Cappuccinos pretty much make up a large part of my diet – I can go for days surviving on just coffee (I say so proudly!). And of course there’s the coffee cake – but the term is fairly loosely used to any “dry” cake that hasn’t been fancied up and is eaten during the afternoon tea or coffee time. I thought, why not specifically make a cake that implies there is in fact coffee in it and it is fancy enough to serve after a fancy dinner and well, it can also be had with another cup of coffee.
So I bring to you a cappuccino cake – which perhaps has similarities to a tiramisu, but it is in fact, proper cake in side. This cake has an entire cup of strong black espresso and thereafter, the layers are soaked in even more strong coffee. The sugars are low, but then there is an espresso frosting that more than makes up for it. This is a cappuccino on a plate. May you get a good night’s sleep post a slice of this!
The Recipe
Serves
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter, soft
- 1/2 cup castor sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla essence
- 1/4 cup yoghurt
- 1 cup strong black coffee
- 1/8 cup black coffee for soaking
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1/8 cup black coffee
- 1/4 cup cream cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- cocoa powder for dusting
- coffee beans for garnish
Instructions
- Grease and flour two 9” cake tins.
- Preheat the oven to 200C.
- Beat the butter and sugars together until fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for at least 3 minutes.
- Then add the yoghurt and coffee and whisk to combine.
- Throw in the cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt and combine.
- With a spatula, fold in the flour, ensuring no lumps.
- Divide the batter between the two cake tins equally.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes in the tins before turning out.
- While the cake is warm, brush the espresso over the cakes and leave for at least half an hour to soak and cool simultaneously.
- Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by whipping the cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add the icing sugar, vanilla and coffee until you get a thick spreading consistency. Keep the frosting in the fridge until ready.
- Place on cake on the serving platter. Spread half the frosting on this layer and smoothen with a wet flat spatula.
- Gently place the second layer on top of the first layer and spread the remaining frosting on top.
- Dust some cocoa powder on top and arrange a few coffee beans for garnish.
