Opera Cake

JUMP TO RECIPE
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Keywords Chocolate, Coffee, Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Difficulty Difficult
Servings 8 people
Prep Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Oh my, this cake is so good!! Allegedly named in honor of a prima ballerina at the Paris Opéra, an opera cake is a French dessert that is very similar in look and taste to a Tiramisu, which explains why I love it so much, as tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts. It consists of layers of almond sponge cake soaked in a coffee-brandy syrup, between which are layers of espresso buttercream (which I could honestly sit and eat an entire bowl of all by myself), all topped off with a chocolate ganache. It's a long recipe, so it is a bit time consuming, but the result is stunning and heaven for the taste buds.
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 615kcal

Ingredients

Almond Cake

  • 4 whole large eggs at room temperature
  • 4 egg whites at room temperature
  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 6 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled

Coffee Syrup

  • 1 tsp espresso powder
  • 1 Tbsp + 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 1/4 cup brandy

Espresso Buttercream

  • 2 tsp espresso powder
  • 1 Tbsp warm whole milk
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 2 cups confectioner's sugar

Chocolate Glaze

  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 7 oz bittersweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Almond Cake

  • Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a 15 x 10 inch cake pan with parchment paper, leaving about a 1-inch overhang on the short sides. (A 9 x 13 inch cake pan should work too, as 15 x 10 is an odd size, but you might have to adjust your cooking time accordingly).
  • In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the whole eggs at high speed until they have about tripled in volume and form a ribbon in the bowl when the beaters are lifted out, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Decrease the speed to low, add the almond meal and confectioner's sugar and blend until just combined. Sift the corn starch over the batter and gently fold it into the mixture.
  • In another large bowl, using an electric mixer with clean, dry beaters, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt, and beat until the egg whites just hold soft peaks. Add the granulated sugar and increase the speed to high; beat until the whites hold stiff peaks.
  • Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the almond mixture to lighten, then fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Fold in the melted butter.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, spreading it gently and evenly with a rubber spatula. Be careful not to deflate it. The batter should be about a 1/4-inch thick (a little thicker if you're using a 9 x 13). Bake until very pale golden and springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
  • Loosen the edges of the cake with a spatula, then transfer the cake on the parchment paper to a cutting board. Cut the cake into three equal pieces along its long side so that each piece is 3 x 10 inches. Place the cake pieces on a clean piece of parchment paper, making sure there is no parchment paper stuck to the bottom of any of the pieces.

Coffee Syrup

  • Dissolve the espresso powder in the 1 Tbsp water and set aside.
  • Place the confectioner's sugar and remaining 1/2 cup of water in a small pot on the stove and stir until dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil, then decrease the heat and simmer the syrup without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the brandy and espresso water mix. Let cool.

Espresso Buttercream

  • Dissolve the espresso powder in the warm milk.
  • In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium spreed until fluffy. Pour in the espresso mixture and keep mixing until it is well blended. Add the confectioner's sugar 1/2 cup at a time and beat well to incorporate.

Chocolate Glaze

  • Melt the butter and the chocolate in a metal saucepan set over another saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally, until smooth. Cool the glaze until it is almost at room temperature, but still fluid enough to drizzle or pour. While it cools, assemble the cake.

Assemble the Cake

  • Place one section of the cake on a plate, and using a pastry brush, brush it with 1/3 of the coffee syrup. Spread 1/3 of the buttercream evenly over the piece of cake. Place the next section of cake on top, and repeat for the two other pieces.
  • Chill in the fridge until the buttercream is set and relatively firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Top with the chocolate glaze and refrigerate until the cake and glaze is set, about 30 minutes. Let the cake sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 241mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 917IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 156mg | Iron: 2mg

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About the author

Hi! Welcome to The Dynamic Dish! I'm Erin - a geophysicist who is passionate about food and culinary science. Here you will find a collection of my favorite recipes, both collected and original, as well as educational posts and reviews on ingredients and cooking techniques. Please check out the welcome post for more information about the site!