Coffee crunch cake

I made this cake for my father’s birthday. Technically it was a four layered cake but since it was getting too tall so, I left one layer out. Eventually it was three layered cake, each layer covered with freshly whipped cream and sugar crunch, after being drenched in sugar syrup. Covered the whole cake in whipped cream and sprinkled sugar crunch anywhere and just about everywhere.

This is a quick Mix cake, from St Michael Cookery library “Cake icing and Decorating by Pamela Dotter. I’m so glad I have this book. And this cake is one of the quick mix cake batters which can be used for most decorated cakes. Flavour it in various ways and bake it in different tins. This cake recipe is perfect for birthday parties because it’s quick, simple and easy because that is exactly what you need on a hectic day, when you have to be everywhere, making sure that everything is done according to your taste and plan, a time for party.

What you need>>>

All-purpose flour—————– 6 oz or 1 1/2 cup
Caster sugar——————— 6 oz
Eggs—————————– 3
Corn starch (corn flour)———- 1 ounce
Vanilla essence——————- 1 tsp
Instant coffee powder———— 1 tbsp
Baking powder——————- 3 tsp
Butter—————————- 6 oz soft
Salt——————————- 1 tsp

Icing and frosting>>>

Cream—————————- freshly whipped and chilled
Instant coffee powder————- 2 tbsp for cream
Icing sugar———————— 3 tbsp sifted for cream

Crunch>>>

Granulated sugar—————– 1 cup for crunch

Sugar syrup>>>

Water—————————– 1 cup
Granulated sugar——————  3 tbsp

How it’s made>>>

1. Pre-heat the oven to 162 C.
2. Brush two 8 inches round cake tins with oil. Line the bases with greaseproof paper and grease the paper.
3. Sift together flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. Put butter/ margarine, caster sugar, eggs, sifted flour, baking powder, instant coffee powder (I used nestle), in a mixing bowl.
5. Mix together with wooden spoon or rubber spatula, then beat with your electric mixer or hand beater for 1 – 2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
6. Place into prepared tins and level the top with the back of the spoon.
7. Bake in the center of the oven for 40 – 45 minutes. Test the cake by pressing with the fingertips: if cooked, the cake will spring back and have just begun to shrink from the sides of the tin. Or a tooth pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Loosen the edges with a knife and turn out on a cooling rack.
9. If cooked in a ring mold or basin, remove the paper and invert the cake then leave to cool.

Sugar syrup to soak the cake>>>

1 cup water + 3 tbsp sugar. Mix till sugar disappears. Drench each layer of your cake with this syrup.

Sugar crunch>>>

Place 8 tbsp of sugar into a pan and stir constantly till it melts. Now let it cook till it bubbles and turn slight golden, stir when ever needed otherwise the sugar will burn, leaving behind an unpleasant odor and you’ll have to throw that away and make a new batch. So, as you prepare your crunch, don’t go anywhere even for a short while because sugar is very tricky on fire.

Once off heat, keep stirring, because the pan is hot and the sugar will get darker and darker if you don’t. And please don’t let the melted sugar touch you, or you’ll be left with bitter scars.

Filling and frosting>>>

Add instant coffee powder and icing sugar to chilled freshly whipped cream, beat for 1-2 minutes and get to work.

Now pour this sugar syrup onto your greased metal plates or marble slabs and leave to cool. Once cooled break it with a spoon and start sprinkling onto the cake.

Assembly>>>

1. Cake layer.
2. 2-3 tbsp of sugar syrup all over, don’t forget the edges.
3. Chilled Whipped cream
4. Crunch.
5. Second layer of cake.
6. 2-3 tbsp of sugar syrup all over.
7. Chilled Whipped cream
8. Crunch.
9. Third cake layer.
10. 2-3 tbsp of sugar syrup all over, especially around the edges
11. Whipped cream from top to all around the side.
12. Crunch anywhere or everywhere.

This is how I decorated it, just to spark your imagination. You can go ahead and be creative. So, go into the kitchen and light that bulb of yours, if you know what I mean 🙂

Happy baking!