Thursday, May 29, 2014

coffee cake with coffee buttercream filling and chocolate ganache

I rarely make coffee cakes. I am not the world's biggest coffee drinker, so I guess coffee in a cake does not appeal to me much.

But for some bizarre reason, I decided to have a go at making a coffee sponge cake this week. It was an experiment.
An experiment that turned out so good, I made a second cake within days!

In fact, my 4 year-old loved it so much, he finished half the slice I gave to his Daddy.
Are you sold? Want to make this cake?

Well, here's how. :)

In a small bowl, I added instant coffee powder to the eggs.
Using a fork, I beat the eggs to dissolve the coffee.
Into a mixing bowl, I added the rest of the ingredients - butter, sugar, flour and baking powder.
I lowered the speed of the mixer and added the egg mixture slowly.
Until it all came together. This took about 3 minutes. Remember to scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally.
I divided the batter equally into two greased and lined baking pans and baked the cakes. Once baked they were cooled in the pans for 5-10 minutes before I transferred them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

In the meantime, I made the coffee filling. Since I didn't want to frost the entire cake, I used only half of the portion of ingredients.

I sifted icing sugar and added butter that had softened.
I whisked that, and added coffee extract as well as milk.
You may need to add a tad more milk to achieve a spreadable consistency.
I spread this on the first layer of cake.
Then I placed the second cake on the first, and poured the chocolate ganache over the cake. For step-by-step instructions on how to make the chocolate ganache, see here.
The ganache would flow over the sides.
I just love how every component of this cake came together.
It's just gorgeous.

:D

RECIPE
Coffee Cake with Coffee Butter Cream Filling and Chocolate Ganache (Serves 8-10)
Adapted from Mary Berry's Baking Bible

Ingredients:
For the cake:
4 large eggs
2 heaped teaspoons instant coffee granules
225g (8oz) softened butter
225g (8oz) caster sugar
225g (8oz) self-raising flour
2 level teaspoons baking powder

For the Filling:
50g (2oz) softened butter
175g (6oz) sifted icing sugar
1 tablespoon coffee essence* - I used coffee extract 
1 tablespoon milk - I used low fat milk
NOTE: I halved this and use it as a filling.

*Can substitute with 1 heaped teaspoon of instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water

For the Ganache:
3/4 cup (90ml) whipping cream
6 ounces (170g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
NOTE: I halved this and use it as a topping.

Method:
For the cake:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/ Fan 160°C/ Gas 4. Grease two 20cm (8 inch) sandwich tins then line the base of each tin with baking parchment.
2. Bread the eggs into a bowl, beat with a fork then stir in the instant coffee until dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until thoroughly blended. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and level out.
3. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes or until well risen and the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed with a finger. Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack.

For the Filling:
4. To make the butter cream filling, blend together the butter, icing sugar and coffee extract until smooth, adding the milk if necessary. When the cakes are completely cold, spread the butter cream on top of the first cake, then lay the second layer on top.

For the Ganache:
In a heavy medium saucepan, stir the cream, chocolate and sugar over low heat until all the chocolate has melted. Set aside to cool.
Pout the ganache over the cake, using an off set spatula to even the top.

I am  sharing this recipe with Cook-Your-Books hosted by Kitchen Flavours.


In a few days time, we are cooking for Cook like a Star with Paula Deen's and Deen brothers theme for the whole month of June 2014.

Please join us, Joyce from Kitchen Flavours, Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and me, the Domestic Goddess Wannabe and cook like Paula Deen soon!




1 comment:

  1. Hi Diana,
    Wow, your cake looks gorgeous and delicious too! I love using coffee in cakes, makes the cake extra aromatic with the fragrance from the coffee.
    Thanks for sharing with CYB!

    ReplyDelete