Cappuccino and Chocolate Birthday Cake Recipe

Caffé Mocaccino Celebration Cake

So, being a baking enthusiast and over all cake lover with a very stubborn idea of the perfect birthday cake for the day, I decided the only way forward would be to make my own. (and a damn good cake it was too if I may say so myself...)

 

 

 

 This pretty, chocolate butter frosting covered coffee and chocolate layered sponge with coffee flavoured butter frosting in-between was my own (and ultimate fave) creation. Coffee cake has got to be one of my all time fave flavours (even if I'm not a lover of the beverage its self... the infused flavour in a magical sweet treat won't go to waste around me ;)) When mixed with its long lost lover and ultimate partner in crime CHOCOATE! It will send your taste buds through the roof.

This cake, although coffee cake, for sure won't smack you in the face with a strong and bitter taste of the beverage but will make its presence with a subtle and sweet welcome. The perfect in-between cake, dodging the extreme sickly over chocolaty or strong coffee sponge recipes out there achieving the perfect balance right in the centre. It'll be sure to please everyone! and make the perfect birthday cake surprise.

(So without further a do, here goes the recipe... and what you've all been waiting for.)

Cappuccino and Chocolate Layer Sponge Cake Recipe

(a.k.a. The Mocha Celebration cake)

 



Ingredients:

 

Chocolate sponge:

175g Self Raising Flour

225g Muscovado Sugar

225g Soft Un-Salted Butter

4 Eggs

50g Cocoa Powder

1 tsp Baking Powder

 

Cappuccino Sponge:

225g Self Raising Flour

225g Muscovado Sugar

225g Soft Un-Salted Butter

4 Eggs

1 tsp Baking Powder

4 tsp Instant Coffee, Dissolved in 1 tbsp Boiling Water

 

Inner Filling:

225g Icing Sugar

100g Butter

4 level tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tbsp warm water

1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence

 

Chocolate Covering:

225g Icing Sugar

100g Butter

1 1/2 tbsp Cocoa Powder

1 tbsp Warm Water

1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence

 

Decoration: Sprinkles, Chocolate shavings/ drops

 

 

 

Method: 

 

 For the Chocolate Sponge:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4. Lightly grease and/ or line two 20cm (8 inch) sandwich tins.

2. Beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

3. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add to the mixture little at a time, beating well after in addition.

4. Sieve the Flour, Cocoa powder and baking powder over the mixture and fold in with a metal spoon.

5. Once smooth, divide the mixture into the two cake tins as evenly as possible and smooth over with a knife.
6. Bake for approx. 25-30 mins. Until Golden brown and firm to touch. Leave to cool for 10mins and turn out of tins on wire rack.

 

For the Cappuccino Sponge:

6. Repeat steps 1-4 in the chocolate sponge recipe above.

7. Once smooth, stir in the dissolved coffee until thoroughly blended and divide equally between two greased cake tins.

8. Bake for approx. 25-30mins. Until firm to touch and the sponge springs back when prodded. Leave to cool and turn out on cooling rack.

 

Filling:  

Once the sponges are completely cool, use a sharp knife to level three of the sponges, leaving a coffee sponge unlevelled for the top layer.

1. In a mixing bowl beat together butter, icing sugar, vanilla essence and the dissolved coffee.

2. Once smooth place a chocolate sponge on your cake tray/stand and use roughly 1/3 of the icing or enough to cover the sponge about 1cm thick.

3. Repeat step two with all the sponge layers, alternating the sponge. Chocolate, Coffee, Chocolate, Coffee.

4. Refrigerate for up to 10-15mins to ensure the icing has begun to set and the cake is sturdy.

 

 

Chocolate Frosting Coating:

1. Beat together the icing sugar, butter, cocoa powder, vanilla essence and water until smooth and fully blended. (Add more cocoa powder to adjust colour and taste.)

 

2. To ice the cake, carefully spoon the mixture on the top and sides using the back of the spoon the gently ease the mixture in to any gaps and begin smoothing out. (If your sponge is a little crumbly apply a thin layer of icing all over and refrigerate till firm to lock in the crumbs and carry on with the next steps; however this isn't always necessary.)

