Michael Lim Coffee Sponge Cake Food

COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan. Line and butter two 18cm sandwich tins. Add the sugar and butter to a bowl and whisk until very fluffy and pale.
• Whisk the eggs in a mug with a fork, then add them gradually to the mixture with 1 tbsp of flour each time. (Make sure you don't use all the flour.) When the eggs have been fully combined into the mix, add the rest of the flour and fold it in gently.
• Add the dissolved coffee to the mixture, still folding. Divide into the sandwich tins and cook for 25-30 min until risen and firm and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Can be frozen at this stage.
• Meanwhile, make the icing by beating the icing sugar with the butter until light and fluffy, then add the dissolved coffee. Whisk, then cover and set aside until ready to ice the cake.
• Spread half the icing on the bottom of one sponge and spread the strawberry jam on the bottom of the other, if using. Sandwich together, then spread the remaining icing on top. Decorate with walnuts or cherries, if you like.

COFFEE SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Butter side and bottom of a 9" round pan; line bottom with parchment paper.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt together; set aside.
• Heat milk in a small saucepan over low heat until 150°F (pretty hot, but don't let milk boil); remove from heat.
• While milk is heating, beat eggs in a large bowl until yolks and whites are well-combined.
• Add sugar, then beat on high speed for about 4 mins until mixture is light, fluffy and thickened.
• Turn to low speed and beat in vanilla and dissolved coffee.
• Add in flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated.
• Slowly add in hot milk, continue mixing (low speed) until mixture is smooth (batter will be thin).
• Turn the batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the middle rack of a preheated oven at 350°F for 25 mins until the top feels firm when touched lightly, and a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
• Cool cake for 5 mins in the pan.
• Loosen the side of the cake from the pan using a small knife, and invert the cake onto a wire rack.
• Remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake and replace it loosely on the cake.
• Let the cake cool thoroughly, top side down.
• To make the syrup: Dissolve coffee granules and sugar in warm water (mix in a small bowl), then stir in the Kahlua/brandy.
• Assembly: Cut the sponge cake into 2 layers with a long serrated knife; set bottom layer onto a cake board/lazy susan.
• Brush top of 1st layer generously with syrup, and fill with the desired filling/frosting.
• Brush the 2nd layer of cake with syrup and set it on top of the filling, syrup side down.
• Brush the top of the cake with remaining syrup and frost the top and side as desired.