Spiced 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.

SPICED FIG, COFFEE & HAZELNUT CAKE

Steps:

• First, make the sponge. Put the dried figs in a bowl and pour over the coffee. Leave to soak for 30 mins. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Tip the hazelnuts onto a baking tray and toast in the oven for 5-8 mins until golden brown and aromatic. Tip 75g of the nuts into a food processor (set aside the rest for later) and leave to cool for 10 mins. Meanwhile grease the base and sides of a 20 x 30cm rectangular cake tin with butter and line with baking parchment.
• Whizz the cooled nuts until finely chopped. Add the soaked figs and any remaining coffee, and whizz again to a paste. Add the remaining sponge ingredients to the processor with a good pinch of salt. Blend until well combined, scraping down the sides once or twice and blending again. Scrape into your cake tin, level the surface and bake for 25 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then flip onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment and leave to cool.
• While the cake cools, make the icing. Put the butter, vanilla and half the sugar in a large bowl. Roughly mash together with a spatula, then blend with an electric hand whisk until smooth. Add the cream cheese and the remaining icing sugar, mash, then blend again until smooth. Split the icing into 2 batches, one for layering and a crumb coat, and one for a final coat. You can chill the icing while the cake cools, but remove it from the fridge 15 mins before using to bring back to room temperature.
• Now assemble the cake. Transfer the cooled cake to a chopping board. Score the sponge at 10cm intervals along the length of the cake, marking out 3 sections, 20 x 10cm each. Cut through, then stack the cakes on top of each other to check they are the same size. Trim any uneven edges, then unstack.
• Put 1 sponge on a cake board or plate. Spread with a little icing and 3 tbsp fig jam, keeping the jam about 1cm from the edges. Top with another sponge, more icing and jam, then sandwich with the final sponge. Use a palette knife to cover the entire cake with the remaining first batch of icing (the crumb coat) - don't worry if it's a little messy. Make sure you fill any gaps between the layers with icing. Once covered, chill for at least 30 mins to firm up the icing. Chill the remaining icing too, but bring it out of the fridge 10-15 mins before the cake so it is ready for spreading.
• Decorate the cake. Remove it from the fridge and cover with the remaining icing. Use a palette knife to create smooth edges, or leave it fairly rough, if you like. Top the cake with the figs, pointy ends up. Put the caramel in a small piping bag, snip off the corner and drizzle over the top of the cake, encouraging it down the sides (or just drizzle it over with a spoon). Roughly chop the remaining toasted nuts and scatter over the top. Serve in slices with extra figs on the side, if you like. Keep leftovers in the fridge for 3 days, but bring to room temperature before eating.

COFFEE & SPICES SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Combine coffee and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Steep over low heat for 10 minutes.
• Strain into a measuring cup. T.
• There should be 1/2 cup flavored milk.
• Keep the milk warm on low heat.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, set aside until needed.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs for two minutes at high speed until thick, then slowly add the sugar and beat for 4 to 5 minutes longer until the mixture is very light.
• Using a mixer on low speed, slowly beat in the flavored milk, just until blended.
• Now beat in the vanilla and slowly fold in the flour mixture just until blended, making sure not too overbeat.
• Lastly, fold in the melted butter, gently.
• Pour into a greased and floured 8-inch round cake pan.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 20-25 minutes until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
• Let cake cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely, then frost with your favorite chocolate buttercream or coffee frosting.

COFFEE AND BANANA SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• #1 Way of Making;.
• Grease and flour or line with baking paper, a square 8" cake pan.
• Heat oven to 350'C/180'F.
• Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the coffee essence.
• Mix in the mashed bananas.
• Add egg and milk.
• Sift together the dry ingredients and fold into creamed mixture.
• Scoop into prepared tin and bake for approx 35 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched with finger and is shrinking from sides of tin.
• Remove from oven and cool in tin for 5mins then turn onto a rack to cool completely.
• When cold cut in half and fill with sweetened whipped cream and dust top with icing sugar.
• #2 Way of Making;.
• Sift flour and baking powder and salt into bowl of mixer.
• Add in the sugar, egg, coffee essence and mashed bananas.
• Stir the baking soda into the milk and add to bowl.
• Melt the butter and add last.
• Beat on high speed until just mixed then scoop into greased & floured or, baking paper lined 8" tin.
• Bake 35mins approx and continue as for #1.
• *For a special effect ice/frost top with coffee butter icing and decorate with chopped walnuts.

