Recipe Detail Page

1. Preheat oven to temperature on package, usually 350ºF (180ºC). Butter and flour a 9 x13-inch (3-L) baking dish or pan. Or butter and line bottom with waxed paper or parchment if cake is to be turned out of pan. Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Spoon about two thirds of batter into prepared dish.

2. Heat Kahlúa for 10 seconds in microwave; stir in espresso powder. Thoroughly stir coffee mixture into reserved third of cake batter. Drizzle haphazardly over batter already spread in pan. Smooth top. Bake in centre of preheated oven until a cake tester comes out clean, usually about 35 to 40 minutes.

3. Cool in pan on a rack. Or if turning out cake, cool 15 minutes. Then use rack to turn cake bottom-up. Remove paper. Place another rack over cake; turn right-side up. Cool completely before sliding onto serving plate.

4. To make icing, use an electric mixer to beat mascarpone with cream until smooth. Slowly beat in icing sugar, ½ cup (125 mL) at a time alternating with Kahlúa, lemon juice and vanilla. Icing should be softly spreadable. Then beat on high until well mixed.

5. Tickly ice cake top only. Immediately sprinkle heavily with grated chocolate. Covered, cake keeps well in a cool spot for up to a day, or for 2 days if refrigerated.

Tip: I used various brands of cake mixes in my testing. Dr. Oetker brand was the best, but all were quite acceptable.