Fault Line Cake has been trending for quite some time, and I’ve been eager to give it a try. While many fault line cakes are decorated with sprinkles, I wanted to create something less artificial and more refined. I chose a coffee and chocolate combination, flavors that many adore, allowing the rich taste of coffee to truly shine.
This Fault Line Cake consists of three layers of moist chocolate cake with cream cheese mocha filling and a bit of crunch from the crushed coffee beans and small pieces of chocolate, coated in a delicious sweetened condensed milk buttercream. For the fault line, coffee beans and chocolate are used and the top is decorated with an impressive chocolate sail, everything enhanced with edible gold paint.
I’ve tried to keep the recipe as easy as possible so everybody can try it at home and impress the guests with a delicious treat.
How to make chocolate mocha fault line cake
Begin with preheating the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease three 7-inch (18 cm) round cake pans with butter and dust them with flour.
How to prepare the chocolate cake layers
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, mix the sugar with the eggs and oil until combined. Mix in the buttermilk and vanilla extract. Incorporate the flour mixture until well combined, then add the hot coffee and mix until smooth. The batter will have a runny consistency.
Next, pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for about 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Let the pans cool on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and let them cool completely.
How to prepare the cream cheese frosting
In a bowl, mix the cream cheese with powdered sugar and coffee powder. In another bowl, whip the cream with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
How to assemble the cake
Add a bit of frosting onto a serving platter and place one layer of cake on it. Spread about a third of the frosting and top with about 1 tablespoon (5g) of crushed coffee beans and 1 tablespoon (10g) of chopped chocolate. Add the second layer of cake and spread another third of the frosting. Top again with about 1 tablespoon (5g) of crushed coffee beans and 1 tablespoon (10g) of chopped chocolate. Add the last layer of cake and cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
How to prepare the chocolate sail
Melt 2.5 oz (70g) of semisweet chocolate over a bain-marie. Remove from heat and add 1 oz (30g) of chopped semisweet chocolate for tempering. Stir until melted. Spread the chocolate evenly onto a round parchment paper. Place the parchment paper into a bowl and arrange the sides until you reach the desired shape, using paper clips where necessary. Refrigerate to set for at least 1 hour or until ready to use.
How to prepare the mocha sweetened condensed milk buttercream
Both the butter and sweetened condensed milk need to be at room temperature before preparing the frosting. In a large bowl, mix the butter until light and fluffy, for about 5-7 minutes. Incorporate the vanilla extract and coffee powder. Gradually add the sweetened condensed milk in thirds, mixing after each addition. Once incorporated, the buttercream is ready to use.
How to create the fault line cake
Next, coat the cake with a thin layer of buttercream and refrigerate for about 15-30 minutes. Spread a thin layer of buttercream around the middle of the cake and apply coffee beans and dark mini chocolate. Refrigerate to set for 15 minutes. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream, leaving the decorated middle part visible. Smooth the surface and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to set.
Finally, brush the fault line with a thin layer of edible gold paint. Remove the parchment paper from the chocolate sail and place it on top of the cake. Fill the sail with coffee beans and brush the chocolate sail with golden paint.
Hope you’ll try this amazing Fault Line Cake and enjoy it as much as we did!  If you do, tag me on Instagram to see your amazing results.Â
For more layer cake ideas check our full collection of Layer Cake Recipes. For more chocolate treats check our full collection of Chocolate Desserts.
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Chocolate Mocha Fault Line Cake with Chocolate Sail
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Layers
- 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (120g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 ½ tsp (15g) baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp (7g) salt
- 2 ½ cups (500g) sugar
- 3 small eggs
- 2/3 cup (140g) vegetable oil
- 1 ¼ cup (300g) buttermilk
- 2 tsp (10g) vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup (300ml) hot coffee
Mocha Cream Cheese Frosting
- 7 oz (200g) cream cheese
- 1/3 cup (40g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp (2g) instant coffee powder
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whipping cream
For assembly
- 2 tbsp (10g) coffee beans , crushed
- 2 tbsp (25g) dark mini chocrocks or chopped chocolate
Mocha Sweetened Condensed Milk Buttercream
- 1 â…“ cup (300g) unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 1 can (14 oz-397g) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp (5g) vanilla extract
- 2 tsp (2g) instant coffee powder
Chocolate Sail
- 2.5 oz (70g) semisweet chocolate
- 1 oz (30g) semisweet chocolate , for tempering
- Edible gold paint
Instructions
Prepare the chocolate cake layers.
