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–+ servings
A round cake with marbled chocolate and vanilla frosting, topped with swirls of white cream and decorated with coffee beans, displayed on a white cake stand in a modern kitchen setting.

Vietnamese Ice Coffee Cake

A coffee cake, with chocolate ganache. Topped with coffee and chocolate flavoured sweetened condensed milk frosting. It’s just so freaking delicious!
Author: Nick Makrides
4.72 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep 40 minutes
Cook 45 minutes
Total 2 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 30
Calories 470 kcal

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

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat a fan-forced oven to 140°C / 275°For a conventional oven to 160°C / 320°F. 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 medium–high heat. Place a large heatproof bowl on top of the pot of boiling water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
  • Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl.Gently whisk your egg white and sugar mixture for about 3–4 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved and you reach 72°C / 160°F.
  • The best way to check that it’s dissolved is by running it through two fingers. If you can’t feel the sugar granules, then it’s time to take it off the heat. If you can feel the granules, continue whisking for another 2–3 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 4–5 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 don’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. You’ll know it’s done when the frosting has come together, has turned pale in color (if you’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.

Video

Notes

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

Nutrition

Calories:470kcal | Carbohydrates: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
Keyword Chocolate, coffee, Vietnamese Ice Coffee
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