a half sheet mocha cake from a lady that sold it out of her house and the price was dang near 75 dollars. What?! I couldn’t figure out why it was so expensive. Then when I made it for the first time, I realized how labor intensive this cake was to make. Now I understand why she charged me like she was about to take my house. I recently made this cake for my brothers birthday and I give myself mad props for my baking skills! It was a hit. There were no leftovers. To best describe Filipino mocha cake, it is light, fluffy and not too sweet! The frosting is light, sweet and buttery, enhanced with a yummy chocolatey-coffee flavor. It is one of the best, if not, most popular cakes in the Philippines and I am in love with it. Before I get started, this recipe has more pictures than I usually put up on my food posts because it is so labor intensive. Sorry about that! Hope you all enjoy it.
As always thank you for visiting. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask, vote 5 stars 😉 or even follow me. I have a ton of recipes on this site you maybe interested in. I would love that! I’ll get back with you as soon as I can with your questions and comments. Promise. Happy eating and have a beautiful day!
This recipe is made in a 12 by 18 inch cake pan which serves 54 people when cut in 2 by 2 inch pieces.
What you will need:
cooking spray
parchment paper
12 large eggs yolks
1 and 3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp instant coffee granules
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp water
1 cup oil
2 cups cake flour
2 and a 1/2 tsp baking powder
12 egg whites
2 tsp cream of tarter
For the butter-cream mocha frosting:
1 1/3 cup sugar
6 large egg whites
4 sticks of unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon water
Procedure:
1.) Spray the bottom of cake pan with cooking spray. I am using a 12 by 18 by 2 inch Wilton cake pan.
2.) Cut a piece of Parchment paper to size of the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
3.) Starting with the cake batter, separate egg yolks and eggs whites. Set aside egg whites for later use. Meanwhile, in a large bowl or standing mixer, mix egg yolks and sugar until you reach a fluffy pale yellow consistency. About 3 minutes.
4. ) Mix Vanilla, cocoa powder, instant coffee, oil in small separate bowl. Then pour to mixture and mix well.
5.) Sift cake flour and baking powder and add to wet ingredients. Mix well!
6.) In a separate bowl, fluff egg whites. Add cream of tarter and mix until white peaks form.
7.) Take your fluffed egg whites and gently fold with a large spatula into cake batter a third at a time being very carefully as not to deflate the mixture.
Your batter will go from a dark brown dense consistency to a light fluffy, airy batter like so………..
8.) Pour on parchment lined baking sheet.
9.) Place in a preheated 375 degree oven. This cake cooks very fast. Bake on the bottom rack for 8 minutes and then the top rack for another 8 minutes.
Here it goes on the bottom rack…
And then the top rack half way through baking…..
Cake is done when you insert a knife or toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean. Cool completely.
For the frosting,
10. ) make a double boiler by putting a large glass heat proof bowl over a sauce pan halfway filled with water..
11.) Place sugar and egg whites in bowl and set on a stove in your double boiler with water already boiling in the bottom of double boiler…
12.) Immediately start blending with a hand held electric mixer blending so the eggs do not cook. mix until you reach a marshmallow like consistency. About 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan being careful as the bowl will be very hot.
13.) Place in a standing mixer and beat on medium for 5 minutes
14.) Add half of room temperature butter and beat until well incorporated and then add the second half of the butter. Beat for another 10 minutes on medium speed.
15.) Mix water, instant coffee, vanilla, cocoa powder in a separate bowl. Then pour into frosting and mix well.
Now you are ready to frost
16.) Invert cooled cake onto a cake board, then carefully peel back parchment paper.
17.) Begin frosting cake with a cake spatula. A butter knife will do if you don’t have one. Since it was my brothers birthday, I decided to get out my fancy piping bags…..
18. ) and make a shell border…..
19. ) Then I took about a quarter cup of the frosting and a few drops of green food coloring in a bowl mixed and put in a sand which bag. Snipped the end for piping the lettering for “happy birthday” .
20.) And I usually sprinkle dark chocolate shavings on top but my son trumped me with the sprinkles so hey, why not!
