Cappuccino Sheet Cake

Name: Cappuccino Sheet Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Eggs 2; Sugar 5 tbsp; Type 00 flour 1.4 oz; Vanilla extract 1 tsp; Mascarpone cheese 1.7 lbs; Coffee 4 oz; Fresh liquid cream 0.9 cup; Powdered sugar 1 ½ cup; Gelatin in sheets 0.4 oz; Fresh liquid cream 0.8 cup; Powdered sugar 1 ½ tbsp; Dark chocolate 1.8 oz; Coffee beans to taste

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Serving: 8
Cost: Average
Note + 2 hours chilling in the fridge

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PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Luisa Orizio

No-Bake Cappuccino Cake is a cold, layered dessert built from a soft base and a velvety mascarpone-and-coffee cream that firms up in the refrigerator rather than the oven. The texture lands somewhere between mousse and a light spoon dessert—airy, fresh, and composed enough to hold clean edges when sliced. Despite the elegant result, the steps are few and straightforward, making it a reliable choice when you want something that looks as though it came from a good pastry counter without spending the afternoon in the kitchen.

The make-ahead design is the real advantage here: once the layers are assembled, the cake simply needs refrigerator time to set into a structure that slices neatly and stays put on the plate. That built-in flexibility makes it an easy finish for a Sunday family lunch or a summer dinner with friends, since everything is ready and waiting long before guests arrive. The mascarpone cream carries a quiet coffee depth that keeps the dessert feeling cool and refreshing rather than heavy—exactly what the season calls for.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for the base (8x8 in): Eggs 2; Sugar 5 tbsp (60 g); Type 00 flour 1.4 oz (40 g); Vanilla extract 1 tsp

for the cream: Mascarpone cheese 1.7 lbs (750 g); Coffee 4 oz (120 ml); Fresh liquid cream 0.9 cup (200 g); Powdered sugar 1 ½ cup (180 g); Gelatin in sheets 0.4 oz (10 g)

for decoration: Fresh liquid cream 0.8 cup (190 ml); Powdered sugar 1 ½ tbsp (10 g); Dark chocolate 1.8 oz (50 g); Coffee beans to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Cappuccino Sheet Cake

To make the sheet cake, pour the sugar and the whole eggs into a bowl 1, add the vanilla extract and beat vigorously with electric beaters until the mixture is light and frothy 2. At this point, sift the type 00 flour and add it gradually 3.

Gently mix with a whisk so as not to deflate the batter 4. Take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper, place an 8x8-inch (20x20 cm) pastry ring 2 inches (5 cm) high on top, then pour the batter into it 5 and level the surface well with a spatula 6. Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 4280F (220b0C) for about 8-10 minutes.

Once baked, remove the base from the oven 7 and let it cool completely. While the base cools, soak the gelatin sheets in cold water 8 and prepare the espresso coffee. Squeeze the softened gelatin carefully 9.

Dissolve the gelatin directly into the hot coffee 10, stirring until completely dissolved, then let everything cool. In a separate bowl, place the mascarpone and add 1 1/2 cups (about 180 g) of powdered sugar 11, then incorporate the cooled coffee-and-gelatin mixture 12.

Separately, in a bowl whip about 7 oz (200 g) of heavy cream to soft peaks and incorporate it into the cream 13, folding gently from the bottom up so as not to deflate it 14 15.

Now you can assemble the dessert: detach the cooled base from the ring using a knife, transfer the base to the serving plate, then clean the ring, line the inner sides with acetate or parchment paper and place it back onto the base 16. Pour the creamy mixture over the base, level the surface carefully with a spatula 17 and place the cake in the refrigerator 18 to set for at least 2 hours.

Before serving, carefully remove the cake from the ring 19. Whip about 3/4 cup (6.7 oz / 190 g) of heavy cream together with 1 1/3 tbsp (10 g) of powdered sugar 20 with electric beaters 21, until you obtain a fluffy consistency.

Transfer the sweetened whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip and decorate the entire edge 22. Garnish the surface with dark chocolate flakes and coffee beans 23. The Cappuccino sheet cake is ready to enjoy 34.