Easy Coffee Cake Recipe

What coffee to use for this easy coffee cake recipe?

To achieve that rich coffee flavor, the ideal coffee to use will be the strongest espresso you can find in the store. Usually, the coffee is classified by intensity in chronological order. In fact, the higher the number is, the stronger the coffee will be. In this case, I would suggest you use coffee with an intensity of no less than 8.

TIP: don't use instant coffee, since the aroma taste more licoricey rather then coffee.

What is espresso coffee?

Espresso coffee is an Italian way of brewing a part of finely-ground coffee beans with a small amount of boiling water. To reproduce it at home, you will need one of these coffee machines, such as the Italian Moka pot, the French press coffee maker, or the Aeropress coffee. However, if you own one of those fancy espresso machines, lucky you, is time to use it!!!

Ingredients you need

• Butter- use unsalted butter and room temperature. If the butter is not soft enough it will break down into pieces once we will add the eggs and will not have the structure to raise the batter.
• Sugar- caster sugar works better for the cake. As it dissolved better into the butter.
• Eggs- use fresh and room temperature to achieve better results.
• Flour- plain flour is used in this recipe.
• Coffee- use cold espresso coffee, instead of instant coffee.
• Vanilla- always use pure vanilla seeds.
• Whipping cream- use fresh and cold whipping cream with 35% fats.
• Mascarpone- always use fresh mascarpone cheese.
• Hazelnut butter- use the one for the stores or check down how to make it.

Step by step introductions

This cake is super simple to make and in just few steps. So let's go through each step together.

COFFEE CAKE

• Step one -Prepare the coffee in advance. Needs to cool down, before to use in the batter.
• Step two-Beat the butter for a few seconds at low speed in a stand mixer with the K beater or with a hand mixer. Add the caster sugar and beat until you will have a fluffy and soft texture.
• Step three- Beat the eggs and the vanilla in a medium bowl, pour the liquid into buttery cream, little by little. Add the salt and the espresso, then add the flour, the baking powder, and the baking soda and let absorb until is well combined.
• Step four-Grease the Tin with some butter and dust it with some flour. Pour the batter cake inside the cake tin and let it bake for 40 minutes.

FROSTING

• Step one-Whip in a medium bowl the whipping cream and the icing sugar by hand using a whisk. Work the cream until you will reach a fluffy and soft texture. Careful do not over mixer the whipping cream otherwise it will turn into butter.
• Step two-Once we reached the right texture, we add the mascarpone, and we keep whipping till we have a creamy, firm, and thick cream. Pour the espresso coffee and add the hazelnut butter and whip for a few seconds until well combined.
• Step three-Spread the cream over the sheet cake and add some chopped hazelnuts to decorate the cake.

Frequently asked questions

How to store the cake?

It will be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge closed in an airtight container. In case it will not spread with the mascarpone cream can be stored for up to 5 days at room temperature.

I don’t have hazelnut butter; how can I make it?

To make hazelnut butter you will need 200 gr of hazelnut without skin and a food processer. Toast the hazelnuts in the fan oven 180°c or 200°c static oven for about 10 minutes. Blend the hazelnuts when are still hot – this will help to release the natural oil that will transform them into a buttery texture – in a food processor at low speed until all the hazelnuts will be finely chopped. Now we can turn the speed up and blend with some little breaks for a few seconds to not overheat the machine. Blend for 5 minutes till you will have a buttery texture. You may have some hazelnuts butter left, if that is the case it can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. To make it more indulgent you may add some cocoa powder to turn it into a chocolate spread.