3. Using either an icing spatula or, alternatively, the back of a serving spoon and knife to gently cover the cake, roughly smoothing as you go.

4. Decorate the cake with your chosen sprinkles, fruit and other decorations and refrigerate till serving. (For best results refrigerate up to 30mins or an hour before serving to ensure the cake is sturdy and the icing has begun to harden.   

 

(Tip; This cake can be made and iced up to two days ahead, kept covered in the fridge. Iced or un-iced, it freezes well.)

Enjoy!

 
(Pictures below!)

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Don't forget to tag me on instagram (@apesjackson) and on twitter (@aprilroseo) if you recreate this amazing celebration cake. Comment below if you have any other scrummy recipes I should give a whirl.

If you enjoyed this recipe be sure to check out my Blueberry and Lemon loaf cake for something a little more tart but no less stratifying and a show stopper for the summer months. 

 

Hope you enjoyed, 

 

Much love,  -A
Xx

That's all for now folks,

 

XOXO -A

<3 

Fruit-a-licious Tea Loaf

Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free Healthy Fruity Tea Loaf.


After the Healthy Banana Loaf went down a treat, I've been on the crave train for treats. Giving healthy banana ice-cream a go last night (A scrum-didly-um-tious success, with only one ingredient... frozen banana; blog post may be on its way for this recipe...) and my Blueberry and Lemon Drizzle Loaf was a yummy hit (since I purchased my loaf tin, I've been loaf obsessed!!). I thought I would do some investigating for a healthy and yummy treat, finally coming up with another healthy loaf recipe. Loosely based on the traditional fruit loaf recipe and inspired from several other healthy loaves, without further a do I give to you my Fruit-a-licious Tea Loaf Recipe. (Also known as A Healthy Fruit Tea Loaf...) This recipe is free from refined sugar, wheat and processed ingredients and 100% delicious (if I do say so myself...!)

 
 
 

Fruit-a-licious Tea Loaf Recipe

Ingredients:

200g Ground Almonds

85g Unsalted Butter  

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1tsp Organic Vanilla Extract

65g (1/2 cup) Raisins

65g Dried Apricots

65g Dried Prunes

50g Dried Cranberries

50g Sunflower Seeds/ Mixed Seeds

3 Eggs

1 Medium Orange (Juice and Zest)
Handful of Flaked Almonds

2lb Loaf Tin

 

Instructions:

(Scroll down for step illustrations.)

 

 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C and grease/ line your 2lb loaf tin. (If using a round or larger/smaller loaf tin the baking time may need to be adjusted or ingredients doubled to get a full loaf.)

 

2. Measure out and prepare your ingredients. With a sharp knife roughly chop the dried apricots and prunes.

 

3. Then, in a large mixing bowl mix together all of the dry ingredients and butter until all the ingredients are combined.

 

4. In a separate bowl beat together the eggs and add to the mixture. Stir well.

 

5. Once you have a paste like mixture with all ingredients combined, scoop the mixture in to your loaf tin.

 

6. For decoration sprinkle your a handful of any leftover dried fruit and mixed seeds.

 

7. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes. Once golden brown and when prodded, firm leave to cool inside the loaf tin. (For an extra check to make sure your loaf is 100% ready, if a skewer is poked through the centre of your loaf and comes out clean, your good to go.)

 

 

Once cool, remove from loaf tin

and
Enjoy!

(A good cuppa on the side is always welcomed ;))

 

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If I haven't said it enough, this recipe is 'scrum-diddly- um- scious' and deffo worth a bake! Perfect for an afternoon pick me up with an extra special cup of tea or a sweet, yet 100% healthy and good for you, evening treat. It's even a great treat warmed with a low fat spread for a quick breakfast in place of toast. Either way this recipe is a quick, simple and extremely yummy bake that will rock your socks off and never let you down!

Don't forget to tag me on instagram (@apesjackson) and on twitter (@aprilroseo) if you recreate this without a fail, hit of a cake. Comment below if you have any other healthy or just god damn scrummy recipes I should give a whirl.

Give the post a +1 if you'd like to see some of my other recipes on my blog and want to see my Healthy Banana Ice-cream and healthy sweet, nutty and fruity ice-cream variation recipes.

