Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake

Published Updated
4.7 from 7 votes
4 Comments

Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake. This cake takes direct inspiration from the glorious Vietnamese beverage of the same name! Sweet, milky, and strong in caffeine, this cake has everything you love about Vietnamese Ice Coffee, plus some chocolate ganache or good measure. This is a moist coffee cake, with silky chocolate ganache. Itโ€™s topped with coffee and chocolate flavored sweetened condensed milk frosting that is so smooth and delicious.

Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake

Nick’s favorite thingโ€ฆ

lice coming out of Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake

I love how the hit of coffee in this cake. Itโ€™s so yum! This cake is moist, and the chocolate ganache in the center pairs perfectly with this cake. Plus it’s coffee, right? So cake for breakfast makes sense!

What does Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake taste like?

Slice of Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake

Coffee! The sponge is vanilla and coffee flavored. Itโ€™s filled with a silky smooth chocolate ganache which is made with dark chocolate so not too sweet. The cake is covered in a sweetened condensed milk frosting that is flavored with coffee and chocolate. The chocolate frosting is really easy to make using my chocolate sauce recipe!

What are the ingredients I need?

Ingredients image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake
  • All-purpose flour – also known as plain flour.
  • Baking powder – this will help the cake rise.
  • Salt – I used fine salt.
  • Unsalted butter – make sure itโ€™s softened.
  • Brown sugar – dark or light is fine.
  • Vanilla bean paste – always use good quality vanilla extract. It makes all the difference. 
  • Eggs – I used large eggs. Youโ€™ll use whole eggs for the cake and egg whites for the frosting. Make sure you donโ€™t get any egg yolks in the egg whites.
  • Greek yoghurt – this helps make the cake moist.
  • Coffee shot – if you donโ€™t have a coffee machine you can easily make your own coffee shot using 2 tsp instant coffee with 2 tbsp of boiling water.
  • Milk – I used cows milk.
  • Dark chocolate – I use dark cooking chocolate. Nestle cooking buttons.
  • Heavy cream – This is the type of cream you use for whipping.
  • Instant coffee powder – Same as what you make your coffee with in the morning.
  • Granulated Sugar – or caster sugar.
  • Sweetened condensed milk – this can be found in the long-life milk section of your supermarket isle.
  • Coffee beans – these are optional, but they look great on top.

Letโ€™s go through each step.

Cake

Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 01
  1. Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine. Set aside.
  2. Next, add the butter, brown sugar and vanilla bean paste to a large mixing bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes.
Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 02
  1. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each time and scraping down the bowl before each addition.
  2. Once fully mixed in, add the sour cream and coffee shot and mix.
Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 03
  1. Then, add half the dry ingredients and wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until well combined.
  2. Add the remaining dry and wet and mix until well combined.
Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 04
  1. Split the mixture between 2 cake tins. Bake for 45 minutes.
  2. Trim the tops off the cakes using a cake leveler or a serrated knife.

Chocolate Ganache

Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 05
  1. Add the chocolate, cream and instant coffee powder to a large heat proof bowl and microwave for 20 seconds at a time,
  2. Stirring each time until smooth. Set aside to set completely at room temperature.

Sweetened Condensed Milk Frosting

Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 06
  1. Fill a large pot one-quarter of the way with water. Let it come to a gentle boil over a mediumโ€“high heat. Place a large heatproof bowl on top of the pot of boiling water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesnโ€™t touch the water.
  2. Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl. Gently whisk your egg white and sugar mixture for about 3โ€“4 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved and you reach 72ยฐC / 160ยฐF.
Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 07
  1. The best way to check that itโ€™s dissolved is by running it through two fingers. If you canโ€™t feel the sugar granules, then itโ€™s time to take it off the heat. If you can feel the granules, continue whisking for another 2โ€“3 minutes and keep testing until you can no longer any granules.
  2. Take off the heat and add the salt and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 08
  1. Whip for 4โ€“5 minutes until thick and glossy.
  2. Gradually add the softened butter, 1 tbsp at a time, while the mixer is on high speed. At first, your egg whites will deflate and look like the butter is causing them to split, but donโ€™t panic! It will come back together. It takes a couple of minutes for the butter and meringue to become best friends.
Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 09
  1. Once you have added all the butter, add the sweetened condensed milk and mix first on low speed to combine, then on high speed for 5 minutes. Youโ€™ll know itโ€™s done when the frosting has come together, has turned pale in color (if youโ€™re making vanilla) and is nice and fluffy.
  2. Split the frosting into three bowls. Add a coffee shot one bowl and mix until well combined.
Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 10
  1. Add the chocolate sauce to another bowl and repeat. Leave the third bowl as white frosting.

