High Altitude Chocolate Kahlua and Cream Cake

Today’s high altitude chocolate Kahlua and cream cake is the dessert I made for my husband’s birthday last month. His favorite cocktail is a White Russian, so I incorporated the drink’s flavors into the most deliciously moist chocolate cake soaked in Kahlua, frosted with fluffy mascarpone whipped cream. This cake is kept refrigerated and served cold, so it’s perfect for the warm weather months!

And be sure to see the recipe variations section in today’s post, for an Irish cream cake using Baileys Irish cream liqueur.

You might also love these high altitude recipes for coconut cream sheet cake, strawberry shortcake layer cake, and bourbon banana pudding cake.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Light, Moist and Fluffy. This Kahlua and cream cake is a cake that’s meant to be served cold. Since the chocolate cake is soaked with Kahlua, it stays wonderfully moist in the refrigerator. The mascarpone whipped cream is the perfect light “frosting” for the cake, and in my opinion, you can never have too much whipped cream on a summer cake. It’s just sweet enough, not too rich or heavy, and perfect for dessert on a hot day.

Easy to Make. You can quickly mix up the cake batter with just a bowl and whisk, although you’ll need an electric mixer for making the whipped cream.

Smaller Size. Baked in an 8 or 9 inch pan, you’ll get 9 standard servings of cake from this recipe (or 12 small servings). If you’re feeding a larger group, though, you can easily double it for a 9×13 inch sheet cake.

High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

• Chocolate Cake. You’ll need ½ the recipe for my popular Chocolate Cake. This cake is easy to make, incredibly moist, and so flavorful. For a 9×13 inch sheet cake, make the full cake recipe.
• Kahlua. The Kahlua or coffee liqueur is a key ingredient in a White Russian. Since this cake is refrigerated, the extra moisture from the Kahlua brushed over the baked cake keeps it soft and tender, even when served cold.
• Mascarpone Cheese. The mascarpone cheese gives a bit of body to the whipped cream, as well as helps to stabilize it so it doesn’t deflate on the leftover cake. You can also use block style cream cheese instead of mascarpone.
• Powdered Sugar. Lightly sweetens the whipped cream.
• Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
• Heavy Whipping Cream. The high fat content in heavy whipping cream helps it whip up into thick, fluffy peaks.

Instructions

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly spray an 8-inch square cake pan with non-stick baking spray (if serving the cake directly from the pan) or line it with parchment paper (if turning the cake out onto a serving plate).
• Prepare 1/2 the recipe for chocolate cake batter as instructed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. For a 9×13 inch sheet cake, make the full cake recipe and bake it in a 9×13 inch baking pan for about 38-42 minutes.
• Set the pan on a cooling rack and cool for 30 minutes.
• Use a chopstick or wooden skewer to prick the cake all over, then brush the Kahlua over the cake, letting it soak in. Cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours, until completely cooled and chilled.

Whipped Cream

• In a bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla, until smooth.
• Stream in the cold heavy whipping cream, then whip for several minutes until thick, fluffy peaks form that hold their shape.
• You can spread the whipped cream on top of the cake in the pan, or turn the cake out onto a serving plate and frost the top and sides of the cake with the whipped cream. This makes a generous amount of whipped cream, but don’t be shy – use it all up!
• Cut into 9 squares for large servings, or 12 squares for small servings.

Recipe Variations

Irish Cream Cake

To make an Irish cream cake for St. Patrick’s Day, simply replace the Kahlua with Baileys (or another brand of Irish cream liqueur). The flavors of cream, chocolate and whiskey perfectly complement the chocolate cake and whipped cream.

Other Liqueurs

You might also try some other sweet flavored liqueurs to replace the Kahlua, such as Amaretto, Frangelico, Grand Marnier, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur or Creme de Menthe.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will this cake stay fresh?

Keep the leftover cake refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days, and it will stay soft, moist and fresh tasting.

Can I add more Kahlua for a stronger flavor?

If you really love the flavor of Kahlua, you can add a bit more, up to 1/2 cup. Too much, though, and the cake will become so moist that you’ll just have to scoop it out of the pan with a spoon.

How can I make a non-alcoholic Kahlua and cream cake?

To make this cake without alcohol, simply replace the Kahlua or coffee liqueur with cooled, strong-brewed coffee or espresso. Since Kahlua is sweet and plain coffee is bitter, you may want to dissolve a tablespoon of sugar in the coffee before brushing it onto the cake.

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