 

Much love,  -A
Xx



That's all for now folks,

 

XOXO -A

<3 

 



Blueberry and Lemon Drizzle Loaf.

 

For all those cake lovers out there...

My Blueberry and Lemon Drizzle Loaf Recipe should hit the spot.

With my last recipe being a Healthy Banana Bread, using natural ingredients, a refined sugar free and vegan etc. treat I thought it was only right to post a classic cake treat recipe to cover a wider range of treat lovers out there. So, with baking on the brain I thought I'd cook up a well loved cake by my mum and brothers that always gets some love. Baked especially for my mum, who loves a good blueberry anything! It'll be sure to go down a treat. This is my own adaptation of a few standard blueberry and lemon sponge recipes and is super quick and easy to bake up. For a beautifully moist, zesty loaf this is the perfect recipe (If I do say so myself...;) )

Blueberry and Lemon Drizzle Loaf Recipe

 

Ingredients: 

 

200 grams Self Raising Flour 

175 grams Non- Salted, Soft Butter or Margarine 

125 grams Caster Sugar 

110 grams Fresh Blueberries 

3 eggs 

1tsp Baking Powder 

1 Lemon Zest 

1/2 Juice of a Lemon 

100g Icing Sugar

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
 

Alterations & Tips:

 

• Fan of nuts? To crunch things up a little bit a good addition to this loaf would be Almonds. Although, you could add any nut or dried fruit you like; peanuts and strawberries I'm sure will make a great adaptation or coconut and raspberries... take your pick! You could even sprinkle a few extra almonds or lemon zest on top for decoration.
  

    
• It's best if your lemons are a few days old as this will make grating the zest easier and the skin will be less waxing and rubbery (which can prove difficult grating in a calmly manner! :)).

  

• Its important to use soft margarine as this helps the mixing of the ingredients and blending becomes a lot easier, it also gives the mixture a lighter, fluffier texture.

• This recipe creates an icing that is lemon flavoured and transparent, meaning it is quite runny and more like a drizzle cake icing. Depending on the type of icing you prefer you can add more or less lemon juice and icing sugar to create your desired consistency. For a slightly different effect to the drizzle you could use lemon curd to create a thick glaze the top and/or sides of the loaf giving a richer, sticky sponge flavour.
  

    
• A tip when opting for the drizzle/ runny icing (which is directed by the recipe) to ensure you get the most flavouring within the sponge poke a knife straight through the sponge several times, creating slits and allowing the sponge to absorb the icing and its amazing lemony goodness all the way through aiding to a moist and zesty sponge.

 

Instructions:

(Scroll down for step illustrations.)

 

 

 

1. Heat the oven to 180°C and grease your 2lb loaf tin. (You could use a standard cake tin or larger loaf tin, although you may need to double the ingredients to get a full loaf and the baking time may need to be adjusted, if using a smaller tin the time will need to be increased and if larger, time reduced. The general rule is if it is golden brown, the sponge bounces back and a skewer poked through comes out clean, your good to go.)

 

2. Firstly, in a large mixing bowl beat the butter and caster sugar together till fully combined creating a light and fluffy, cream like texture. (Pictorial steps below.) 

 

3. Then crack your eggs in to a smaller mixing bowl and beat with a fork until fully combined. After, slowly add the egg to the butter mixture 1/3 at a time, making sure you fully stir in between. This helps the mixture to not separate.

 

4. Sieve the flour over your sponge mixture and add the baking powder. Gently fold in to the current mixture until fully combined with a smooth texture.

 

5. Then, add the lemon zest and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence and gently stir in.

 

6. On a separate surface pour out the blueberries and sprinkle half a hand full of self raising flour. Tossing the blueberries until lightly covered. (This will help the blueberries not to sink to the bottom within the mixture when baking.)

 

7. Carefully pour the blueberries in to the sponge mixture and stir once or twice, until the blueberries begin to disperse within the mixture.

 

8. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and smooth over. (to ensure not all the blueberries sink sprinkle half a handful over the top on the mixture in the tin, at this step you could also add a handful of almonds, dedicated coconut, white chocolate shavings or your preferred chosen nut.)

