Sweet Treats
When my family get together, there is usually a lot of cake involved. From apple tart, to meringues with cream, you can guarantee something sweet will be centre stage on our table. One of our family favourites is coffee cake.
Ingredients
Sponge cake
-200g plain flour
-225g caster sugar
-227g butter, softened
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-2 tablespoons Camp coffee essence, you can use any coffee essence you have, but for the best flavour, I recommend Camp.
-4 Medium, room temperature eggs
Buttercream icing
-200g icing sugar
-150g butter, softened
-1-2 tablespoons Camp coffee essence, to taste
-A handful of chopped walnuts.
Method
As with most cakes, it’s best if you start with all your ingredients at room temperature.
Preheat your oven to 170° fan/ 190° electric/ gas mark 3. Grease and line two 8” round tins.
Cut your butter into small pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Sieve your sugar on top and beat well with a hand whisk, or place in a stand mixer on medium for about two to three minutes.
Add your eggs in one at a time, whisking between each addition.
Sieve in your flour and baking powder and mix well. Finally, add in the coffee essence and let the smell fill your kitchen as you combine until a light caramel coloured batter is formed.
Cocktail stick
Split the mixture between the two buttered and lined tins and place in the centre of your oven for about 20-25 minutes. As the cakes are already brown in colour, you will need to watch them carefully so they don’t overcook. To check if they are done, stick a cocktail stick or skewer in the centre and if it comes out clean, you’re golden! Take the sponges from their tins and leave them to cool.
To make the buttercream icing, sieve the icing sugar into a bowl. Add your softened butter and whisk together. Just as it starts to become a smooth paste, add in the coffee essence. The colour will be a pale caramel like before. You can add as much or as little coffee flavouring as you like, just be careful not to make the icing too watery. If your icing is too watery, add more icing sugar, and if it is too stiff, add milk to soften.
Spread a layer of icing over one of your completely cooled sponges and sandwich the other on top. Cover your top layer in icing and sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top.
Alternatively, you can make a smooth layer of glacé icing by combining boiling water with icing sugar and coffee essence to taste. Pour over top to add a glistening layer of sweetness to the cake.
