A cake made for, and with, coffee

Sometimes you need a quick, comforting cake, one that goes well with any meal and at any time of day. White chocolate espresso cake is that kind of treat. Laced with espresso, it goes well with an afternoon coffee and is, in the literal sense, a delicious coffee cake.

Traditionally, coffee cakes were dense, sweet, yeasted baked goods. Consumed at breakfast or brunch, they often featured cinnamon, fruits and/or nuts. They’re similar to British teacakes but served with coffee. White chocolate espresso cake is not your typical coffee cake, but that doesn’t stop me from nibbling on a square at breakfast.

Coffee as a flavoring

Coffee has long been used as flavoring in cakes, ice cream and other desserts. Often it appears alongside chocolate in these confections. The two partner so well together that their pairing has its own name, “mocha.”

Usually, recipes call for “coffee” or “strong coffee.” Because I like the boldness of espresso and I take any excuse to fire up my espresso maker, I make this cake with a single shot (about two tablespoons) of espresso. If you don’t have an espresso maker or moka pot, brew a cup of very strong coffee instead.

White Chocolate Espresso Cake

Makes approximately 26 2-inch squares

Ingredients

for the cake:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 shot (roughly 2 tablespoons) brewed espresso, at room temperature

for the frosting:

10 ounces white chocolate chips

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking pan.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt together into a large bowl. Set aside.

Using an electric hand or stand mixer, beat the butter until light and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. With a spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the sugar and beat until blended, about 1 minute.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated.

After scraping down the sides of the bowl, beat in the vanilla and espresso. Add the flour mixture and beat until well combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, making sure that it’s evenly distributed. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the baking pan on a wire rack and cool completely before slicing and frosting.

Once the cake has cooled completely, slice it into 24 small or 12 large squares. You’re now ready to make the icing and frost the cake.

Using either a double boiler or microwave, heat the butter, white chocolate and milk, stirring periodically until the chocolate has melted completely and the ingredients are blended. Add the confectioner’s sugar and stir together until a smooth icing has formed.

Using an icing knife or small spatula, spread even amounts of icing over each square of espresso cake. Serve with coffee or another beverage.