And voila! The infamous Filipino mocha cake in all its glory. Packed and ready to go! Fil-Am cook here….Represent!!!!
March 1, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Yum. I had never heard of a mocha cake. I bet I would love it though!
March 2, 2012 at 11:02 am
Wow, that looks fantastic. What a lot of money to buy one! It makes more sense to make it yourself. I find baking very relaxing so it’s like an afternoon of fun ending up with a beautiful cake. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
March 2, 2012 at 3:41 pm
This looks good and I have everything I need to make it. Thanks
Easy2Save
March 2, 2012 at 4:50 pm
This looks delicious. Great job teaching us how to bake it, maybe a bit too many pictures for my attention span. Enjoy the cake!
March 2, 2012 at 9:02 pm
That cake sounds amazing! Now all I need is a good excuse to make one. 🙂
March 2, 2012 at 10:04 pm
WOW that is so many eggs that must be amazing! i have to pin this for later!
March 3, 2012 at 2:36 am
this is such a popular cake in among the filipinos! there were already a few that like my pin
March 7, 2012 at 9:47 pm
Yes best selling cake. Because it’s affordable and delicious. I miss Goldilocks.
My cousin works as a quality control in their bakery and she used to bring us toasted cake sidings. It really tastes good.
March 9, 2012 at 4:34 pm
really???? that is so awesome!!! i love goldilocks and i am jealous. glad you liked the post
March 21, 2014 at 12:27 am
Will it turn out okay if i cut the recipe in half? the cake is too big and i only want to make half of that cake
October 1, 2015 at 4:19 am
I’m not so sure. I have never tried! Good luck
March 3, 2012 at 12:02 am
I’m going to pass on the mocha cake because I don’t like the flavor of coffee and chocolate together in any food, HOWEVER I am definitely going to search your site for other recipes because I love Filipino cooking. Especially banana lumpia. I also love any island cooking, as I grew up in Hawaii. Just made a batch of mochi last week, although I haven’t posted that recipe on my site yet.
-Viva recently posted Homemade Pizza Dough
March 3, 2012 at 2:35 am
you have to give me the recipe for mochi i would love that! thanks!
March 3, 2012 at 12:09 am
Wow, gorgeous cake! Your brother is one lucky guy. 🙂 I love the sprinkles, tell your son that was a nice touch. You mentioned Hawaii, that is one place I do want to go someday and see and get in that gorgeous blue water. Is the water really blue like they show in photos? Thanks for sharing this recipe with us!
March 3, 2012 at 12:40 am
ooo that does look good but not for my diet lol
I will try it out so thanks for sharing
March 3, 2012 at 1:23 am
Can you really taste the coffee? I’m really weird and not a fan of the way coffee tastes, but I love the way it smells.
March 3, 2012 at 2:34 am
yes and no. my husband hates coffee but he really likes this cake
March 3, 2012 at 4:29 am
What a tasty looking recipe! Thanks for sharing!
March 3, 2012 at 3:18 pm
Yum. I heart buttercream frosting! Enjoyed your sense of humor and the pics throughout your post.
March 3, 2012 at 3:52 pm
That looks so good! Way too labor intensive for me to attempt, but I volunteer to be the taster for anyone who does.
March 3, 2012 at 3:59 pm
This sounds absolutely delicious. Any recipe that calls for a little coffee is right up my alley. And…my husbands birthday is just around the corner. It was meant to be! Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
March 4, 2012 at 3:18 am
mmmmm! This looks really really tasty. Thanks for sharing!
March 4, 2012 at 3:51 am
Sorry, too much work for me! But I sure would love to taste one. Good Job.
March 4, 2012 at 4:31 am
I WANT TO EAT THIS CAKE.
March 4, 2012 at 5:51 pm
Sounds yummy I will have to try it with my family and see what they think about it as I Love to find new desserts we have not tried before.
March 4, 2012 at 7:04 pm
That looks delicious and came out really pretty! Love the detailed instructions, as a mediocre baker, I definitely need them!
March 4, 2012 at 9:02 pm
your cake and my “OMG i will be on the red carpet in 6 weeks diet” aren’t going to be friends…. LOL
March 4, 2012 at 11:21 pm
I love the step by step pictures and instructions!
