Tue, 14 February 2017
To help you get in the mood this Valentine’s, chef Edward Hayden is in the kitchen this morning making a chocolate and coffee cake.
Ingredients for Sponge:
8oz/225g butter-softened
8oz/225g caster sugar
9oz/250g self-raising flour
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon coffee essence
Method:
Preheat oven to 170C/325F/Gas Mark 3.
Grease and line an eight inch/20cm deep heart shaped cake tin.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until very light and fluffy.
Pour in the coffee essence and mix well in.
Gradually add the eggs and mix in the flour.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the cake is well set. A skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come away spotlessly clean and dry. When the cake is cooked take it out of the oven and allow it to cool in the tin as it will still be quite soft at this stage. Ideally you should have the cake made the day before you require it.
Ingredients for Coffee Icing:
6oz/175g softened butter
12oz/350g icing sugar
4oz/110g dark chocolate, melted
1 tablespoon coffee essence
1 tablespoon boiling water
Method:
Cream the icing sugar and butter together in a large mixing bowl for at least 4-5 minutes. Add in the coffee essence and melted dark chocolate to flavour and colour the icing.
The addition of the boiling water will make the icing really soft.
Other Ingredients:
12oz/350g chocolate fingers
Fresh raspberries
4floz/110ml strong coffee
4oz/110g grated dark and white chocolate
Assembly:
Split the sponge horizontally in three equal pieces.
Brush a little of the strong coffee over each layer of the sponge to moisten each layer.
Spread some creamy coffee- and chocolate-flavoured butter icing in between each layer of the sponge until you have reassembled the cake into its original format.
Cover the entire cake with the chocolate and coffee icing at this stage and carefully arrange the chocolate fingers all the way around the sides of the cake (trying to resist eating any biscuits as you assemble) until it is covered all the way round. It's nice to tie this with a ribbon as a 'gift' for your loved on!
Sprinkle the grated chocolate over the top and decorate with some fresh raspberries.
