Opera Cake

5 from 2 votes

Opera Cake is an elegant French dessert featuring layers of almond sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup, creamy coffee buttercream, and rich chocolate ganache. Perfect for special occasions!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Chill Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Servings:

Calories: 673kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

For the Almond Sponge Cake

¾ cup almond meal
⅔ cup powdered sugar
3 large eggs
3 large egg whites
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

For the Coffee Syrup:

½ cup water
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons instant coffee powder

For the Chocolate Ganache:

1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped

For the Coffee Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons instant cofee dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

For the Chocolate Glaze:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 15x10-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix almond meal and powdered sugar. Add whole eggs and beat until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into almond mixture. Gently fold in flour and melted butter. Spread the batter onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 12-15 minutes. Let cool.
Combine water, sugar, and coffee powder in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let cool.
Heat the cream in a saucepan until it begins to simmer. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let sit for a minute, then stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
Beat the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the dissolved coffee and beat until well combined.
Cut the sponge cake into three equal rectangles. Place one layer on your serving platter and brush generously with coffee syrup. Spread half of the coffee buttercream over the first layer. Place the second cake layer on top. Brush with coffee syrup and spread the chocolate ganache over it. Add the final layer of sponge cake, brush with syrup, and spread the remaining coffee buttercream on top. Refrigerate for an hour to set.
Heat the cream and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for a minute, then stir until smooth. Spread the glaze over the top of the chilled cake. Refrigerate the cake again until the glaze is set.
Trim the edges of the cake for a clean, professional look. Slice and serve the Opera Cake chilled.

Notes

Use finely ground almonds or hazelnuts if you don't have almond meal.
Allow the coffee syrup to cool completely before brushing it on the cake layers to avoid sogginess.
Chill the cake after assembling to help the layers set and make it easier to apply the glaze.
Wrap leftover slices tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

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