How to Make Almond Roca Mocha Cake

Ingredients

• ¾ cup coconut oil or unsalted butter
• 7 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped fine
• 1¼ cups powdered erythritol
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 6 large eggs, separated

• 0.66 cup decaf espresso or coffee
• ¾ cup unsweetened vanilla, almond milk
• 0.33 cup powdered erythritol
• ½ teaspoon stevia glycerite
• 1 teaspoon Kahlúa extract
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

• ½ cup powdered erythritol
• 1 teaspoon stevia glycerite
• ¼ cup decaf espresso or coffee
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup coconut oil (or unsalted butter if not dairy-sensitive)
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease two 6-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.
2. Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat and slowly add the chocolate (don’t burn the chocolate). Add the erythritol, vanilla and almond extracts, and salt. Let cool in the fridge for a while.
3. While it is cooling, place the egg whites in a stand mixer and whip until stiff peaks form. Once the whites are stiff, lower the speed to very low and slowly add the yolks one at a time and mix until just combined.
4. Once the chocolate mixture has cooled a bit but is still warm to the touch, fold it into the egg mixture using a spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and smooth the top.
5. Bake the cake for about 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool in the pans on a cooling rack for 30 minutes.
6. Cut around the pan sides and invert the cake onto a work surface, peeling off the parchment paper if used. Cut each cake in half crosswise, so that you have 4 thin round cakes.
7. While the cake cools, make the syrup, mousse, and frosting.
To Make the Soaking Syrup
8. Bring the espresso, almond milk, erythritol, stevia, Kahlúa extract, and salt to a boil in small saucepan. Remove from the heat and set aside.
To Make the Mousse
9. Combine the erythritol, stevia, espresso, eggs, and cocoa powder in heavy medium-sized saucepan and whisk to blend. Add the coconut oil and salt. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, for about 12 minutes, until the mixture thickens and coats back of spoon thickly (do not boil).
10. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Place the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice water and chill, whisking occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the filling is cooled completely.
To Make the Frosting
11. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat until it turns brown, not black. Add the erythritol and stevia and continue to cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until well combined. Remove from the heat and, using a handheld mixer on low speed, mix in the mascarpone, almond milk, and salt until smooth. Allow to cool before using.
12. Assemble the cake. Place 1 cake circle on a platter. Brush the cake layer with 2 tablespoons of the soaking syrup. Spread one-third of the espresso mousse (about ¾ cup) on the cake layer, leaving a ½-inch border. Repeat twice more with cake, syrup, and mousse. Top with the fourth cake layer and press lightly to adhere.
13. Spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake to seal, then adhere sliced almonds to the sides, if desired.