Ingredients
Method
Bake the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Prepare and bake the cake according to the back of the box instructions in a 9x13 pan.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Make the Coffee Mixture
- In a bowl, whisk together:
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Brewed coffee
- Kahlua (If you don’t have Kahlua, you can substitute with strong brewed coffee or espresso mixed with a little sugar, vanilla, or even a pinch of cocoa powder. It will still be delicious, but Kahlua adds a rich, slightly chocolatey depth that really takes this cake to the next level—so if you can use it, I highly recommend it.)
- Cocoa powder
- Espresso powder
Poke & Soak
- Let the cake cool slightly (still warm is perfect).
- Use a fork to poke holes all over the cake (about ¾ of the way down).
- Slowly pour the coffee mixture over the cake.
- Let it soak in completely.
Chill
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Make the Frosting
- Beat mascarpone until smooth.
- Add heavy cream and powdered sugar and beat until thick and fluffy (soft/stiff peaks).
- on a low speed mix Kahlua, and espresso powder until combined.
Finish
- Spread frosting evenly over chilled cake.
- Dust with cocoa powder.
Serve
- Slice and serve cold. It gets even better the next day.
Want to make this later?
Video
Notes
- Don’t poke all the way to the bottom—you want the cake to hold structure.
- Let the liquid absorb slowly—don’t rush it.
- This cake is even better the next day after chilling overnight.