This is one of my favourite homemade cakes, with and without icing. This coffee cake is slightly different from what you may be used to, in that I don’t make coffee to add to the cake. Instead, I add good quality instant coffee granules straight to the batter right at the end, with the flour.
The result is a wonderful hit of coffee aroma with just a hint of bitter as you have a bite of the cake. It’s beautiful to look at too, as you slice it, you see all these little black dots, almost like poppy seeds! The addition of cardamom lifts the flavour and adds just a hint of warmth to the coffee cake.
To ice or not to ice?
This is an oft requested cake by clients, for whom it’s always iced. Buttercream icing transforms the cake into a celebration cake and also adds sweet and cream to the flavour mix. When I make it at home, I leave it un-iced, and we have it warm with some ice cream and even custard.
Depending on the clients, I have used plain old vanilla buttercream, which is amazing with this as it tones down any lingering coffee hint of bitter, if you are not a massive fan of coffee, which is usually the case with kids.
Coffee buttercream is another good one, if a bit of an obvious choice. Take a look at my Buttercream Icing page for all the various flavours. If you are not too confident about icing cakes, take a look at my Cake Decorating page, where you’ll find all the necessary information, like Icing and Filling Cakes with Buttercream.
The Coffee
My favourite kind for this is the instant coffee granules that are mixed with ground coffee beans. There are quite a few brands out there doing this, I use the Kenco Millicano for it.
You’ll need an 8″ (20 cm) cake pan, line it and grease it as required.
Coffee Cake (with Optional Coffee Buttercream Icing)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8 - 12 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
A simple coffee cake that can be eaten on its own or iced with Buttercream.
Ingredients
- 160g (5 3/5oz) salted butter
- 160g (5 3/5oz) sugar
- 200g (7oz) self raising flour
- 3 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp instant coffee granules
- seeds of 6 cardamoms, ground
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
Optional Coffee Buttercream
- 250g (8 4/5oz) regular salted butter
- 600g (1 lb 1/3oz) icing (powdered) sugar
- 2 Tbsp strong espresso OR strong instant coffee (whatever you drink)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180˚C (350˚F/160˚C Fan).
- Sift flour and baking powder.
- Cream the butter and sugar for a minute until light and pale.
- Add eggs, one at a time, with a tsp of flour with each addition, beating about a minute in between. The flour will stop the mixture from curdling.
- Add the vanilla and cardamom and lightly beat to mix.
- Fold in the flour and coffee and pour into your cake pan.
- Bake for about 40-45 minutes.
- Leave to cool in the tin before turning out.
- If you are icing, as in the pictures, make sure your cake is completely cool, before doing so. To ice the cake, please head on over to the Icing and Filling Cakes with Buttercream page.
Optional Coffee Buttercream
- Place the butter in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy, about a minute.
- Add the icing sugar and beat until thoroughly combined and smooth. You’ll end up with a very pale cream mix.
- Add the coffee and vanilla and beat to mix.
- Keep it covered with cling film until you’re ready to use it.
Notes
I’ve kept buttercream icing in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks (no milk) and it was perfectly fine. Personally, I think refrigerating it changes the texture, so I never do it.
The Nutritional info and total time is for the cake without the icing.
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: British
I love cooking with granulated coffee; it really brings out the chocolate flavor in desserts. Also, beautiful pics!
It sure does, thank you.
Oh wow – this is my kind of coffee cake… are real one! Absolutely gorgeous! I bet it’s delicious!
Thank you, it sure is!
first of all these pictures are fireeeeee. The cake itself looks incredible and I really like how you decorated it, You did a fabulous job!
Thank you Andrea!
If that cake tastes as half as good as it looks, then I’m all in! Definitely going to try this out!
Thank you Derek!
OMG does this look delicious. You know, I have never iced a coffee cake. Perhaps perhaps because I like eating it for breakfast. Hey…the more caffeine the better!!
Thanks Gloria. If truth be told, I prefer it without the icing!
This cake is TOO pretty! And a coffee cake that has actual coffee in it is brilliant! Also, I’m excited by your coffee buttercream. #POSSIBILITIES!
Thank you! I know, I’m always bemused when I come across coffee cake without coffee, just meant to be eaten with coffee!
What a gorgeous cake! I love coffee, I like how you’ve added the coffee granules with the flour at the end. Your cake would be perfect with my morning cup of coffee.
This sounds dreamy! I’m a caffeine maniac… couldn’t live without my morning coffee and now I ll have to try this fluffy airy caffeine cake of yours, it looks too yummy to be true.
Haha, thank you!
Such a beautiful cake! I love the different serving suggestions too. Serving a cake warm with ice cream is a great dessert and saves having to spend time decorating it.
Thank you!
Now you are a lady after my own heart. Not only is this cake stunning, (I am so impressed) but it contains my favorite food/beverage item on the planet, coffee. This is the perfect cake.
Thank you so much!
Lovely cake!
Can I just say, “yummy”? 🙂
Your cake was gorgeous. Nice job.
Thanks for adding your amazing coffee cake to my link up party! Do you think you could link back to us somewhere in this post? If not… then just join us next Friday and link back so more people can join us at our “Coffee Party” 😉 Thanks again!
that’s a gorgeous cake. i’ve not had much luck with baking cakes…and what more decorating them. lol.
No theme necessary … Just chill. Love the coffee cake, by the way 🙂
Wow, great to know that you are so busy in catering and cake jobs. This cake looks fabulous!! May I have a bite please!
You have been a busy bee! Thanks for taking some time out to showcase one of your recipes. The coffee granules as well as the cardamon do make an excellent pairing. Also I like the uniqueness of the wonderful way it is decorated. Great post!
Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a nice comment! I subscribed to your posts! 😉 I thought that cake didn’t look like a “coffee cake” but now I see that it is literally a COFFEE cake because it HAS COFFEE in it… lol… so… yummy!!!
I’m excited to catch up with your blog again. What a fabulous-looking cake!
Stunning cake! It must be delicious too! Well done you!
that cake sounds so delicious and looks great! awesome job!
My god Lin, You have such fantastic skills in decorating the cake. Better than those sold in cake shops. Love it all the way. Btw, I didn’t know you do catering too. I suppose I can understand why I didn’ t hear from you for some time.
This cake is decorated to perfection my friend – I absolutely love it 😀
I’m so glad you can relax and enjoy it now!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru