Chocolate Ombre Cake

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recipe by Kenwood https://kenwoodworld.com/

  • Time icon
    Total Time
    4hrs 0mins
  • Serves icon
    Serves
    10
  • Calories icon
    Calories
    1449
based on 1 ratings

A triple flavour ombre cake which is sure to please everyone with its flavoured sponge layers- chocolate, coffee, and white chocolate. The cake is layered with flavoured buttercream to match each sponge, finished with an ombre effect buttercream coating, and topped with a chocolate ganache drip. Decorate the top of the cake with piped buttercream and your choice of chocolate toppings.

recipe updated Mar 17, 2025

Ingredients

  • Egg icon
    Egg
    3
  • All purpose flour icon
    All purpose flour
    135 g
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder icon
    Unsweetened cocoa powder
    45 g
  • Espresso icon
    Espresso
    10 g
  • Water icon
    Water
    50 g
  • White chocolate icon
    White chocolate
    100 g
  • Water icon
    Water
    1 ½ tablespoons
  • Unsalted butter icon
    Unsalted butter
    400 g
  • Icing sugar icon
    Icing sugar
    1.5 kg
  • Dark chocolate icon
    Dark chocolate
    60 g
  • Milk icon
    Milk
    195 ml
  • Water icon
    Water
    135 g
  • Vegetable oil icon
    Vegetable oil
    120 ml
  • Vanilla extract icon
    Vanilla extract
    4 teaspoons
  • Baking powder icon
    Baking powder
    2 ½ teaspoons
  • Baking soda icon
    Baking soda
    ¾ teaspoon
  • Caster sugar icon
    Caster sugar
    360 g
  • Salt icon
    Salt
    1 ½ teaspoons
  • Cocoa powder icon
    Cocoa powder
    ¼ teaspoon
  • Milk icon
    Milk
    180 g
  • All purpose flour icon
    All purpose flour
    225 g
  • Instant coffee icon
    Instant coffee
    2 tablespoons
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder icon
    Unsweetened cocoa powder
    40 g
  • Milk icon
    Milk
    2 tablespoons
  • Whipping cream icon
    Whipping cream
    90 g

Tools

  • kCook icon Oven
  • kCook icon Parchment paper
  • kCook icon Microwave
  • kCook icon Cooling rack
  • kCook icon Kenwood Chef
  • kCook icon Round pan - 18cm (7")
  • kCook icon Kenwood bowl - kenwood chef
  • kCook icon Small bowl
  • kCook icon Heatproof bowl
  • kCook icon Large mixing bowl
  • kCook icon Heatproof bowl
  • kCook icon Medium bowl
  • kCook icon Piping bag
  • kCook icon Heatproof bowl
  • kCook icon Piping bag