 

9. Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes (if using the standard recipe and 2lb loaf tin in a preheated oven this should take nearer the estimated 45 mins. mark). When done the cake should be golden brown with the sponge well risen. A good check is to poke a skewer through and it should come out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack still resting inside the cake tin.

 

Decoration.

 

10. Once cooled and removed from the loaf/ baking tin its time to decorate with the prefect lemon drizzle. In a small mixing bowl combine the icing sugar and lemon juice and stir well until smooth (this can be altered by using the previously mentioned alterations and tips.)

 

11. Once the icing is made, grab a sharp knife and gently stab the sponge several -  half a dozen times creating straight through slits randomly in the sponge. Then pour the icing mixture over the sponge. You can leave to set in the fridge or slice up and enjoy with a runny, slightly messy but amazingly tasty icing. (Depending on the icing consistency you may want to do this on a plate or chosen dish for the loaf to sit on, it can get a bit messy but that's half the fun and adds to the rustic, family favourite and kid friendly look to the loaf.)

 

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For extra decoration why not try a little more lemon zest grated over the top, flaked almonds or white chocolate shavings depending on your previous personal additions to the recipe. To serve add a warm  blueberry compote, hot/ cold custard, a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream or, my favoured and most recommend, Double Cream. (Double cream soaks through the sponge, giving you a welcomed gorgeous creamy bowl of greatness.) If your feeling extra generous and indulgent Extra Thick Double Cream is most defiantly always a good idea!  ;)  (It's a thick, creamy and heavenly DREAM! Also my absolute favourite!!!) Can you tell I like double cream yet...?

 

P.s Whipped cream is also just as good, go crazy! It's even been known to 'butter' a slice with a seasonal jam or add clotted cream on the side. Personally I like the classic cream and cake combo but whatever takes your fancy is the way to go!!!

 

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Baker's Top Tip: Sinking fruit.

 

If you still have a problem with your fruit sinking, whether its the blueberries or another fruit you have chosen, here are a few tricks that could help avoid this:

 

• Toss the berries/ fruit in flour (the flour used within the recipe) to help stabilize and support the fruit in the mixture.
• If this fails, your mixture may be too runny, try thickening it by adding more flour or slightly less fluid too your mixture (Be careful not too disrupt your ingredients ratios too much, but just enough on either side to thicken the mixture.
• You may also want to try using frozen fruit instead of fresh, frozen fruit has less moisture than fresh fruit therefore being lighter in the mixture (when adding to the mixture, add the fruit still frozen and not defrosted as this will avoid staining the sponge too much and help the fruit keep its texture and shape.)
• Lastly, you may be stirring in your fruit too vigorously, and if possible adding the fruit at the very last minute may help avoid it sinking early on. If you can try adding the fruit when the mixture is already in the loaf'/ cake tin, just gently pouring over the top and lightly tapping, pressing in the odd few it may help the fruit from sinking too dramatically. You could also try spooning in half or 1/3 off the sponge mixture (Minus the blueberries) and add some of the blueberries and keep layering like this until all the mixture and berries are used. (Its best to divide the mixture and berries in to 1/2 or 1/3, meaning two or three layers.)

It's important to note that when using heavier, weighty additions to a sponge, like fresh fruit or dried, they will always sink a little bit, it's just gravity! So, don't feel like your doing something wrong, its every bakers battle!

 

(Side note- I may or may not have been a little too camera happy, but the more the better right...?!)

 

 

 

A generous slice for the baker (as always ;)) and my recommended serving of double cream. Ahh pure heaven...! If you don't believe me give it a go for yourself! I dare ya ;)

As always, I hope you enjoyed this blog post and give this recipe a try! If you've tried out any of the mentioned alterations and additions to the recipe comment below or tag me on instagram and twitter. (@apesjackson and @aprilroseo) I'd love to see what creations you've come up with! I've spent all day concocting a list of fab and wacky fruit, nut, flavours and sponge combos, give the post a  +1  if you'd like to see me create and post them on my blog.

Much love,  -A
Xx



That's all for now folks,

 

XOXO -A

<3