Letโ€™s decorate!

Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 11
  1. Add a little bit of chocolate ganache to a serving plate or cake board and spread using a spatula.
  2. Next, Add the first layer of cake and gently press down to stick to the plate or board.
Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 12
  1. Add 1/2 of the ganache on top of the first layer and spread around using a spatula.
  2. Then add the next layer of cake.
Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 13
  1. Then cover the cake in the remaining ganache. Spread around as evenly as you can. Place in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
  2. Use 3/4 of the vanilla frosting to cover the cake. Spread around as smoothly as you can. A bench scraper may help with this. Especially with getting sharp edges.
Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 14
  1. The next part is about having fun with layering! Use a spatula to spread the coffee frosting on the top and bottom sides of the cake.
  2. Then go over that with the chocolate frosting.
Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 15
  1. Finish by spreading swirls of chocolate sauce on top.
  2. Fit the end of a piping bag with a 6B piping top and add the remaining 1/4 white frosting. Pipe swirls on top of the cake.
Instructional Image for Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake 16
  1. Sprinkle with coffee beans.

My Top Tips!

  • Layering the cake is all about having fun and patience. Use a spatula or the back of a teaspoon to create your masterpiece!
  • Make sure you let the ganache set at room temperature so that it retains its spreadable consistency. Otherwise, it will be too stiff to spread around. If it does get too stiff, microwave for 10 seconds and mix using a spatula until itโ€™s spreadable.
  • Using a bench scraper to get nice smooth cake edges when spreading the frosting.

Gave this a go? Donโ€™t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok for more great recipes!

Other Recipes You Might Like!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @thescranline on Facebook and Instagram!

Vietnamese Iced Coffee Cake - Thumbnail 24

Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake

A coffee cake, with chocolate ganache. Topped with coffee and chocolate flavoured sweetened condensed milk frosting. Itโ€™s just so freaking delicious!

Serves 30

4.7 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep: 40 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 2 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 470kcal

Ingredients

Cake

  • 3 3/4 cups / 645 g all-purpose flour
  • 4 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt
  • 3/4 cup / 190 g unsalted butter
  • 1 3/4 cups / 400 g brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 tbsp greek yogurt, or sour cream
  • 1 coffee shot, (40ml)
  • 2 1/4 cups / 560 ml milk

Chocolate Ganache

  • 2 3/4 cups / 500 g dark chocolate
  • 1 cup / 250 ml heavy cream
  • 1 tsp / 40 ml instant coffee powder

Sweetened Condensed Milk Frosting

  • 6 / 350 g large egg whites
  • 1 cup / 200 g granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups / 500 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup / 125 ml sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 / 40 ml coffee shot, (40ml)
  • 3/4 cup / 190 ml chocolate sauce
  • 20 coffee beans

Learn How To Make it! [VIDEO]


Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat a fan-forced oven to 140ยฐC / 275ยฐFor a conventional oven to 160ยฐC / 320ยฐF. Spray two 20 cm (8 inch) cake tins with oil spray and line the bottoms with baking paper. Set aside.
  • Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine. Set aside.
  • Add the butter, brown sugar and vanilla bean paste to a large mixing bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each time and scraping down the bowl before each addition. Once fully mixed in, add the sour cream and coffee shot, half the dry ingredients and wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until well combined. Then add the remaining dry and wet and mix until well combined.
  • Split the mixture between 2 cake tins. Bake for 45 minutes. Once baked, allow to cool for 5 minutes, before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. I like to wrap mine in plastic wrap once they reach room temperature and then chill in the fridge overnight.
  • Trim the tops off the cakes using a cake leveler or a serrated knife.

