I have to doctor up a duncan hines chocolate cake mix so that it has a mocha flavor. I figured I would replace the water with coffee. But how strong would you make it? Have any of you done this before?

what size of cake are you making depends on the amount to use.

I'm making a two layer 12" round. It's the middle of a stacked wedding cake. Would you think using regular coffee would be enough? Or would you make it extra strong?

regular is find instant.

i found this for you:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2392-chocolate-mocha-cake.html

I hope this help

If you are using the cake mix extender recipe here on CC for box mixes, I have used coffee flavored yogurt (instead of the sour cream) and it had a nice mocha flavor.

In my personal experience, when I mixed instant coffee (only for baking) with a small amount of diluted hot water the taste was more intense then when I just sprinkled the instant coffee in my dry ingredients. I think diluting it in hot water brings out the coffee taste. For my personal taste, I like diluting the coffee.

darkchocolate

Thanks for your responses!!! I will see what I can come up with and post what I did incase someone else needs the same info.

Ok, found out that no matter how strong I make the coffee, you can't taste it after it's baked! (at least in the chocolate cake mix)I even went over board and nearly used a cup of instant coffee granuals in one mix. Still didn't taste coffee! At that point it started to bake up weird. So, I put 5 Tbs. of instant coffee in a yellow cake mix and it was perfect! All of this experimenting sure does make a house smell good! The coffee flavor comes through well with the yellow and I'm sure the white would do well too. I always liked the yellow for bigger layers. Seems to be moister than the white.

A lot of bakers substitute brewed coffee for water in their chocolate cakes because it really brings out the chocolate flavor without adding coffee flavor - as you now know! I substitute 1/4 to 1/3 of the liquid with dissolved instant espresso or Kahlua. Yummy!

Your cake recipe looks amazing! I'm wanting to try it out this weekend with a hazelnut buttercream. How long should it be baked for at 325? And do you think it will be strong enough to support fondant? 

Thanks in advance!