High Altitude Vanilla Cafe Latte Cake

Today’s high altitude vanilla latte cake is a celebration of coffee and cream. This cake features layers of soft, fluffy and moist vanilla buttermilk cake infused with espresso powder, frosted with swirls of vanilla buttercream and chocolate mocha buttercream.

Looking for more recipes like this? You might also love this coffee cream pie, coffee chocolate chip ice cream, and espresso coffee cake muffins.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A cafe latte is a coffee drink made with espresso and steamed milk. The word comes from the Italian caffè e latte, which means “coffee & milk”. The buttercream swirls on my vanilla latte cake are reminiscent of a cup of strong black coffee, just after pouring in hot milk or cream. The coffee and cream swirl together in the most mesmerizing way. I can’t start my day without a hot cup of coffee with cream, and this cake combines those flavors into a fabulous dessert for coffee lovers.

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

Ingredients

• Cake Flour. Cake flour makes a very soft, light and fluffy vanilla cake, as it contains a lower percentage of protein than all-purpose flour.
• Granulated Sugar. Adds sweetness and moisture to cakes.
• Vanilla Extract. Use a good-quality vanilla extract for the best flavor in your vanilla latte cake.
• Baking Powder. Leavens the cake, making it rise.
• Coarse Kosher Salt. Balances the sweetness.
• Eggs + Egg Whites. I use 2 eggs, plus 2 egg whites, in my vanilla latte cake, which adds structure and richness, while the extra whites make it nice and fluffy. Save the leftover 2 egg yolks for another use.
• Buttermilk. Adds richness and acidity for a light, fluffy, tender cake crumb.
• Espresso Powder. You’ll be dissolving espresso powder into the buttermilk to infuse the cake with the most delicious coffee flavor. I use Medaglia D’Oro Instant Espresso Coffee for all my baking. I can usually find it at Target, as well as my local grocery store (Kroger).
• Melted Butter + Vegetable Oil. A combination of both butter and oil gives this vanilla cake the best flavor as well as a soft, moist texture.

Instructions

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350F and spray the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray.
• In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Use a whisk to combine the dry ingredients well.
• In separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and espresso powder, until the espresso powder is dissolved. Whisk in the eggs, egg whites, melted butter, oil and vanilla extract until smooth.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and whisk until combined and smooth, about 10-15 seconds.  Divide the batter between the cake pans.  Tap a few times against the counter to pop any large air bubbles.
• Bake the cakes for about 21-25 minutes, or until a cake tester or a toothpick comes out clean, and the tops spring back when lightly touched.
• Set the pans on a wire rack, cover them loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely before frosting.  When ready to frost and assemble the cake, remove the cakes from the pans.

TIP: Note that you’ll be making 1 batch of vanilla buttercream, then adding some cocoa powder and espresso powder to a small portion of the vanilla buttercream to make the chocolate mocha buttercream for swirling onto the cake.

Buttercream

• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute until smooth.
• With the mixer running on low, add the powdered sugar by spoonfuls, the meringue powder and the salt, mixing until thick and combined. Add the vanilla.
• Increase speed to medium and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl down several times, until light and fluffy. Add a little milk, a tablespoon at a time, as needed for desired consistency.
• To make the chocolate mocha buttercream: In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp of the milk with the espresso powder. Add the cocoa powder and 3/4 cup of the vanilla buttercream. Stir until smooth and combined. Keep your bowls of buttercream covered until needed.

Assembly and Decorating

• Remove the cooled cakes from the pans. Place one cake layer on a cake board or cake pedestal. Spread with a layer of vanilla buttercream.Repeat stacking and filling the cake layers with vanilla buttercream, then frost all over with a thin crumb coat of vanilla buttercream.Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• Frost the cake all over with a swirly layer of vanilla buttercream.
• Using a small icing spatula, dab the chocolate mocha buttercream onto the cake. You can do it around the base of the cake, as pictured, or randomly all over the cake.
• Now gently swirl the chocolate and vanilla buttercream together, taking care to leave lots of contrast and not just blend them together. The idea is for the cake to look like a cup of coffee, just after you pour cream in, and the coffee and cream start to swirl together.
• Alternatively, instead of swirls, you can use a bench scraper to smooth the sides of the cake, creating more of a blended ombre buttercream.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I find espresso powder for baking?

Either espresso powder or instant coffee will work for this recipe, as you’ll be dissolving it in the buttermilk before mixing up the cake batter. I use Medaglia D’Oro Instant Espresso Coffee for all my baking. I can usually find it at Target, as well as my local grocery store (Kroger).

Does vanilla latte cake taste like coffee?

Yes, this cake has a nice creamy coffee flavor that isn’t strong or bitter.

What should I use if I don’t have buttermilk?

Buttermilk is acidic, giving this cake it’s fluffy, soft texture. I prefer the richness of whole buttermilk, but low fat buttermilk works as well. If you don’t have buttermilk, make sour milk by pouring 1 1/2 tablespoons of white distilled vinegar into a liquid measuring cup. Then fill with whole milk up to the 1 1/2 cups line. Stir together and let sit for 15 minutes to curdle.

What should I use if I don’t have cake flour?

If you can’t find cake flour at your local grocery store or Walmart, you can also buy cake flour online. In a pinch, you can make your own cake flour. Measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour using the spoon and sweep method. Remove 2 tablespoons of flour, and replace with 2 tablespoons of corn starch. Whisk together until thoroughly combined.

Can I make this recipe with gluten free flour?

I’d recommend using your favorite measure-for-measure gluten free flour, although the cake will likely have a slightly coarser texture.

Can I make the cake ahead of time and freeze it?

Yes, after baking and cooling the cakes, wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap and freeze for 3-6 months until you’re ready to frost your cake. You can also freeze the fully assembled and frosted cake in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Do I need to use 8-inch cake pans, or can I use 9-inch cake pans?

I love my 8-inch cake pans, since they make tall, pretty cakes. You can certainly bake this recipe in 9-inch pans, though, and your assembled cake will be a little wider and shorter.

Can I cut this recipe in half?

Yes, you can easily halve this vanilla cake recipe, and bake the batter in three 6-inch pans.

Can I make this cake recipe even if I don’t live at high altitude?

Yes, many people who are not at high altitude have tried and loved my vanilla cake recipe. If you’re at sea level, you may need to make a few slight modifications, such as reducing the flour by 2-4 tablespoons, and increasing the baking powder from 3 tsp to 4 tsp. I live in Denver, which has an altitude of 5,280 feet, so if you live significantly higher than that (more than 1,000 feet higher), you might need to make a few minor adjustments, such as increasing the flour a bit more, and decreasing the baking powder a little. Please read this post on guidelines for adjusting cake recipes for various altitudes.

What other flavors of buttercream can I frost this cake with?

To add even more coffee flavor, try my recipe for coffee buttercream on my chocolate espresso cake.

Vanilla latte cake would also be delicious with salted caramel buttercream.

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