Coffee Cake

Growing up, coffee cake was always my favourite. I didn't like to drink coffee, but there was always something so delicious about the coffee flavoured buttercream that I couldn't say no to! Chocolate cake can sometimes be quite sickly, so coffee cake is a good alternative for a mid morning slice. It's light and fluffy, but it will still give you a zing!

This recipe is passed down from my Nanna, so its still in ounces. I could convert it into grams, but there is something nice about making it the old fashioned way how it was written (that's not saying I won't be using an electric mixer to save my arms though!!!). It is a simple sandwich recipe, which leads to a light cake and will last for a good few days in an airtight container.

It is an easy cake to make, so it's perfect to teach children the basics of baking. The only hard thing is to try and resist licking the buttercream before you've spread it on the cake!!!!

I used cake tin liners which has given the edges an interesting shape and I have sprinkled some chopped walnuts on the top to add some texture.

I find it best to use stork margarine rather than butter for the cake mixture as it makes it really light and not too sickly. I then use butter for the icing. You can experiment with different coffee granules to make the paste - I find that Nescafe Azura fine granules works really well.

Recipe:

Set the oven to Gas Mark 6. Grease and line 2 x 6inch cake tins.

Beat 6oz stork margarine with 6oz caster sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Add 3 eggs one at a time, beating well.

Sieve 6oz self raising flour into the mixture and fold in.

Mix 1 tbsp of coffee granules with a little hot water to make a paste and stir into the mixture.

Split the mixture between both tins and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Cool in the tin on a wire rack.

Buttercream: Beat 200g soft butter with 200g icing sugar in a mixer for a few minutes. Make another coffee paste and stir in. Spread the buttercream onto each layer and finish with chopped walnuts.

You can also order this cake as a product. It will be served on a cake board, in a cake box. I offer free local delivery and accept payment via bank transfer, PayPal or cash upon delivery.