SPICED TOFFEE APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 20 x 30cm baking tray with baking parchment. Put the dates and milk in a small pan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and set aside for 15 mins to cool.
• Whizz the date mixture to a smooth purée in a food processor or blender, then scrape into a large mixing bowl. Tip in the butter, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, eggs, mixed spice and vanilla, and set aside while you prepare the apples.
• Quarter and core the apples, then slice quite thinly, tossing in a little lemon juice as you go. Quickly beat together the cake ingredients with an electric whisk until smooth, then scrape into the baking tray. Arrange the apple slices, overlapping in rows, on top of the cake - you should be able to get 3 rows lengthways down the tray. Bake for 45-50 mins until a skewer poked into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tray.
• Put the toffees in a small pan with a good splash of milk and gently melt, stirring, until runny. To finish, dust with a little icing sugar, then drizzle sauce all over the cake. Cut into squares or slices to serve.

WINTER SPICE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE TREES

Steps:

• MAKE THE CAKE Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of three 20cm cake tins with baking parchment - if your cake tins are quite shallow, line the sides to a depth of at least 5cm.
• Mix the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, mixed spice and salt in a bowl.
• Whisk the buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract and 75ml water with the eggs until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until well combined. Scoop about a third of the cake mixture into a tin. If using, mix the food colouring into the remaining batter and divide this between the other tins. Bake for 25-30 mins, or until the cakes have risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Cool in the tins for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment and cool. The sponges will keep, wrapped tightly in cling film, for three days, or wrap and freeze for up to two months.
• NOW MAKE THE ICING Beat the butter with half the icing sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add the remaining icing sugar and the cream cheese, and beat again until combined - don't overmix or the icing may become runny.
• NEXT, ASSEMBLE THE CAKE Put one of the red sponges on a cake stand or cake board, sticking it down with a small blob of icing. Sandwich with the gold sponge, being generous with the icing. Top with more icing and the final red sponge, flat-side up. When assembled, use a palette knife to cover the entire cake with a thin layer of the icing, filling any gaps between sponges, but don't worry about completely covering the sponges at this stage. This is called a crumb coat and ensures that your final layer is crumb-free. Make space in the fridge and chill for 30 mins to allow the icing to firm up.
• MAKE THE CHOCOLATE TREES Melt the white chocolate in the microwave, or in a small bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir in a spot of green food colouring gel if you want to make them green. Transfer to a piping bag and leave to firm up for a few mins (this will make the trees thicker). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Snip off the end of the piping bag and quickly pipe the chocolate backwards and forwards in thin lines to create little Christmas trees (ours were 7-10cm tall).
• Decorate with sprinkles and chill until you're ready to decorate the cake.
• ICE THE CAKE Once the crumb coat is chilled, use the remaining icing to completely cover the cake. This is easiest if you pile the icing on top of the cake, then use a palette knife to ease it over the edge and down the sides. You can make it as smooth or as rough as you like. Chill for another 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, for the chocolate drip, melt the white chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of lightly simmering water or in the microwave in short bursts. Pour into a disposable piping bag and set aside to firm up a little - you want it to be pourable but not too runny.
• Remove the cake from the fridge. If you like, you can use an edible gold spray to cover the surface in a thin layer of shimmer. When the white chocolate is the correct consistency, snip off the end of the piping bag and pipe drizzles down the side of the cake. Fill in the top with the remaining chocolate. Push them into the white chocolate topping before it sets.

COFFEE SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Make the coffee; use dark roast.
• Position oven rack in the center of oven; preheat to 350°. Prepare 12-cup Bundt pan as follows: Prepare Bundt pan using the following method-make a paste from 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 tablespoon flour ; apply it with a pastry brush, you can thoroughly coat the surface of the pan, including all the nooks and crannies (or use your preferred method to prepare Bundt pan for baking a cake).
• Cream the shortening using a mixer on medium speed; add in the brown sugar gradually; increase mixer speed to med-high and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Decrease mixer speed to low; add in the molasses, then add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices together.
• Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the cream mixture, beat, then add 1/4 cup coffee and beat on medium until blended; repeat two more times.
• Pour batter into the pan, smooth off top with spatula.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until the cake tests done.
• Cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan, unmold onto a cake rack, and cool completely.
• Sprinkle with coarse sugar or dust with powdered sugar.