Centenary Coffee Cake

Cake

• 175g soft block Margarine or Butter
• 175g Caster Sugar
• 175g SR Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 3 Eggs, large, beaten
• 2tsp instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling Water

Coffee Buttercream Filling (makes 250g)

• 75g Butter, very soft
• 175g Icing Sugar, sieved
• 2tsp instant coffee granules dissolved in 2 tbsp hot Water

Icing

• 175g Icing Sugar, sieved
• 1tsp instant coffee granules dissolved in 2-3 tbsp boiling Water

Decoration

• Chocolate Coffee Beans or Chocolate Chips
• White Chocolate Stars

1. Preheat oven Gas Mark 5/180C (or fan 160C).
2. Put all the cake ingredients into a large mixing bowl and with an electric whisk, combine to a smooth batter (start at a low speed and increase).
3. Whisk until combined about 2 mins.
4. Divide the mixture between 2 x19cm sandwich tins.
5. Bake 23 - 25 mins. The cakes should be evenly baked and spring back to the touch.
6. Allow to cool, then remove from the tins and place onto a cooling rack.
7. Make the buttercream: Cream the butter and icing sugar until light and smooth. Stir in the coffee liquid.
8. When the cakes are quite cold, spread 150g buttercream over the base of one cake.
9. Place the second cake on top.
10. Mix the icing ingredients to a smooth and spreadable icing.
11. Ice and decorate.

Tips

Leftover buttercream (as well as cake) can be frozen in a  plastic container for later use.

This recipe uses the all in one method for making a sandwich cake, other flavourings can be used for variation eg lemon, orange, chocolate etc.