Competition Coffee Cake

Today is the judging for the Virginia Show, so Mom, Siob and I are going down to drop our things in. I made the coffee cake earlier and realised I never put up the recipe for it!

It's really nice (well, the last time I made it it was, I can't cut this one and taste it!), and pretty simple, so you should give it a go!

They want it undecorated sadly, so that's why mine is lacking some nice coffee cream, but I'll add the recipe here:)

Mocha Cake

(serves 10-12)

175g self-raising flour

50g cocoa powder

225g soft light brown sugar

175g butter, melted

4 medium eggs, separated

60ml very strong coffee, cooled

3 tbsp water

Coffee Butter Icing

100g butter, softened

200g icing sugar, sifted

1 tbsp milk/water

3-4 tbsp cooled very strong coffee

- Preheat the oven to 190C/ 375F/ Gas Mark 5. Oil and line a 13 x 23cm loaf tin with parchment paper so that it comes over the sides of the tin.

- Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl, add the sugar and stir to combine.

- Using a wooden spoon or whisk, beat in the melted butter, egg yolks, coffee and water until smooth.

- Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until fairly stiff peaks form, then gently fold into the cake mixture in 3 batches. Make sure there are no white lumps left!

- Turn the mixture into the loaf tin and smooth the surface. Make a small well in the center so that the cake bakes level and doesn't crack! (You'll see from my photo I forgot to do this!)

- Bake in the oven for 35 mins, then reduce the temperature to 160C/ 325F/ Gas mark 3 for the last 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.

- Allow the cake to cool for 10mins then lift out by the parchment paper and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

- Make the icing. Beat the butter until very soft and paling. Add the sugar, then milk/water, and then add the coffee.

- When the cake is cold, remove the paper and cut the cake horizontally and spread about a third of the icing on the lower half with a palette knife. Place the other half of the cake on top and put the remainder of the icing on it. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles, which I like to use!

- Leave it to stand for about 30mins before cutting. If you can wait that long.

(This also makes 12 cupcakes at 190C/ 375F/ Gas Mark 5 for 15mins.)

Yum! x