We’ve just returned from a magical road trip from Cape Town to Botswana, and beyond! Thousand of kilometres, four countries and countless memories later, it’s been a little strange to settle back into our normal routine! Between unpacking bags and camping gear, tackling mountains of laundry and catching up on emails I found some time to test this recipe that has been sitting on my “must bake” list for quite some time.
If you’re looking to put something special on the table for tea time, this tender coffee sponge cake topped with hazelnut crumble and filled with dark chocolate ganache is just the thing. There’s all the comfort and flavour of a winter bake with a touch of indulgence and celebration. The buttery crumble topping adds a delicious crunch and cosy, homemade feel, while the fluffy ganache adds chocolatey richness without being too heavy. This inviting cake has winter weekend baking written all over it.
One important thing to remember is that this cake doesn’t contain any baking powder or bicarbonate of soda, it relies entirely on the air incorporated during the mixing process to give it lift. The egg yolks and whites are whisked separately with sugar before being gently folded together, and the flour is sifted twice before being carefully folded in as well. Gentle is definitely the key here.
Whisking egg yolks and sugar always makes me think of my college days, when our lecturers insisted that we couldn’t move onto the next step until the mixture was thick enough to leave a ribbon-like trail along the surface for a few seconds. This is known as the ribbon stage, and it’s still one of the best ways to check whether you’ve whisked the mixture sufficiently. Keep this in mind and you’ll be rewarded with a beautifully light and delicate sponge.
COFFEE CRUMB CAKE WITH WHIPPED GANACHE
Crumble topping
- 50 g cake flour
- 25 g hazelnuts, finely chopped
- 50 g light brown sugar
- 50 g butter, melted
Coffee sponge
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 200 g castor sugar
- 10 ml (2 tsp) good quality instant coffee
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) hot water
- 120 g cake flour
- pinch of fine salt
Whipped ganache
- 100 g 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 125 ml (½ cup) fresh cream
- 5 ml (1 tsp) good quality instant coffee
- icing sugar, to decorate
1.) To make the crumble topping, combine the flour, hazelnuts and sugar in a small bowl. Add the butter and mix together until evenly combined into a clumpy mixture. Set aside.
2.) Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Line two round 20cm cake pans with baking paper and grease well.
3.) To make the sponge, place the egg whites in a spotlessly clean bowl and whisk to stiff peak stage. Gradually whisk in 125 g of the sugar.
4.) In a separate bowl, use the same beater to whisk the egg yolks until combined. Add the remaining 75 g of sugar and whisk for a few minutes until pale and thick. Combine the coffee and water together in a small bowl and mix into the egg yolks.
5.) Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites.
6.) Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Sift the dry ingredients a second time, over the egg mixture and gently fold in.
7.) Divide the batter between the two cake pans. Use your fingertips to break the streusel topping into fine crumbs and sprinkle over the top of one of the cakes. Bake for 30 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Gently loosen the cakes from the sides of the tin, remove and set aside to cool completely.
8.) To make the ganache, place the chocolate in a small bowl. Heat the cream and coffee gently until the coffee has dissolved and the the cream just starts to simmer. Do not let it boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and leave to stand for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth, then set aside to cool to room temperature.
9.) Use an electric beater to whip the ganache for a few minutes until pale and thickened, it should have the consistency of whipped cream. Place the cake layer without the crumble topping onto a plate and spread the ganache on top. Place the other cake layer on top. Dust the top with icing sugar just before serving.
Cupcakes & Couscous 