Musso & Frank Torten Recipe

Preheat and prepare pans

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment for easy release.

Whisk dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.

Whisk wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and espresso powder until the mixture is smooth.

Combine, don’t overmix

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix to keep the crumb tender.

Bake layers

Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 22–28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool the layers in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

Make coffee syrup

In a small saucepan, combine strong coffee (or espresso) and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer until the sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and cool completely. If using, stir in coffee liqueur.

Mascarpone base

In a mixing bowl, beat mascarpone with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.

Whip cream and fold

In another bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until fully incorporated and light.

Make ganache

Place chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until just simmering, then pour over the chocolate. Let sit 2–3 minutes, then whisk until glossy and smooth.

Level and moisten layers

If the cake layers have domed, level them with a knife. Brush the cut sides with the cooled coffee syrup to moisten.

Layer and frost

Spread a generous layer of mascarpone cream over the bottom layer. Top with the second layer, then spread more mascarpone cream over the top and sides.

Finish with ganache

Pour the warm ganache over the top, letting it cascade down the sides for a glossy finish. Chill the cake until set.

Garnish and serve

Just before serving, decorate with fresh raspberries. Slice and serve chilled or at room temperature.