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Grease with butter and dust with flour three 7 inch (18 cm) round cake pans.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
- In another bowl mix sugar with eggs and oil until combined. Mix in buttermilk and vanilla extract. Incorporate flour mixture until well combined. Add hot coffee and mix to combine. The batter will have a runny consistency.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake for about 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with few crumbs attached.
- Let pans cool on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the cakes from the pan and let them cool completely.
Prepare cream cheese frosting.
- In a bowl mix cream cheese with powdered sugar and coffee powder.
- In another bowl whip the cream with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks. Gently fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture.
Assemble the cake.
- Add a bit of frosting onto a serving platter and place one layer of cake on it. Spread about a third of the frosting and top with about 1 tbsp (5g) crushed coffee beans and 1 tbsp (10g) chopped chocolate.
- Add the second layer of cake and spread another third of the frosting. Top again with about 1 tbsp (5g) crushed coffee beans and 1 tbsp (10g) chopped chocolate.
- Add the last layer of cake and cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare chocolate sail.
- Melt 2.5 oz (70g) semisweet chocolate over bain-marie. Remove from heat and add 1 oz (30g) chopped semisweet chocolate for tempering. Stir until melted.
- Spread chocolate evenly onto a round parchment paper. Place the parchment paper into a bowl, and arrange the sides until you reach the desired shape. Use paper clips where necessary.
- Refrigerate to set for at least 1 hour or until ready to use.
Prepare mocha sweetened condensed milk buttercream.
- Both butter and sweetened condensed milk need to be at room temperature before preparing the frosting.
- In a large bowl mix butter until light and fluffy, for about 5-7 minutes.
- Incorporate vanilla extract and coffee powder. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk in thirds, mixing after each addition. Once incorporated the buttercream is ready to use.
- Coat the cake with a thin layer of buttercream. Refrigerate for about 15-30 minutes.
- Spread a thin layer of buttercream around the middle of the cake and apply coffee beans and dark mini chocolate.
- Refrigerate to set for 15 mins.
- Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream leaving visible the decorated middle part.
- Smooth the surface.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to set.
- Brush the fault line with a thin layer of edible gold paint.
- Remove the parchment paper from the chocolate sail and place it on top of the cake. Fill the sail with coffee beans and brush the chocolate sail with golden paint.
Video
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @homecookingadventure on Instagram and hashtag it #homecookingadventure.
Lovely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi…for the hot coffee in the recipe(300ml), is there any particular measurement to be used
you either use regular coffee or use about 3 tsp of instant coffee in 300 ml water
Hi Ella,
I would love to try this cake recipe but only have 9-inch cake pans. How long would you recommend I bake the batter for in this case?
Thanks!
if you use same measurements you will probably need a little less time for baking.. use the toothpick test.. you should check them out after 18-20 minutes.. but if you use the rule of three in math you can adjust the recipe for a 9 inch pan and use the same time of baking.. you decide..
Hi!
I plan on making this cake next weekend but I’m a bit confused regarding the crushed coffee beans in the inside of the cake and the whole beans on the outside. Is there a certain brand I should use? I love chocolate covered coffee beans but have not tried eating them by themselves.
Any help would be greatly appreciated 🙂
Can’t wait to make this beautiful cake!
Ashley
No brand specifficaly. just some coffee beans from a brand you know.. The crushed coffee beans inside are really small and just add a bit of crunch and good flavor… the ones on the outside are just for decoration though.. I wouldn't recommend eating that part .. though it's not bad.. but a bit too much :)) you may try using the chocolate coffee beans inside if you prefer best.. will be delicious.. hope you will try it out 🙂