Coffe Crunch Cake with a Twist

Well Hello Everyone!!!! It has been a very long time since we last shared a recipe or anything cooking related. I must say my cooking has been neglected lately due to my latest hobby. I have taken up mosaics and thoroughly enjoying it! I have even entered an online competition where I came first in my category. Now that was a really nice achievement for a novice!! Enough about that, lets get back to the kitchen talk.

I really love the idea of baking, making beautiful cakes and sweet delights, however I have come to realize that cooking is my natural talent where baking, well um yes.... I think it's not because I am bad at it, it is more like me sticking  to the recipe. (Blush)

I found with baking you need to follow a few little rules: 

Baking RULE NO 1 - do not deviate from the recipe!! That is when a cake can go horribly wrong! Either it can became so heavy that it feels as if it goes straight to your toes or so rubbery you can play table tennis.  If they say "2 cups of sugar" you make sure it is EXACTLY 2 cups. If they say use "parchment paper", then you use parchment paper. If they say "fold using a metal spoon" then do it. There is a reason behind the method which is the key to successful baking. 

RULE NO 2 in my book, is Read, read and re-read your recipe!!!! Make sure you understand the recipe and what to do for each step. (My past experience I have that problem. The recipe said 250ml buttermilk. I bought buttermilk and through in ALL the buttermilk not realizing (or reading on the packaging how many mills in in the carton assuming that it was 250ml) causing me to use 500mls instead of 250ml.  Not great if you are doing red velvet cupcakes. Let's just say they where supper moist but has heavy as lead!!)

RULE NO 3 do prep work, make sure you have all your ingredients packed out and measured/weighed etc..etc... The last thing you want to do while baking a cake is coming halfway only to realize you don't have an ingredient. 

People say baking is a science and yes I thoroughly agree!! 

Use the freshest ingredients and the best quality that your pocket can afford. 

Following these few little rules you should have a much better experience.

With everything it comes with practice and we all know that practice makes perfect!!

Lets get baking:

I made this cake, yes I followed the cake recipe to the T, but then the rebel in me, rebelled!! But only with the filling and the choice of nuts used. Butter filing?? Hmmmm Nah.... instead I made a Tiramisu filling which worked really well with this cake. That is what I think gave it sophistication!!!

I made it for a Kitchen Tea and it was such a big hit, 1 it disappeared within minutes and 2 everyone asked if I do catering? Heehaw!!

So herewith the recipe!!

Coffee Crunch Cake with an Abby Twist!

For the Cake:

• 175g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

For the meringue topping:

• 2 egg whites
• 100g caster sugar
• 3tsp  instant coffee granules
• 25g chopped walnuts (well I was naughty and went off the recipe, I used Hazelnuts instead and think it worked really really great!)

For the filling

• 250g   Creme Fraiche (I originally wanted to use Mascarpone Cheese but the supermarket didn't have any in stock (facepalm). I think Creme Fraiche worked well because it is slightly tangy making the cake not as sweet)
• 45ml  icing sugar, sifted (add more or less according to your taste of sweetness)
• 15ml coffee liquid

For the Cake:

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease 2 x 20cm loose-bottomed round cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment. (You don't want the cake to burn at the bottom) 

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then gradually whisk in the eggs. 

Fold in the flour and baking powder, then finally fold in 2 tbl coffee liquid. Divide the mixture between the 2 tins, putting a little more mixture in one than the other.

For the Meringue:

Make the meringue: whisk the egg whites until stiff, add half the sugar, whisk again until stiff, then repeat with the remaining sugar. Mix the coffee with 3 tsp boiling water to dissolve the granules. Gently fold the walnuts (or hazelnuts) and 3 tbs of the coffee into the meringue..  

Before spreading the meringue mixture just sprinkle a little sugar on top of the cake mixture. This way it prevents the layer between the cake and meringue from going gooey. Spread the meringue on top of the tin containing less cake mix. Bake the un-topped sponge for about 20 mins until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Continue baking the meringue-topped sponge for an additional 30 mins bringing the temperature of the oven down to 140C, then carefully remove both cakes from their tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the filling

Mix all the filling ingredients together until nice and smooth. Try not to over mix. Put the filling mixture in the fridge until your cake has cooled. Once your cake has completely cooled spread the mixture and  sandwich your two cakes. 

If you want to go a little over you can drizzle some melted chocolate over the meringue or coffee drizzle by mixing 3tbs of icing sugar with a coffee liquid until you get the right consistency.