This is ‘THAT’ cake I can go completely insane for. The taste is to die for. Chocolate coffee lovers will know what I’m talking about. I have been baking for a cool 15 years now and “THIS” is that cake which is “MY” favouritist (just coined a new word, you get it right?) So what I’m trying to prove is, my dear friends, please go right now in your kitchen and try this cake. There are quite a few steps involved in baking this, but don’t get daunted. The buttercream and ganache can be prepared a couple of days in advance to ease out your work. Have this cake the way I have written it down for you, no omissions, additions or shortcuts and you will be on a blissful ride to dreamland.
As the name suggests, the cake is from Vietnam, where coffee is found and used in abundance. (They are the second largest producer of coffee in the world, can you believe that!!!) They have iced coffee to go along with this dessert, which is equally popular. DO NOT confuse this cake with yet another famous cake which is the Iced coffee cake, as that one uses cold coffee brew and condensed milk.
This recipe too calls for the famous coarsely grounded coffee, however I have opted for instand coffee granules as the former is way too strong and may not appeal to non- coffee lovers or coffee lovers for that matter. So yes, I did cheat a little bit, but that is perfectly allowed. Go ahead bakers and try ……
CHOCOLATE COFFEE CAKE
~ INGREDIENTS
Flour: 175gms
Cocoa Powder: 50gms
Brown Sugar: 200gms
Egg Whites: 2
Black coffee: 150ml + 100ml ( later for brushing the cake)
Sour Cream: 150ml ( I used amul tetra pack cream mixed with juice of 1 lemon)
Butter: 75gms
Baking Soda: 1.25tsp
Baking powder: 3/4th tsp
Kosher Salt (Pink Salt): 1/2tsp ( THE HERO)
~ RUSSIAN BUTTERCREAM
Unsalted Butter: 120 gms (you can use salted butter too, but then please omit the kosher salt)
Sweetened Condensed Milk: 120gms
Kosher Salt: 1/4th tsp ( Please taste, should be a hint of saltiness, don’t overdo it here)BUT its the hero ingredient again!!
~WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
(OMG I’m drooling writing this one!)
White chocolate : 100gms
Cream: 4 tbsp
Coffe: 1/2 tsp
~ STEPS FOR CAKE
- Brew your black coffee and allow it to cool.
- Beat together the sugar and butter really well, (like you do for all your cakes 😝)
- Add the sour cream and give it another whisk. ( Don’t forget to add the lemon into the Amul cream)
- Add egg whites. Another whrrrrrr……… and finally the brewed coffee
- Now toss the dry ingredients and bake in a pre-heated oven for 30 mins at 160. Check with skewer
- This cake is incredibly soft and divine. Words are short to explain. The flavour of coffee is just apt, thanks to the instant coffee used. Go ahead and brush the cake with the extra black coffee. Don’t worry , you need that flavour!!
~ STEPS FOR BUTTERCREAM
I honestly didn’t know there existed a Russian variation too! 🙆 until I stumbled upon this. This BC is pretty cool for fillings and frosting but Im a little unsure about piping and flowers. Its super super smooth and silky.
- Beat the butter for a good 5-10 minutes, till it becomes a pale white. Add the condensed milk and beat . Finally add the salt. Leave in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
~STEPS FOR GANACHE
- Melt chocolate. Add the cream. Add the coffee. Simplest procedure. Go for coffee flavoured ganache please!! Don’t skip for the fear of excess coffee, there wont be, trust me on this 😸 💁🏻
~ASSEMBLY OF CAKE
Well this one is famous for layers. Try cutting 3 thin slices of the cake. Spread thin layers of BC( only) in between the layers of cake. ( Sorry my image does’nt show the layers with BC 😰 perhaps they were too thin😄.) Top the final layer with BC and chill in referigerator for 30 minutes.
Now evenly spread the coffee ganache on the top layer ( Ganache to be at room temperature or 37 degrees)
Refrigerate for 1 hour OR just EAT people!! How can you resist 😂
Happy Baking
Author : Bhavna Gupta Patel
