Opera Cake
A perfect combination of almond cake, chocolate, and coffee, delivering an unparalleled multi-layered taste experience.
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Estimated Time
- Preparing 1 hr
- Cooking 2 hr
Nutritions / Serving
-
Energy505 kCal
-
Carbs46 g
-
Protein7 g
-
Fat35 g
Serves 10.
Ingredients
Almond Sponge Cake
- Egg 2 pc
- Egg White 3 pc
- Almond Flour 80 g
- Icing Sugar 70 g
- Cake Flour 30 g
- Granulated Sugar 45 g
- Unsalted Butter 15 g
Coffee Buttercream
- Unsalted Butter 180 g
- Whole Milk 100 g
- Egg Yolk 3 pc
- Instant Black Coffee 6 g
- Granulated Sugar 55 g
Ganache
- 50% Dark Chocolate 120 g
- Whipping Cream 120 g
Coffee Syrup
- Instant Black Coffee 10 g
- Granulated Sugar 60 g
- Water 200 g
- Rum 15 g
Glaze
- 50% Dark Chocolate 120 g
- Granulated Sugar 40 g
- Whole Milk 40 g
- Whipping Cream 30 g
Making the Almond Sponge Cake
Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F). Line a baking tray (40 cm × 30 cm) with parchment paper. Melt the unsalted butter before use.
Separate the egg whites from three eggs, keeping the yolks for the coffee buttercream.
Sift almond flour, icing sugar, and pastry flour into a mixing bowl. Add the whole eggs and mix with an electric beater on high speed until the batter becomes fluffy and pale.
Beat the egg whites at high speed. When bubbles form, add 1/3 of the granulated sugar and continue beating on medium-high. Add another 1/3 of the sugar once the mixture becomes finer. When the meringue forms clear streaks, add the remaining sugar and beat on medium-low speed until stiff peaks form.
Fold 1/3 of the meringue into the batter, then fold in the rest until fully combined.
Mix a small portion of the batter with the melted butter, then fold it back into the main batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared tray, spreading evenly. Lightly tap to remove air bubbles, then bake at 220°C (430°F) for about 10 minutes until lightly golden.
Remove from the oven, peel off the parchment paper, and let it cool on a rack. Cut into four equal portions before use.
Making the Coffee Buttercream
Let the unsalted butter soften at room temperature.
Heat the instant coffee and milk in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until the coffee dissolves. Remove from heat when small bubbles form at the edges.
Whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar together, then slowly pour in the hot coffee milk while stirring continuously.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and heat on medium-low, stirring constantly until it thickens. Let it cool to room temperature.
Beat the softened butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add the cooled coffee mixture in 2–3 batches, mixing well each time.
Making the Ganache
Heat the whipping cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until small bubbles form at the edges. Pour over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes.
Stir gently until smooth.
Making the Coffee Syrup
Dissolve the instant coffee and sugar in hot water, then stir in the rum. Let cool before use.
Assembling the Cake
Place one sponge layer bottom side up and brush with 1/4 of the coffee syrup. Spread half of the ganache evenly over it.
Add a second sponge layer, brush with coffee syrup, and spread half of the coffee buttercream.
Repeat with the third sponge layer and ganache, then the fourth layer with the remaining buttercream, smoothing it as evenly as possible.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Glazing and Serving
Heat granulated sugar, milk, and whipping cream in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils.
Stir in the chocolate until smooth.
Let the glaze cool to 40–45°C. Remove the cake from the fridge and pour the glaze over the surface, spreading evenly with a spatula.
Refrigerate for 1 hour to set the glaze before slicing and serving.
Discussion
The ingredient amounts are for a 40 cm × 30 cm baking tray. The final cake will be about one-quarter of that size after trimming the edges. Avoid making a smaller batch; if your tray is too small, bake in two batches, and shorten the baking time for 1–2 minutes.
The sponge cake method is similar to whole-egg sponge cakes. Bringing eggs to room temperature or warming the batter in a water bath can speed up whipping and increase volume, but it’s optional.
To prevent the cake from drying out before assembly, wrap the layers in plastic wrap.
The butter for the buttercream should be soft enough to press without resistance. The coffee mixture should cool to room temperature before use.
When assembling, place the sponge cake bottom side up for better syrup absorption. If excess syrup pools on the surface, gently score it with a knife to help absorption.
If the ganache or buttercream becomes too firm in a cold environment, microwave for 5 seconds at a time until spreadable.
Spread the top buttercream layer as evenly as possible to ensure a smooth glaze.
If the glaze has too many bubbles, strain it before use. Take the cake out of the fridge just before glazing.