Coffee and Mint Cream Cake
"This is my final recipe from *The World Encyclopedia of Coffee* ---- Per the intro, Ground almonds give this buttery coffee sponge cake a moist texture & delicate flavour. Then it's sandwiched together w/a generous filling of creme de menthe buttercream." I nearly died & went to heaven when I saw the breathtaking pic! (Time does not include time for cake layers to fully cool). *Enjoy* !"
photo by Andi Longmeadow Farm
- Ready In:
- 40mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Yields:
-
8 Wedge Servings
- Serves:
- 8
ingredients
-
For Sponge Cake
- 1 tablespoon fine ground coffee
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons water (heated to near-boil temp)
- 3⁄4 cup unsalted butter (well-softened)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups self-raising flour (sifted)
- 1⁄2 cup ground almonds
- 3 eggs
- icing sugar (to dust top layer of cake)
- of fresh mint (sml sprigs for garnish)
-
For Buttercream Filling
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup icing sugar (sifted)
- 2 tablespoons creme de menthe
directions
- For Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly grease & line 2 7-in rd baking tins w/greaseproof paper.
- Put coffee grounds in a sml bowl & pour hot water over them. Leave to infuse for 4-5 minutes, then strain thru a fine sieve (See note below).
- Put butter, sugar, flour, almonds, eggs & coffee in a lrg bowl. Beat well for 1 min till blended. Divide mixture evenly between the tins & level the surface.
- Bake for 25 min till well-risen & firm to the touch. Leave in the tins for 5 min, then turn out onto a wire rack to fully cool.
- For Filling: While cake layers are baking, cream the butter, icing sugar + creme de menthe liqueur together in a bowl till light & fluffy. Refrigerate till cake layers are baked & fully cooled.
- Remove lining paper from sponge cake layers. Put 1 layer on serving plate (flat side up) & frost top surface only w/chilled filling. Gently place 2nd layer atop filling (flat side down). Refrigerate till ready to serve.
- To Serve: Generously dust top of cake w/icing sugar & scatter fresh mint leaves over dusted surface. (This was inconsistent w/the pic which showed the mint leaves mounded in the center of the top of the cake, so choose the look you prefer).
- NOTE RE PREP STEP 2: My pref would be to use a simple coffee filter to strain the coffee & remove the grounds. I'd just squeeze it to get all the coffee for the cake or press the filter w/the round side of a tbsp to manage that step easily. :-).
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Reviews
-
This is every bit as wonderful as described in the intro, easy to put together, and so light and delicious you won't even put on a pound. I followed this exactly as written, except for two small changes. I don't have round cake pans. (I know, I know, who in the world doesn't have round cake pans? me!) I used 7' square pans. Also I ran out of almond, so I used 2 tablespoons of walnuts mixed with the almond. Other then that, terrific, and easy as a button to be devoured by all. So light, and gets even better if you wait more the 10 minutes to eat a bit, a fairy-like cake that makes you want to float as if you were in heaven. This is so easy to put together, I can't imagine someone not making this. I sprinkled a bit of freeze-dried coffee crystals atop the middle filling, just to bring the coffee taste to the forefront. Oh my! Just outstanding! Will make this again, soon! Thanks, twissis! Made for *Adopt A Tag* 2008
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
twissis
Iceland
I am an American transplanted from Dallas to Iceland by marriage to a native Icelander & I retired to become his "Kitchen Queen". We love to entertain our family & friends, so I have an eclectic collection of recipes. I especially love simple, easy-fix, flexible & make-ahead recipes - BUT also like challenging myself on occasion. I enjoy baking & food photography. I am devoted to the "More is Always Better Principle" & apply it liberally to bacon, butter & garlic. I can have ingredient issues due to availability here in Iceland & my DH is medically diet-restricted from some ingredients as well. Either situation might require me to modify a recipe, but I will do my best to be true to your recipes & fair/honest in my reviews. Mary Pat (aka twissis)