March 5, 2012 at 12:06 am
Looks delish! I will have to try some time.
March 5, 2012 at 12:39 am
Although, I’ve never heard of a mocha cake it sounds really good. Thanks for sharing
March 5, 2012 at 1:35 am
Very yummy! Your photos are amazing! What a great step by step tutorial!
🙂
Lisa
March 5, 2012 at 3:02 am
My sugar-free self is jealous right now. 😉
March 5, 2012 at 4:55 am
This recipe looks delicious! Great work on the decorating, too. How did the frosting turn pink in the last photo?
March 5, 2012 at 11:06 am
oh, yum! I think I just gained 5 lbs reading this recipe, but I am gonna try this soon!!!
March 5, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Looks and sounds delicious! A bit too much time in the kitchen for me though. I think I’ll have to get some friends together to split the bill and find someone who will make it for us!
March 5, 2012 at 3:15 pm
that recipe looks delicious!
March 5, 2012 at 4:40 pm
I love your quest to make the perfect cake! Determination pays off, it looks super tasty!
March 5, 2012 at 10:00 pm
This sounds so good! Except that I hate coffee and therefore anything made with coffee. 🙂 I wonder if I could make it using extra cocoa powder in place of the coffee…
March 5, 2012 at 10:05 pm
Sounds and looks yummy! Your job sounds pretty cool too.
March 5, 2012 at 10:57 pm
Wow, that sounds awesome! You did such a pretty job piping the icing. That is a talent!
March 6, 2012 at 1:44 am
Wow, that sounds like a really yummy cake, though I’m not much a domestic gal so passing my hands would just ruin your recipe so I will leave it to the pros and pass it on to my baking friends! You’re a flight attendant huh?! You were just here in SF and you didn’t email me for a meet-up?! Please stop by to say hi the next time you are here, I would love to meet some of my fellow bloggers! My sister is also a FA, I’m not sure how you keep a balanced life between having an intense travel schedule, hubby, kid, and anything else!!! I’m having a hard time without a travel schedule! Would love to keep in touch with you and stop by my blog if you get a chance:
http://www.mommykangaroo.blogspot.com
March 6, 2012 at 2:48 am
The cake looks beautifully decorated. I have to decorate all our families cakes because I like to make the cake and frosting from scratch and decorate too. I don’t do the shells as well as you though.
March 6, 2012 at 2:59 pm
This cake looks amazing! I might have to give it a try sometime very soon. It sounds wonderful as I find most cake and frosting to be a bit too sweet for me. Thanks for the great recipe!
March 6, 2012 at 3:20 pm
Looks delicious! I can see why you were charged $75, it does seem labor intensive!
March 6, 2012 at 3:50 pm
I can’t wait to try this! Yummy!
March 6, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Sounds and looks divine!!!
March 6, 2012 at 7:19 pm
This cake looks wonderful.
March 6, 2012 at 7:30 pm
This cake looks so good. I will have to try to make it sometime. I will bookmark your post so I can find it again. Thanks for the great recipe. I may have to make this for my birthday this year.
March 6, 2012 at 8:06 pm
Looks great! I’ve never made a cake from scratch, may have to do something like this for the next birthday 🙂
March 7, 2012 at 12:13 am
Wow, that looks amazing! Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe.
March 7, 2012 at 1:00 am
Wow, thanks for the recipe/tutorial. I once made a cake from scratch and it is a lot of work, but so worth it! Also, you are so kind to actually share the “secret” recipe :).
March 7, 2012 at 1:13 am
That looks so delicious!! I lived in San Francisco for 2 years while I was in college, but I never heard of this cake. I’ll have to try it out sometime 🙂
March 7, 2012 at 1:34 am
That cake looks yummy, but it does look like a lot of work. thanks for sharing!
March 7, 2012 at 1:47 am
Yummy, that cake looks delish!
March 7, 2012 at 2:36 am
Looks delicious. I like the tutorial because my cooking skills aren’t the best.