Chocolate Ganache

  • Add the chocolate, cream and instant coffee powder to a large heat proof bowl and microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring each time until smooth. Set aside to set completely at room temperature.

Sweetened Condensed Milk Frosting

  • Fill a large pot one-quarter of the way with water. Let it come to a gentle boil over a mediumโ€“high heat. Place a large heatproof bowl on top of the pot of boiling water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesnโ€™t touch the water.
  • Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl.Gently whisk your egg white and sugar mixture for about 3โ€“4 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved and you reach 72ยฐC / 160ยฐF.
  • The best way to check that itโ€™s dissolved is by running it through two fingers. If you canโ€™t feel the sugar granules, then itโ€™s time to take it off the heat. If you can feel the granules, continue whisking for another 2โ€“3 minutes and keep testing until you can no longer any granules.
  • Take off the heat and add the salt and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to whip for 4โ€“5 minutes until thick and glossy.
  • Gradually add the softened butter, 1tablespoon at a time, while the mixer is on high speed. At first, your egg whites will deflate and look like the butter is causing them to split, but donโ€™t panic! It will come back together. It takes a couple of minutes for the butter and meringue to become best friends.
  • Once you have added all the butter, add the vanilla extract and sweetened condensed milk and mix first on low speed to combine, then on high speed for 5 minutes. Youโ€™ll know itโ€™s done when the frosting has come together, has turned pale in color (if youโ€™re making vanilla)and is nice and fluffy. If you find your frosting is too aerated, then mix at the lowest speed for about 10 minutes and it will become perfectly smooth again. Alternatively, you can microwave it for 5-10 seconds and use a spatula to gently mix together.
  • Split the frosting into three bowls. Add a coffee shot one bowl and mix until well combined. Add the chocolate sauce to another bowl and repeat. Leave the third bowl as white frosting.

Let's Decorate!

  • Add a little bit of chocolate ganache to a serving plate or cake board and spread using a spatula. Add the first layer of cake and gently press down to stick to the plate or board.
  • Add 1/2 of the ganache on top of the first layer and spread around using a spatula. Add the next layer of cake and then cover the cake in the remaining ganache. Spread around as evenly as you can.Place in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
  • Use 3/4 of the vanilla frosting to cover the cake. Spread around as smoothly as you can. A bench scraper may help with this. Especially with getting sharp edges.
  • The next part is about having fun with layering! Use a spatula to spread the coffee frosting on the top and bottom sides of the cake. Then go over that with the chocolate frosting. Finish by spreading swirls of chocolate sauce on top.
  • Fit the end of a piping bag with a 6B piping top and add the remaining 1/4 white frosting. Pipe swirls on top of the cake. Sprinkle with coffee beans.

Notes

Storage
Cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.

Nutrition

Calories : 470kcal
Carbonhydrates: 48g
Protein: 6g
Fat: 29g
Saturated Fat: 18g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
Monounsaturated Fat : 8g
Trans Fat : 1g
Cholesterol: 76mg
Sodium: 269mg
Potassium : 244mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar : 30g
Vitamin A: 710IU
Vitamin C: 1mg
Calcium: 114mg
Iron: 3mg
Nutrition Disclosure
Gave this recipe a go?Mention @thescranline or tag #thescranline!

4 comments

Tram Le Vedman May 31, 2022 - 8:19 pm

5 stars
You are so wonderful! How much I love this cake and i feel very much happy when you love Vietnamese’s coffee. Thanks you very much and you’re always welcome to Vietnam.

Reply
Nick Makrides August 1, 2022 - 11:10 am

Aww thanks for the lovely comments! N x

Reply
Diana Escutia Peรฑa February 18, 2024 - 4:44 pm

5 stars
Si lo hice, sabe delicioso, gracias por compartir tus recetas

Reply
Nick Makrides August 8, 2024 - 10:44 am

Thanks so much Diana! N x

Reply
4.72 from 7 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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