Opera Cake
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Today we are sharing with you our delicious Opera cake recipe!
This marvelous cake was first created in 1955 by French pastry chef Cyriaque Gavillon. This pastry is traditionally a succession of joconde sponges soaked with coffee syrup, chocolate ganache, and coffee buttercream.
But here we got a little bit fancy and made a healthier version of the Opera cake with a joconde sponge, chocolate cream, and coffee whipped cream.
Can’t wait for you to try this at home!
Bon appétit!
Difficulty: 
Prep time: 1 hr / Cook time: 12 mins / Servings: 4 people
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Dark Chocolate Cream
¾ oz (20g) - Xylitol
3.8 oz (110g) - Milk
3.8 oz (110g) - Heavy cream
3.8 oz (110g) - Dark chocolate
Coffee Whipped Cream
4.9 oz (140g) - White chocolate
3.5 oz (100g) - Coffee beans
½ tbsp (8g) - Coffee extract
7.75 oz (220g) - Heavy cream
Joconde Sponge
2 - Eggs
2.3 oz (65g) - Powdered sugar
2.3 oz (65g) - Almond flour
0.8 oz (25g) - Flour
3 - Egg whites
0.8 oz (25g) - Xylitol
0.8 oz (25g) - Butter
Coffee Syrup
3.8 oz (110g) - Coffee beans
¾ oz (20g) - Xylitol
Chocolate Mirror Glaze
4¼ oz (120g) - Water (for the gelatin)
¾ oz (20g) - Gelatin powder
7 oz (200g) - Water
12 oz (340g) - Stevia
6¼ oz (180g) - Heavy cream
5¼ oz (150g) - Cocoa powder
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We advise that you prepare all the above ingredients before starting.
You will typically need: a scale, measuring cups, mixing bowls.
Dark Chocolate Cream
1 - Separate the egg whites from the yolks, add the yolks to a mixing bowl and refrigerate the whites for later.
Tip: We store our ingredients in these mixing bowls and mini glass bowls from Duralex while cooking. We love Duralex for their quality products and low prices!
2 - Add the xylitol to the egg yolks, whisk until well combined, and set aside.
3 - Combine the milk and heavy cream into a saucepan (or like us a saucier pan) and bring to a boil. Once hot, pour half of the liquid over the egg mixture and quickly whisk to combine.
Tip: All-Clad is the gold standard for professional quality stainless steel cookware. If you want to learn more about All-Clad, check out our detailed article "The Ultimate Buyer's Guide To All-Clad".
4 - Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until the temperature reaches 181°F (83°C), while continuously mixing using a silicone spatula.
Tip: We recommend using a good kitchen thermometer for accuracy.
5 - Add the chocolate to a large bowl and pour over the hot mixture through a sieve. Then, mix until homogeneous using your spatula.
6 - Cover the chocolate cream with cling wrap and transfer it into the fridge until needed.
Tip: Help the planet by choosing biodegradable food wrap instead of plastic 😊
Coffee Whipped Cream
1 - Add the white chocolate to a large mixing bowl and set it aside. Next, bring the coffee to a boil and pour it over the white chocolate. Then, emulsify until fully homogeneous, using a silicone spatula.
Tip: You may use a hand blender for this task. Our must-have hand blender is the Braun Multiquick Technology.
2 - Add the coffee extract and heavy cream to the bowl and stir until well combined.
3 - Cover the coffee cream with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until needed.
Joconde Sponge
1 - Preheat the oven at 380°F (193°C).
2 - Crack the eggs into a stand mixer bowl, add the powdered sugar and whisk on high speed for 5 minutes.
Tip: The KitchenAid Artisan Design Series and the KitchenAid Professional 600 Series are superstars among stand mixers and will look amazing in your kitchen! For more information, check out our detailed article "The Best KitchenAid Mixers & Blenders".
3 - Transfer the whipped eggs to a clean mixing bowl and sieve in the almond flour and the all-purpose flour. Gently fold using a silicone spatula to combine, and set aside.
