--- title: "Chilean Mocha Cream Cake — Homemade Torta de Crema Moka Recipe" description: "Versión en Español. Chilean torta de crema moka is a layered sponge cake soaked in a pisco and vanilla syrup, filled with manjar and a coffee buttercream, then covered in the same mocha cream and deco..." url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-mocha-cream-cake-torta-moka-manjar-walnut-recipe/ date: 2026-09-26 modified: 2026-09-26 author: "Carlos Uhart M." image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-mocha-cream-cake-manjar-walnut-featured.jpg categories: ["Desserts"] type: post lang: en --- # Chilean Mocha Cream Cake — Homemade Torta de Crema Moka Recipe [Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-torta-de-crema-moka-con-manjar-y-nuez/) ![Chilean mocha cream cake layered with manjar and decorated with walnuts](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-mocha-cream-cake-manjar-walnut-featured.jpg)*Homemade Chilean mocha cream cake* Chilean torta de crema moka is a layered sponge cake soaked in a pisco and vanilla syrup, filled with manjar and a coffee buttercream, then covered in the same mocha cream and decorated with walnuts. It takes 40 minutes of preparation plus 10 minutes of cooking and serves 12 people. Torta moka, also spelled moca, is a versatile recipe with many variations, all defined by a cream flavored with coffee, which gives it an unmistakable taste for afternoon once or any celebration. ## How to Make Chilean Mocha Cream Cake? This version uses a basic sponge cake split into layers, filled with manjar and mocha buttercream, and finally covered with more cream and decorated with walnuts to taste. The only cooking is a quick syrup to moisten the sponge. ## Nutritional Information Each serving of mocha cream cake with manjar and walnuts contains approximately 450 kcal, 60 g of carbohydrates, 22 g of fat, 3 g of protein, 0 g of fiber, 45 g of sugars, 50 mg of cholesterol, and 150 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes. ## Homemade Chilean Torta de Crema Moka Recipe **Preparation:** 40 minutes **Cooking:** 10 minutes **Servings:** 12 people ### Ingredients - 1 sponge cake - 500 g (1.1 lb) of manjar (Chilean dulce de leche) - 400 g (3 1/4 cups) of powdered sugar - 300 g (10.5 oz) of butter, at room temperature - 3 teaspoons of instant coffee - 1 1/2 cups of water - 1 cup of sugar - 1 tablespoon of pisco - 1 teaspoon of vanilla - Walnuts, chopped, ground, or whole, to decorate ### Instructions 1. In a large bowl, beat the butter, cut into pieces and at room temperature, with a mixer until smooth. In a small pot, combine the water, sugar, vanilla, and pisco and heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, without letting it thicken. ![Softened butter for whipping the mocha buttercream](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/softened-butter-mocha-buttercream.jpg)*Softened butter* 1. Add the powdered sugar to the butter little by little, beating after each addition until fully incorporated. Add the coffee dissolved in a little water and keep beating for about 5 minutes until creamy. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for about 10 minutes. ![Chilean manjar, the thick dulce de leche spread between the cake layers](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-manjar-dulce-de-leche-cake-filling.jpg)*Chilean manjar* 1. Slice the sponge into at least 3 layers with a long knife. Place the base on a plate, soak its whole surface with the syrup, spread it with manjar up to about 2 cm from the edge, and add a thin layer of mocha cream. ![Coffee used to flavor the mocha cream for the cake](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/coffee-for-mocha-cream-cake.jpg)*Coffee for the mocha cream* 1. Set the second layer on top and press gently until the manjar and cream reach the edge. Repeat with syrup, manjar, and cream, and finish with the top layer of sponge. 2. Spread the rest of the mocha cream over the sides and top of the cake, covering it completely, and decorate with chopped, ground, or whole walnuts, piped cream, or sprinkles. ## Additional Tips ### Use soft, not melted, butter The butter should be soft enough to press with a finger but still hold its shape. Melted butter will not whip into a stable cream and the cake will slide when layered. ### Leave a border with the manjar Spreading the manjar only up to 2 cm from the edge lets it spread out naturally when the next layer is pressed on top, so it does not ooze over the sides. ### Chill before decorating Refrigerate the assembled cake for 20 to 30 minutes before the final coat of cream. A cold cake is much easier to frost cleanly. | Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Instant coffee | Espresso | 3 tsp : 2 tbsp | Deeper, rounder | | Pisco | Rum | 1:1 | Sweeter, warmer | | Manjar | Dulce de leche | 1:1 | Practically identical | | Walnuts | Toasted almonds | 1:1 | Crunchier, milder | ## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ### 1. What kind of coffee should I use? Good quality instant coffee or concentrated espresso works best. Avoid very acidic coffees or those with strong fruity notes, as they can upset the balance of the cream. ### 2. How do I store the assembled cake? Keep it refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap or in a closed container. It keeps for 3 to 4 days without losing flavor or texture. ### 3. What if the mocha cream is too runny? Chill it in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes, or add a little more powdered sugar to stabilize it, along with a bit more cold butter if needed. ### 4. Can I leave out the pisco? Yes. The pisco only perfumes the syrup. Replace it with a few drops of vanilla or orange zest, or simply leave it out. ## What Is Torta Moka? Torta moka is a Chilean celebration cake built on a sponge base with a coffee flavored buttercream. Chileans often add manjar and walnuts, which turns it into one of the classic cakes of bakeries and home birthday parties. ## Cakes with Manjar in Chile Manjar, the Chilean dulce de leche, is the filling of choice for most Chilean cakes, from the torta de mil hojas to the torta de panqueques. Pairing it with a slightly bitter coffee cream balances its sweetness, which is what makes the torta moka so popular. ## Did You Know? The torta moka, or moca, takes its name from mocha coffee, named after the Red Sea port city of Mocha in Yemen, one of the most important coffee export centers from the fifteenth century onward. ## Recommended - [Chilean Ladyfinger Cake Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-ladyfinger-cake-torta-de-galletas-de-champana-recipe/) - [Chilean Soda Cracker Cake Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-soda-cracker-cake-torta-de-galletas-de-soda-recipe/) - [Chilean Four Milk Cake Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-four-milk-cake-torta-4-leches-recipe/) - [Chilean Tres Leches Cake Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-tres-leches-cake-recipe/)