Step preview

  1. Pre-heat oven - 150°C
  2. Grease and line a clean round pan with parchment paper
  3. To make the first sponge layer
  4. Attach Creaming beater
  5. Add milk, water, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and egg to the Kenwood Bowl
  6. Mix with splashguard fitted until combined - 20 sec, Speed 1
  7. Then add all purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, caster sugar and salt to the Kenwood Bowl
  8. Mix with splashguard fitted until combined - 40 sec, Speed 3
  9. Transfer mixture to round pan
  10. Bake - 40 min, 150°C
  11. Remove from oven and let cool - 10 min
  12. Turn out onto cooling rack until completely cool
  13. To make the white chocolate and coffee layers
  14. Add cocoa powder, espresso and water to a clean small bowl
  15. Stir until combined
  16. Set aside and let cool
  17. Add white chocolate to a clean heatproof bowl
  18. Microwave in microwave until melted
  19. Set aside and let cool
  20. Clean Kenwood Bowl
  21. Attach Creaming beater
  22. Add milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and egg to the Kenwood Bowl
  23. Mix with splashguard fitted until combined - 20 sec, Speed 1
  24. Then add all purpose flour, caster sugar, baking powder and salt to the Kenwood Bowl
  25. Mix with splashguard fitted until combined - 30 sec, Speed 3
  26. Transfer half of the mixture into a clean large bowl and set aside
  27. Transfer content of small bowl to Kenwood Bowl
  28. Mix with splashguard fitted until combined - 30 sec, Speed 3
  29. Transfer content of Kenwood Bowl to round pan
  30. Transfer content of heatproof bowl to large mixing bowl
  31. Stir until combined
  32. Spoon mixture into round pan
  33. Place both round pans in the oven
  34. Bake until skewer tests clean - 40 min, 150°C
  35. Remove from oven and let cool - 10 min
  36. Turn out onto cooling rack until completely cool
  37. To make the buttercream flavouring
  38. Add instant coffee and water to the small bowl
  39. Stir until combined
  40. Add white chocolate to a clean heatproof bowl
  41. Microwave in microwave until melted
  42. Set aside and let cool
  43. To make the buttercream
  44. Clean Kenwood Bowl
  45. Attach Creaming beater
  46. Add unsalted butter, vanilla extract and salt to the Kenwood Bowl
  47. Mix with splashguard fitted until combined then scrape bowl - 30 sec, Speed 3
  48. Then add icing sugar and milk to the Kenwood Bowl gradually
  49. Mix with splashguard fitted until combined then scrape bowl - 1 min 30 sec, Speed 4
  50. Divide the content of the Kenwood Bowl between three medium bowls
  51. Transfer the cooled white chocolate into one of the bowls
  52. Stir until combined
  53. Transfer the cooled coffee mixture into the second medium bowl
  54. Stir until combined
  55. Add unsweetened cocoa powder and milk to a clean medium bowl
  56. Stir until combined
  57. Use the adjustable sponge cake slicer to level the top of each cake by removing a very thin layer
  58. Using the cake slicer, cut each cake in half
  59. Place the cake board or drum in the centre of the cake turntable
  60. Add a small amount of chocolate buttercream to the board to help the cake stick to the board
  61. Place the first chocolate sponge on top of the cake board, ensure it is central
  62. Top with a thin layer of chocolate buttercream
  63. Place the second chocolate sponge on top
  64. Top with a thin layer of chocolate buttercream
  65. Repeat this layering process on top with the coffee cake layers and coffee buttercream
  66. Then repeat this process with the white chocolate layers and white chocolate buttercream
  67. Once the cake is assembled use the remaining buttercream to create the ombre effect
  68. Transfer the remaining buttercream into three separate piping bags
  69. Start at the bottom of the cake with the chocolate buttercream
  70. Pipe two rings of chocolate buttercream around the outside of the chocolate cake layer
  71. Then pipe two rings of coffee buttercream around the outside of the coffee cake layer
  72. Repeat this process with the white chocolate buttercream, then continue up on top of the cake with the white buttercream
  73. Dip the angled spatula into a jug of hot water, remove the excess
  74. Use the spatula to scrape round the side of the cake, turning the turntable as you work
  75. Remove the excess buttercream from the spatula, save it for later
  76. Clean the angled spatula in the hot water
  77. Repeat this scraping method until you have a smooth straight surface
  78. Clean the angled spatula again
  79. Scrape across the top of the cake to create a smooth, flat top
  80. Remove any excess buttercream from the spatula and repeat until smooth and flat
  81. Chill in the fridge until set
  82. Transfer any remaining buttercream into piping bags
  83. To Finish
  84. Add whipping cream to a clean heatproof bowl
  85. Microwave in microwave until hot then set aside
  86. Let cool slightly
  87. Add dark chocolate to the heatproof bowl
  88. Stir occasionally until smooth
  89. Transfer chocolate mixture to piping bag then set aside
  90. Remove the cake from the fridge
  91. Place on the cake turntable
  92. Use scissors to cut the piping bag open by approx. 5mm
  93. Pipe chocolate onto cake
  94. Create the drip effect around three quarters of the top of the cake, leaving the rest plain
  95. Refrigerate in fridge until set - 30 min
  96. Remove the cake from the fridge
  97. Pipe the remaining buttercream on top of the cake, alternating between flavours
  98. Finish with your choice of chocolate decorations
  99. Serve
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