Coffee Cake

This is a lovely coffee cake which could also be decorated with walnuts or coffee beans.

Recipe

Makes 12-16 slices

Ingredients

2 tbsp instant coffee granules

450g unsalted butter, at room temperature

450g caster sugar

8 eggs

450g plain flour

2 tbsp baking powder

2 tsp cocoa powder, plus extra to decorate

Decoration

250g icing sugar, sifted

80g unsalted butter, at room temperature

25ml whole milk

a couple of drops of vanilla extract

60g dark chocolate shavings

• Grease a 25cm ring mould and dust with flour.
• Make the coffee essence. Put the instant coffee granules and 170ml water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Boil until reduced by half and leave to cool completely. Set aside a tablespoon of the essence to use in the frosting.
• Preheat the oven to 170c or gas mark 3.
• Put the butter, sugar and cold coffee essence in a freestanding electric mixer or a hand held electric whisk. Beat until all ingredients are well incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the flour, baking powder and mix well until everything is combined and the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared ring mould and smooth over with a palette knife. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until the sponge feels firm to touch. Leave the cake to cool slightly in the mould before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• Make the icing. Beat the icing sugar and butter together until well mixed. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture a little at a time. Stir in the reserved tbsp of coffee essence until well mixed.
• When the cake is cold, put on a serving plate, cover the top with the frosting and dust with a light sprinkling of cocoa powder. Decorate with the chocolate shavings.