← Vol. II  ·  fire & flour

Coffee cake.

1 hr 30 min

"More desserts should taste like coffee. This coffee coffee cake has sort of a classic ribbon that runs in the middle of the cake and a crumb topping. There's coffee incorporated into each component and it is just a delicious simple but also surprisingly 'complexly' flavored cake." - Claire Saffitz

N° 05

ingredients.

12 servings
Coffee ribbon
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp instant coffee
Crumb topping
  • 155 g plain flour
  • 2 tsp instant coffee
  • 100 g light brown sugar
  • ¾ tsp ground cardamom
  • ¼ tsp fine salt
  • 113 g unsalted butter softened, in pieces
Cake
  • 420 g plain flour
  • 1 ½ tsp fine salt
  • 2 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 150 g sour cream
  • 1 tbsp instant coffee
  • 120 ml strong brewed coffee
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 170 g unsalted butter softened
  • 55 g neutral oil
  • 200 g caster sugar
  • 150 g light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs at room temperature

method.

  1. 01

    Make the coffee ribbon: toss the cinnamon, brown sugar, and instant coffee together in a small bowl and set aside.

  2. 02

    Make the crumb: rub the flour, instant coffee, brown sugar, cardamom, and salt together, then work in the soft butter with your fingertips until no flecks remain and the mixture holds in clumps when squeezed. Chill while you make the batter.

  3. 03

    Heat the oven to 160°C fan with a rack in the middle and butter a 33×23 cm metal tin, base and sides.

  4. 04

    Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda in one bowl. In a jug, whisk the sour cream, instant coffee, brewed coffee, and vanilla until the coffee dissolves.

  5. 05

    With the paddle, beat the butter, both sugars, and oil on low until smooth, then on medium-high for 5–6 minutes until very pale and fluffy, scraping down once or twice.

  6. 06

    On medium, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in a third of the flour on low until almost gone, then half the sour cream mixture; add the remaining flour and sour cream alternately in two more goes, stopping while a few streaks remain.

  7. 07

    Fold the batter over a few times by hand with a spatula to bring it fully together.

  8. 08

    Scrape half the batter into the tin and level it. Scatter the coffee ribbon evenly over the top, then spread the rest of the batter over and cover with the crumb.

  9. 09

    Bake 40–45 minutes, until puffed, golden, and a skewer comes out clean — the very centre should still wobble; don't overbake. Cool in the tin on a wire rack, then cut into squares.