Opera Cake
with espresso buttercream, chocolate ganache & glossy glaze
Opera cake☕️🤎 Joconde sponge, silky chocolate ganache, espresso buttercream infused with coffee beans, and a rich chocolate glaze that sets with a beautiful sheen and just the right amount of chew—almost like a soft chocolate caramel. A classic made a little deeper and a little more indulgent.
Each layer brings something of its own: the almond sponge soaks up espresso syrup without losing its structure, the ganache melts smoothly into the sponge, and the buttercream carries bold coffee flavor with a soft, creamy finish. For the glaze, I cooked the sugar syrup to 118°C before adding the cream and cocoa powder—this gives it a slightly fudgy, chewy texture that finishes the cake with a rich, glossy layer.
It takes a bit of effort, but every layer is worth it. The cake holds up beautifully in the fridge and slices clean once fully chilled. Elegant enough for a special occasion—but honestly, perfect anytime if you love the combination of coffee and chocolate.
Hope you enjoy!
I used a 20cm square ring mold (5cm high).
Joconde sponge:
150g icing sugar
150g almond flour
4 eggs (~210g)
40g all-purpose flour
30g unsalted butter, melted to 50C
130g egg whites
40g sugar
Sift the icing sugar into a mixer bowl. Add the almond flour and eggs, and beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until fluffy and lighter in color.
Fold in the sifted flour and salt, then fold in the melted butter.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites and sugar together until soft peaks (shaving foam consistency).
Add the meringue into the flour mixture in 2 additions, gently folding with a spatula.
Divide the batter onto 2 trays lined with parchment paper (I used 53 x 32cm trays from De Buyer), then spread it to about 4mm thick using a large palette knife/scraper. Bake at 200C for about 10 minutes until golden brown (I used low-fan mode). Let cool completely, then cut the sponges into 4 squares using a 20cm ring mold.
Espresso syrup:
70g water
25g sugar
20g espresso shot (or strong coffee)
Bring the water and sugar to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the espresso shot. Let cool completely before brushing it onto the sponge.
Coffee buttercream:
130g milk
30g coffee beans
30g espresso shot