ESPRESSO CAKE...Can you smell the coffee??  

14 November 2007

""Everybody should believe in something. I believe I'll have another coffee."
Author Unknown
My ESPRESSO CAKE....Mmmmmmm

Here starts a brand new week of coffee opportunities. This happens to me every November, when coffee is my favourite ingredient in my month of the 'Scorpio'! In my words, there are very few things that I would attach an 'automatic-droolamatic' quotient to. This cake is just of those..bittersweet & just the right dessert with a cuppa coffee! This is a must for serious coffee lovers, and recommended for those who would like a change from chocolate.The cake has been put together and is waiting to be cut later this evening. It's a basic coffee sponge base, sandwiched with luscious whipped cream flavoured with more coffee. Not too overpowering, but just very pleasing to the senses.I've done a real hurried icing, with drizzled white and dark chocolate, and dressed the edges with dark chocolate scrolls which I made earlier today. YUM! YUM! Post a virtual slice for all of you tomorrow...wish it could be real!!

Ingredients:

Sponge
Eggs - 5 (250gms)
Powdered Sugar - 125 gms
Flour - 125gms ( flour= half the weight of the eggs i.e. 125gms )
Cornflour - 2 tbs (makes the cake texture lighter)
Baking powder - 1tsp
Salt - 1 pinch
Vanilla Essence/Extract - 1 tsp
Coffee Essence - 1 tsp
Instant coffee - 2 tbsp (increase or decrease as desired)/medium roast

Filling/Topping
Cream - 500ml (whipping/35% fat)
Icing Sugar - 3-4 Tbsp
Coffee Essence- 1 tsp
Instant coffee - 1 tsp
Grated dark chocolate (optional)

Method

For the sponge:
  • Preheat oven to 190deg C , reduce to 180deg C after 10 mins of putting the cake in.
  • Grease and line a 9"ring tin; A spring form cake tin is always better.
  • Sift the flour + baking powder + salt + cornflour 3 times.
  • Beat the eggs and sugar well with beater till very thick ribbon falls and holds in place for at least 5 seconds (beat for approx 10mins) .
  • Add vanilla essence + coffee essence + instant coffee and beat for 1 min.
  • Gently fold in the sifted flour; mix lightly so that air doesn't escape.
  • Turn gently into tin and bake for 30-35mins till done.
  • Once done, remove from tin after 5 mins and leave on rack to cool completely. Cut horizontally into 3 or 4 layers.

I used Nescafe Sunrise, an Indian coffee brand, which is a blend of chicory & coffee beans.It has a deep,roasted flavour . Another great coffee for this is Nescafe Taster's Choice.

Filling:

  • Whip 500ml whipping cream with 4tbs powdered sugar until thick and holds peaks. Reserve a bit for decoration if desired.
  • Beat in coffee powder + coffee extract.
  • Reserve 1/2 for topping.
  • Place the bottom most layer of the sponge on your serving platter, spread 1/3 of one 1/2 whipped cream & sprinkle some grated dark chocolate over it.
  • Repeat with the next 3 layers.

Topping:


  • Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake.
  • Drizzle with melted white and dark bitter chocolate.
  • Finish with dark chocolate scrolls and rosettes topped with coffee beans if you like.
  • Chill well before serving.

"Deja Brew: The feeling that you've had this coffee before."

Authot Unknown

Thank you, all you wonderful folk, for leaving such inspiring comments. Here's a slice of cake...wish we could have shared it!!

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