Description
Opera Cake is a stunning French dessert featuring layers of almond sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup, layered with coffee buttercream and rich chocolate ganache, finished with a shiny chocolate glaze. This luxurious cake is a true showstopper for special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- Joconde Sponge:
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 3 egg whites
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- Coffee Buttercream:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tbsp strong espresso, cooled
- Chocolate Ganache:
- 8 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp butter
- Chocolate Glaze:
- 5 oz dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp corn syrup
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk eggs and powdered sugar until pale and thick. Sift almond flour and all-purpose flour, then fold into egg mixture.
- Whip egg whites to soft peaks, gradually adding granulated sugar to form stiff peaks. Fold into the batter along with melted butter.
- Divide batter evenly onto baking sheets. Bake 5–7 minutes. Cool completely.
- To make buttercream, heat sugar and water to 240°F. Whisk yolks and slowly add syrup. Beat until cool, then add butter and espresso until smooth.
- For ganache, pour hot cream over chopped chocolate. Let sit 2 minutes, stir until smooth. Add butter and stir.
- Trim sponge layers. Layer sponge, coffee buttercream, sponge, ganache, sponge, and top with remaining buttercream. Chill 2 hours.
- Make glaze by heating cream and pouring over chocolate, add corn syrup and butter. Let cool slightly. Pour over chilled cake, smoothing quickly.
- Chill before slicing. Use warm knife for clean slices.
Notes
Opera cake improves when chilled overnight. Use high-quality chocolate for best flavor. Glaze should be slightly warm—not hot—when poured.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
Keywords: opera cake, french opera cake, layered cake, chocolate coffee cake, patisserie dessert