French Opera Cake
A classic French dessert with delicate almond sponge, coffee buttercream, and dark chocolate ganache. Elegant, make-ahead friendly, and worth the effort.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Servings
- 8
- Calories
- 485
- Protein
- 8g
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 whole eggs, separated
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp butter, softened
- 6 tbsp butter, softened
- 1.5 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp instant espresso powder
- 4 fl oz heavy cream
- 4 oz dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- 2
Whisk almond flour and all-purpose flour together in a small bowl.
- 3
Beat egg yolks with 0.5 cup sugar until pale and thick, ~3 minutes.
- 4
Fold flour mixture into yolk mixture until just combined. Stir in 4 tbsp softened butter.
- 5
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 0.25 cup sugar; beat until stiff peaks form.
- 6
Fold whites into batter in two additions until no streaks remain.
- 7
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.
- 8
Cool cake completely on a wire rack, ~30 minutes. Level to 1/2 inch if needed with a serrated knife.
- 9
Beat 6 tbsp softened butter with powdered sugar until light and fluffy, ~2 minutes.
- 10
Dissolve espresso powder in 1 tbsp hot water. Stir into buttercream until evenly colored.
- 11
Heat cream until steaming. Pour over chopped chocolate; let sit 1 minute, then stir until glossy.
- 12
Cool ganache to room temperature, ~15 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon.
- 13
Spread half the buttercream evenly over the cooled cake layer.
- 14
Pour ganache over buttercream. Spread gently with an offset spatula until smooth.
- 15
Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours, until set. Cut into 8 squares with a warm knife.
Tools you’ll need
- 9x13 inch baking pan
- parchment paper
- two mixing bowls
- electric mixer or whisk
- fine-mesh sieve
- rubber spatula
- wire cooling rack
- offset spatula
- serrated knife
- small saucepan
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