4 - To a clean stand mixer bowl, add the egg whites and start whisking them on high speed. After a couple of minutes, the eggs will turn white and foamy. At this stage, gradually add the xylitol to the egg whites while continuously whisking. Then, once you have added all the xylitol, whisk until stiff peaks.
5 - Add the butter to a small ramekin and microwave it until just melted. Add about 1 tbsp of the first egg mixture to the melted butter and stir until combined. Then, add this mix to the first egg mixture and gently stir until well combined.
6 - Next, add about half of the whipped egg whites to the joconde sponge batter and gently mix to combine. Then, add the rest of the egg whites and gently stir to combine.
7 - Line a baking tray with parchment paper (or a silicone mat), transfer the joconde sponge on it, and spread it evenly with an offset spatula.
8 - Bake the sponge cake at 380°F (193°C) for about 12 minutes.
9 - Once ready, transfer the sponge cake upside down to a cooling rack and gently remove the parchment paper.
10 - Transfer the joconde sponge to a clean parchment paper over a cutting board. Place the rectangular cake ring on top of the joconde sponge, cut 4 rectangles using a sharp knife, and set them aside.
Tip: We recommend you use a paring knife for this task. We love these GrandTies knives and recommend this quality kit from GrandTies. They are made from high-carbon stainless steel and are very versatile. Check out our detailed product review video for more information.
Coffee Syrup
1 - Combine the coffee and xylitol into a mixing bowl and microwave it for about 1 minute (or until the coffee is warm and the xylitol has completely dissolved).
2 - Next, generously soak both sides of the joconde sponges using a pastry brush.
Assembling The Opera Cake
1 - Line a plate with parchment paper and place a rectangular cake ring on it. Next, add the cake collar inside the cake mold and place a joconde sponge on the bottom.
2 - Whip the coffee and chocolate cream and transfer them to piping bags with pastry tips.
3 - Next, make the layers in the following order: chocolate cream, joconde sponge, coffee whipped cream, joconde sponge, chocolate cream, joconde sponge, and coffee whipped cream. Then, transfer the cake to the freezer overnight.
Chocolate Mirror Glaze
1 - Mix the gelatin into the water and set it aside to let it bloom.
2 - In a large saucepan (or like us a saucier pan), add the stevia, heavy cream, and water. Stir together using a silicone spatula and gently bring to a boil for 1 minute. Then, remove from the heat.
Tip: All-Clad is the gold standard for professional quality stainless steel cookware. If you want to learn more about All-Clad, check out our detailed article "The Ultimate Buyer's Guide To All-Clad".
For more recommended bakeware and cookware, check out our article: "The Best Non-Toxic Pots & Pans: Our Must-Have Cookware List".
3 - Microwave the gelatin for 10 seconds before adding it to the cream mixture.
4 - Finally, add in the cocoa powder and fully combine with a silicone whisk.
5 - Transfer the glaze through a sieve into a large bowl to remove any lumps.
Tip: We store our ingredients in these mixing bowls from Duralex while cooking. We love Duralex for their quality products and low prices!
6 - Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the glaze, making sure it is in contact with it so that you avoid skin being formed. Then, refrigerate overnight.
The next day...
Decorating The Opera Cake
1 - Heat up the set mirror glaze in the microwave until it reaches 89℉ (32℃). Then, transfer it to a jug.
Tip: We recommend using a good kitchen thermometer for accuracy.
2 - Take the opera cake out of the freezer and carefully pour a little bit of mirror glaze over it. Then, immediately spread it evenly using an offset spatula.
3 - Next, carefully unmold the opera cake and place it on a plate. Remove the cake collar and portion the cake. Finally, pipe some chocolate cream and coffee whipped cream on top of each slice.
4 - Enjoy!
Watch our video for more details!
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Disclaimer: baking/cooking times vary according to each appliance. Make sure to always control halfway through for success.
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🎬 Everything we used for this recipe:
🍶 Kitchenware: Coming soon!
🍳 Ingredients: Coming soon!
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The information provided in this recipe is not nutritional or medical advice. Please read our disclaimer.