March 7, 2012 at 4:36 am
Not a big fan of coffee flavored foods. But glad you finally found a recipe to satisfy!
March 7, 2012 at 6:12 am
Looks absolutely delish…Too bad I can’t eat something like this as I’m on a diet.
March 7, 2012 at 1:41 pm
Yum! Sounds great! I love sweet things 🙂
March 7, 2012 at 2:20 pm
Looks delicious! I’m not much of a cook, but I’m betting I’d love the taste! Thanks so much for sharing!!
suzy
March 7, 2012 at 2:43 pm
Looks delicious. Must be a special occasion to make such a labor-intensive cake. Do you want to know when my birthday is coming? 🙂
March 7, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Looks awesome! You did a great job!
March 7, 2012 at 4:38 pm
I definitely don’t have the patience to make it, but it looks delicous!
March 7, 2012 at 6:47 pm
Wow. Thanks for sharing. I am also a cake decorator and it is nice to see someone else doing it instead of me!! Ha Ha! Would love to use this recipes for a future cake if you dont mind. I will put you on my favorites list and stop back and see what else you have in store. Have a beautiful day.
March 9, 2012 at 4:26 pm
yes i would love that and i look forward to hearing from you!
February 2, 2014 at 9:59 pm
hi can you pleaser verify which is correct? You have 2 cups cake flour
2 and a 1/2 tsp baking powder
12 egg whites
and later with the pictures you have
5.) Sift cake flour and baking soda and add to wet ingredients. Mix well!
please verify if its baking powder or baking soda…thanks
September 30, 2015 at 3:52 am
I’m so sorry it’s baking powder
October 1, 2015 at 4:21 am
Baking powder so sorry
March 9, 2012 at 4:30 pm
thanks so much i will have to get some tips from you!!!
March 7, 2012 at 8:24 pm
ohhhh…that sounds really really good! thanks for sharing.
Wendy
Around My Family Table
March 7, 2012 at 9:03 pm
My stomach is growling…I think I’m having cake for dinner!
March 7, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Nakahanap din ako ng Pinoy blogger in this event. LOL…
I really want to learn how to bake. Na try ko lang yung nasa box, yung mixed & ready to bake na. Which hindi naman masarap
March 7, 2012 at 11:21 pm
Very good step-by-step instructions and clear photos!
I too like sweets that are not so sweet.
March 7, 2012 at 11:50 pm
Sounds delish! Great photos!
March 8, 2012 at 12:05 am
You just had to post a cake the day I start counting calories. LOL. And I live in the Bay Area, I know where Goldilocks is, lol. I have never tried it but have heard nothing but amazing reviews!
Enjoy!
~Allie
March 8, 2012 at 1:38 am
Oh, my goodness! That looks AMAZING! Thank you for sharing the recipe. I appreciate the pictures as well… they make it much easier to follow the directions.
March 8, 2012 at 1:39 am
Wow can’t believe you shared this recipe with us. It sounds YUMMY!
March 8, 2012 at 2:02 am
It sounds great…except for the coffee part. I’m one of those weird people who can’t stand coffee.
March 8, 2012 at 2:10 am
I might just have to try this recipe….but will I really slap my mama? I like your style of writing!!! Very fun read!
March 8, 2012 at 6:25 pm
looks delicious! Great pics by the way!
March 9, 2012 at 12:11 am
Wow, that looks fantastic and you make it seem so simple.
March 9, 2012 at 3:07 am
Oh yum. You were right, of course, when you said this was a complicated recipe. But if it is worth it, then sometimes extra work is okay. Thanks for all the pictures as they really help explain what is going on and how things should look.
March 9, 2012 at 4:44 am
54 pieces? Wow! That is a beautiful cake. Thanks for sharing with us all.
March 9, 2012 at 6:56 am
This looks so good, thanks for sharing!
March 10, 2012 at 11:42 pm
I’ve never heard of this cake before, but it sure looks AMAZING! You did a great job!
April 14, 2012 at 3:23 am
i try to bake this cake but when ai try to make the frosting is to bad really melting when i put the butter,,,,,i follow the procedure but really cannot……have something wrong to my ingredients or what?
