Flavoured cake recipes can often be complicated but this all-in-one recipe proves that they needn’t be.
For lovers of coffee or those just wanting to impress friends and family this weekend with a sweet treat then baking blogger Amy Treasure has the perfect coffee cake recipe that tastes “extraordinary”.
Describing the dessert that cooks in just 28 minutes, Amy claimed it’s an “exceptionally good coffee cake sandwiched and topped with a delicious smooth and creamy coffee buttercream” and guarantees the recipe makes “the best coffee cake you’ll ever make”.
The baking enthusiasts noted that she has two tricks up my sleeve for turning an “ordinary coffee cake into something extraordinary”.
Amy revealed that the secret lies in a simple coffee sugar syrup that’s brushed over the baked cake and a walnut praline added to the top.
She explained: “The coffee syrup adds a wonderful depth of flavour and helps to keep the cake moist and light. It only takes two minutes to make the syrup and it will do wonders for the overall flavour and texture of the cake.
“Not only does it [the walnut praline] look beautiful but the flavour is out of this world. The crunchy nutty shards are the perfect partner to the light and soft coffee cake and this finishing touch makes it really extra special.”
Ingredients
For the coffee sponge
225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
225g golden caster sugar
Four large eggs
225g self-raising flour
One teaspoon baking powder
One and a half tablespoons instant coffee dissolved in one and a half tablespoons boiling water
For the coffee sugar syrup
50g demerara sugar
One tablespoon instant coffee
Three tablespoons boiling water
For the coffee buttercream
225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
One and a half tablespoons milk
Three teaspoons instant coffee dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water
525g icing sugar
For the walnut praline
50g golden caster sugar
50g walnuts
Two tablespoons water
Method
Start by preheating the oven to 160C/140 Fan/Gas 3 and line two eight-inch baking tins with lightly greased baking paper.
Next get to work on the batter by adding the butter, golden caster sugar, eggs, self-raising flour, baking powder and dissolved coffee into a large mixing bowl – beat all the ingredients together until well mixed.
Divide the cake batter between the two prepared baking tins – this will be approximately 420g of batter in each tin.
Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 28 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Amy pointed out: “Properly baked cakes will shrink away from the sides of the tin slightly and feel springy when touched with your finger”.
Remove from the oven and leave in the tins while you make the coffee sugar syrup.
To make the coffee sugar syrup add the demerara sugar, instant coffee and boiling water to a jug and whisk vigorously until the coffee and sugar have dissolved. Leaving the sponges in their tins, prick them all over with a fork then brush the coffee sugar syrup on top.
To make the coffee buttercream add the butter, milk, dissolved coffee and icing sugar to a large bowl and beat for several minutes until smooth – you can use an electric whisk for this too
When the cakes are completely cool, turn them out of their tins, place one cake on a cake stand or plate and spread it with half of the buttercream. Place the other cake on top and spread over the remaining buttercream.
To make the walnut praline add the water and golden caster sugar to a small saucepan set over a very low heat. Let the mixture come to a boil for a minute or two, swirl the pan to keep the sugar from catching on the bottom but don’t stir it.
Take it off the heat, add the walnuts and stir them through the hot sugar mixture. Pour the nuts onto a piece of baking paper and leave to cool. When they are cool enough to handle transfer them one by one and use them to decorate around the edge of the cake.
