{"id":109,"date":"2005-06-14T20:20:20","date_gmt":"2005-06-14T08:20:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/?p=109"},"modified":"2025-04-30T08:33:44","modified_gmt":"2025-04-29T20:33:44","slug":"espresso_cake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/espresso_cake\/","title":{"rendered":"Espresso Cake"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This is probably my favourite cake to make\u2014and not just for its flavour. An ex wrote this out for me from a recipe book he had, though he never made it himself. The handwritten note adds a little charm to what has become a go-to bake. What makes this cake stand out is its deep coffee flavour, not just from brewed espresso, but from fine ground coffee right in the batter. It\u2019s a little different from other coffee cakes\u2014and that\u2019s part of its appeal. The image is a scan from the note paper he wrote it on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"9d9b99\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/leatherbear.webp?ssl=1&w=75&resize=75&ssl=1 75w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/leatherbear.webp?ssl=1&w=100&resize=100&ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/leatherbear.webp?ssl=1&w=150&resize=150&ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/leatherbear.webp?ssl=1&w=240&resize=240&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/leatherbear.webp?ssl=1&w=320&resize=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/leatherbear.webp?ssl=1&w=500&resize=500&ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/leatherbear.webp?ssl=1&w=640&resize=640&ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/leatherbear.webp?ssl=1&w=800&resize=800&ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/leatherbear.webp?ssl=1&w=1024&resize=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/leatherbear.webp?ssl=1&w=1280&resize=1280&ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/leatherbear.webp?ssl=1&w=1600&resize=1600&ssl=1 1600w\" fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/leatherbear.webp?ssl=1\" alt=\"A black and white illustration of a large teddy bear wearing a police hat, holding a smaller man dressed in a leather harness.\" class=\"wp-image-800 not-transparent\" style=\"--dominant-color: #9d9b99; width:165px\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ingredients<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the cake:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>1 cup boiling water<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u00bc cup ground coffee (for steeping)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>200g butter<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1\u00bc cups sugar<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3 eggs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1 tablespoon vanilla extract<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2 cups flour<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3 teaspoons baking powder<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u00bc cup fine ground coffee (not instant)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>8 sugar cubes (substitute 2\u00bd teaspoons coarse raw sugar or demerara sugar if unavailable)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ground cinnamon for dusting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For the coffee cream:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>300ml cream, whipped<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1 tablespoon icing sugar<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2 tablespoons very strong espresso<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Method<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Brew the coffee base:<\/strong> Pour boiling water over the first measure of ground coffee and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain to remove the grounds\u2014you should have a strong, aromatic coffee infusion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Melt and mix:<\/strong> Pour the hot coffee over the butter to melt it. Stir until smooth. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla and beat until well combined.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Add the dry ingredients:<\/strong> Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add to the wet ingredients along with the second measure of fine ground coffee (this adds a rich coffee flavour and a subtle texture). Mix until just combined.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bake:<\/strong> Pour the batter into a greased or lined 20cm square cake tin. Bake in a preheated 180\u00b0C oven for 50\u201355 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Add topping and cool:<\/strong> While the cake is still hot, sprinkle the crushed sugar cubes over the top. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove and dust with cinnamon.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Make the coffee cream:<\/strong> Fold icing sugar and strong espresso into the whipped cream until smooth. Serve alongside the cake.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"918777\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing-300x194.webp?ssl=1&w=75&resize=75&ssl=1 75w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing-300x194.webp?ssl=1&w=100&resize=100&ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing-300x194.webp?ssl=1&w=150&resize=150&ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing-300x194.webp?ssl=1&w=240&resize=240&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing-300x194.webp?ssl=1&w=320&resize=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing-300x194.webp?ssl=1&w=500&resize=500&ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing-300x194.webp?ssl=1&w=640&resize=640&ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing-300x194.webp?ssl=1&w=800&resize=800&ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing-300x194.webp?ssl=1&w=1024&resize=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing-300x194.webp?ssl=1&w=1280&resize=1280&ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing-300x194.webp?ssl=1&w=1600&resize=1600&ssl=1 1600w\" fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing-300x194.webp?