April 14, 2012 at 6:08 pm
the frosting is really suppose to be fluffy. was the butter at room temperature? not melted when you put it in?
April 15, 2012 at 1:52 am
and also, make sure it is egg whites only and form a stiff peaks when it is in the double boiler! before you put the butter in
July 24, 2012 at 2:52 pm
i followed the instruction but unfortunately i cant do my frosty right!
July 25, 2012 at 9:03 pm
the frosting is very tricky. especially if with the double boiler and the kitchen aid. did you use the double boiler and the kitchen to mix it? it has to be mixed a very long time. was it too runny?
July 30, 2012 at 3:06 pm
i have used the double boiler and during the time i was doing it in double boiler i actually got the right consistency but by the the time i add up the butter and the mocha mixture, it starts to get runny… so i made an experiment, i tried to put it on fridge for how many minutes and then mix it again, fortunately i got it right the end..
July 31, 2012 at 9:31 am
yes! that is great it turned out great. i notice in the summer that the frosting comes out a little looser than when i make it in the winter if that helps
November 8, 2012 at 10:08 am
Hello! Thank you for the recipe, I will try it. I was wondering if I could use a round pan? I have a 9 inch round pan, will that be alright?
Carole
November 9, 2012 at 2:11 pm
you can use that except you might want to cut the ingredients by half and the cooking time down
November 9, 2012 at 2:12 pm
i would mathmatically calcutlate it
November 11, 2012 at 9:52 am
Thank you for that!
December 12, 2012 at 2:04 am
wow, this cake is sure a challenge to do.But I would love to do it.Im actually beginning to practice for my daughter’s first bday nxt year.
December 12, 2012 at 4:44 pm
are you filipino sanna? it a long process for this cake but sooooo worth it
December 29, 2012 at 2:08 pm
hi! just would like to ask for how long to bake the cake? a bit confused about the first two 8 minutes you said? thank you.
January 20, 2013 at 3:04 am
just keep an eye on it. it bakes so quickly. how did it turn out. sorry it took so long to reply
February 19, 2013 at 7:51 pm
have always loved our P.I. Mocha Cake. I will attempt to do it!! Thanks for the recipe
August 23, 2013 at 5:55 pm
Oh I love this cake and have made it several times for my Filipino friends. They want me to take orders!! They have all told me it reminds them of home (the Philippines) and of Goldilocks….Thanks so much for the fantastic recipe. It is so easy to follow and I love the pics, they really help.
October 1, 2013 at 8:07 pm
wow! i have always searched for moccha cake as me and my sisters love this,thanks for sharing…will definitely try this on my day off!!!!
September 23, 2014 at 6:14 am
looks really tasty!i want to try this later after work.
i just noticed that on the ingredient list it said baking powder but on step 5 it mention baking soda.
October 16, 2014 at 2:40 pm
Hi there
How to adjust the measurement of the ingredients for smaller cake? This cake is only in the philippines, can’t wait to make it.. Kindly reply asap please xx
November 22, 2014 at 11:56 am
Hi. This morning i was sitting on our sofa and thinking what flavor if cake to bake, then it comes into my mind, “how about mocha cake. So i googled and found a lot of mocha cake version and when i read the filipino style,i gave it a try. When i served it, my family and relatives just love it. They all say the same thing. They love it, delicious, and very moist.
Thank u for sharing your recipe maam. Your a heaven sent. God bless
January 23, 2015 at 4:41 am
Such a fantastic color and texture! Thank you for sharing.
February 27, 2015 at 9:05 pm
Thank you so much … I made My mocha cake from this recipe… But am not good in icing writing am good in fondants…☺️☺️☺️ My mocha cake turn out soooo good
March 29, 2015 at 8:05 pm
Great recipe! Used your recipe and this is my first time I tried to make mocha icing and it was perfectly yummy like Goldilocks. Thanks!
August 20, 2015 at 7:11 pm
Sorry but i noticed on your procedure you said baking soda, is it baking powder or baking soda ? Since on the list of ingredients you have only baking powder listed
September 30, 2015 at 3:50 am
I’m so sorry it’s baking powder