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-858 not-transparent\" style=\"--dominant-color: #918777; width:300px\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>An alternative topping is to replace the coffee cream with <a href=\"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/espresso-buttercream-icing\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"852\">Espresso Buttercream Icing<\/a>, making it easier to transport and serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let me know in the comments below of any favourite recipe that has a special meaning for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is probably my favourite cake to make\u2014and not just for its flavour. An ex wrote this out for me from a recipe book he had, though he never made it himself. The handwritten note adds a little charm to what has become a go-to bake. What makes this cake stand out is its deep [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":836,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","_bluesky_dont_syndicate":"1","_bluesky_syndication_accounts":"","_bluesky_syndication_text":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[89,59,113,81,88,83,120,87,91],"class_list":["post-109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cakes","tag-baking-powder","tag-cinnamon","tag-coffee","tag-cream","tag-egg","tag-flour","tag-icing-sugar","tag-sugar","tag-vanilla"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-Cake.webp?fit=1280%2C977&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":852,"url":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/espresso-buttercream-icing\/","url_meta":{"origin":109,"position":0},"title":"Espresso Buttercream Icing","author":"Brian","date":"30 April 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A smooth, rich icing with a gentle coffee kick\u2014perfect for grown-up cakes and cupcakes. If you love the flavour of coffee and want something just a little more sophisticated than standard icing, this Espresso Buttercream is for you. Based on Chelsea\u2019s classic buttercream recipe, I\u2019ve swapped out the water and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sweet things&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Sweet things","link":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/category\/sweet-things\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing.webp?fit=1200%2C777&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing.webp?fit=1200%2C777&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing.webp?fit=1200%2C777&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing.webp?fit=1200%2C777&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Espresso-buttercream-icing.webp?fit=1200%2C777&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":153,"url":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/cappuccino-cake\/","url_meta":{"origin":109,"position":1},"title":"Cappuccino Cake","author":"Brian","date":"25 November 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This Cappuccino Cake combines a rich, coffee-infused base with a sweet meringue topping, creating a delightful treat for coffee lovers. Simple yet elegant, it\u2019s perfect for sharing with friends or enjoying with your favourite brew. Baked to golden perfection and finished with a dusting of cinnamon, this cake is as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cakes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cakes","link":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/category\/baking\/cakes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm9.staticflickr.com\/8478\/8215468381_e2285774d6.jpg?fit=499%2C333&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":163,"url":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/orange-icing\/","url_meta":{"origin":109,"position":2},"title":"Orange Icing (Frosting)","author":"Brian","date":"30 March 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This Orange Icing is the perfect complement to an orange cake, adding a bright, zesty flavour and creamy texture. Made with fresh orange zest and juice, it\u2019s easy to whip up, bringing a burst of citrusy sweetness to your dessert. Smooth and versatile, this icing can be adjusted to your\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cakes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cakes","link":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/category\/baking\/cakes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm9.staticflickr.com\/8536\/8602852834_2a8a8b6306.jpg?fit=499%2C333&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":135,"url":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/leanne-s-chocolate-cake\/","url_meta":{"origin":109,"position":3},"title":"Leanne&#8217;s Chocolate Cake","author":"Brian","date":"25 April 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"This chocolate cake, shared by my friend Leanne, was a hit during our night-fill supper breaks. Rich, spiced, and moist, it\u2019s a comforting classic topped with creamy chocolate icing that perfectly complements the cake\u2019s flavour. Simple to make and well-loved, this recipe brings back fond memories and is perfect for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cakes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cakes","link":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/category\/baking\/cakes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm4.staticflickr.com\/3654\/3514086464_f78322bcc3_d.jpg?fit=500%2C375&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":155,"url":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/banana-cake\/","url_meta":{"origin":109,"position":4},"title":"Banana Cake","author":"Brian","date":"3 January 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I found the source this recipe in the NZ Women's Weekly. (Don't ask!) It makes a very moist banana cake but only needs 2 ripe bananas. Years ago I made a banana cake and added extra banana...what a disaster.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cakes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cakes","link":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/category\/baking\/cakes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm9.staticflickr.com\/8218\/8338777393_559456a45d_z.jpg?fit=639%2C355&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm9.staticflickr.com\/8218\/8338777393_559456a45d_z.jpg?fit=639%2C355&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm9.staticflickr.com\/8218\/8338777393_559456a45d_z.jpg?fit=639%2C355&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":162,"url":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/apple-molasses-upside-down-cake\/","url_meta":{"origin":109,"position":5},"title":"Apple-Molasses Upside-Down Cake","author":"Brian","date":"27 March 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This Apple-Molasses Upside-Down Cake combines gingerbread's rich, spiced flavours with caramelized apples in a beautifully rustic dessert. Baked in a cast-iron pan, it\u2019s a stunning twist on a Tarte Tatin that\u2019s easier to make than it seems. With a tender molasses cake topping caramel-coated apples, this dessert is perfect for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cakes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cakes","link":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/category\/baking\/cakes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm9.staticflickr.com\/8228\/8583657945_ec7989efa5.jpg?fit=499%2C258&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":861,"href":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109\/revisions\/861"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/836"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shadowfoot.com\/recipe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}