Mocha Raspberry Cake (Eesha's Birthday Cake)

For the cake:
2 cups (8.5 oz) all-purpose flour
1 cup (7 oz) granulated sugar
1 cup (7 oz) brown sugar
1 cup (3 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs + 1 egg white
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup warm brewed coffee
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
For the raspberry filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 cup powdered sugar
 
For the mocha buttercream:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant coffee (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
 
To assemble:
2 cups fresh raspberries
Powdered sugar, optional
 
For the cake:
Heat oven to 350 F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
 
Combine flour, sugars, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a mixer. Mix on low. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth and completely combined.
 
Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake until cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool in pans set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and let cool completely.
 
For the raspberry filling:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or any large mixing bowl, if using hand-held beaters), beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the raspberry jam and beat to combine. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
 
For the mocha buttercream:
Place room temperature butter and vanilla into a stand mixer and beat at medium-high for about three minutes. Add cocoa, instant coffee and salt to the bowl beat into the butter until the coffee has broken down and the mixture is smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add in one cup of the powdered sugar. Turn mixer on to low and then slowly add in remaining powdered sugar. With mixer still on low, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream. Turn mixer to medium high and mix for 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
 
To assemble:
On a cake plate or board, place one cake layer. Spread raspberry buttercream filling evenly on top of the cake using an offset spatula. Carefully place the other cake layer top-down on the frosting, so the top is flat. Adjust the cake so that the sides are lined up evenly. Frost the entire outside of the cake with a thin layer of the chocolate mocha buttercream. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to lock in the crumb coat. Frost the cake as desired, and arrange raspberries on top of the cake. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
 
From Bakerita blog

Note: For raspberry mocha frosting, add powdered dehydrated raspberries to the buttercream, and a little additional heavy cream as needed.

Coffee Caramel Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup brewed coffee
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons instant coffee
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine the sugar and water in a 2-quart saucepan and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to cook without stirring until the mixture turns an amber color, about 5 minutes. 

Add the cream, brewed coffee, butter, instant coffee, and salt, and stir. Simmer while whisking until the sauce is smooth.

Let cool slightly before serving.

From Karen's Kitchen Stories blog

Ukrainian Honey Cake

2 large eggs, at room temperature, separated

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled to lukewarm

Set rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350 F.  Butter a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan, then dust it with flour.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and smooth.  Add the honey and melted butter and mix until blended and smooth.

Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl.  Add half the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir in.  Stir in the coffee, then stir in the remaining dry ingredients.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Fold them into the batter, then stir gently several times.  The batter will be quite wet.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and place on a rack to cool completely before slicing.  Eat plain or buttered, or with whipped cream.

Makes 1 loaf.

From The Wednesday Chef blog

Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioner's sugar

Cream the cream cheese and butter together in the bowl of an electric mixer, for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Dissolve the espresso powder in the vanilla extract, and add to the mixer bowl.  Mix to combine.

With the mixer off, add the confectioner's sugar to the bowl.  Incorporate the sugar on low speed, then increase the speed to medium high and beat for 1 minute.

Can store, covered and refrigerated, for up to 5 days.

Makes enough to fill and frost a 2 layer 8-inch cake.

Recipe assembled from several on the internet.

Coffee-Caramel Creme Brulee

2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

1/4 cup (about 3/4 ounce) dark-roast coffee beans (such as French roast), crushed with mallet in plastic bag

1 cup sugar, divided

1/2 cup water

2 cups half and half

8 large egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 teaspoons raw sugar (also called turbinado or demerara sugar)

Bring 1 cup cream and coffee beans to simmer in heavy small saucepan.  Remove from heat; cover and let steep at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Heat oven to 325°F.  Stir 2/3 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves.  Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush.  Boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber, swirling pan occasionally, about 11 minutes.  Remove pan from heat.  Add remaining 1 cup whipping cream (mixture will bubble up).  Stir over low heat until caramel is smooth.  Stir in half and half.  Strain coffee-infused cream into caramel cream; discard coffee beans in strainer.

Whisk yolks, salt, and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl to blend.  Gradually whisk in cream mixture.  Strain custard into large measuring cup.

Arrange eight 2/3- to 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups in roasting pan.  Divide custard among ramekins.  Add enough warm water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins or custard cups.  Bake custards until just set in center, 65 to 70 minutes.  Transfer custards from water bath directly to refrigerator.  Chill uncovered until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.

Sprinkle top of each custard with 1 teaspoon raw sugar.  Using kitchen torch, melt sugar on each custard until deep amber.  (Alternatively, preheat broiler. Arrange custards on small rimmed baking sheet; broil until sugar topping melts and browns, about 2 minutes.)  Refrigerate custards until sugar topping hardens, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour (do not chill longer than 1 hour or topping will start to soften).  Serve custards cold.

Serves 8.

From Epicurious

Vanilla, Chocolate, and Coffee Cake

Vanilla batter

6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/3 cups (262 grams) sugar

3 tablespoons (35 grams) vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites

1 large egg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups (241 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup (227 grams) full-fat plain yogurt

Chocolate batter

1 1/4 cups (149 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (32 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon espresso powder

3/4 cup (149 grams) sugar

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup or 57 grams) unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons (25 grams) vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup (113 grams) milk, at room temperature

1/4 cup (57 grams) brewed coffee

2 large eggs

Coffee soak

1/2 cup (99 grams) sugar

3/4 cup brewed coffee or espresso

Whipped Cream Frosting

Heat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour three 8" round cake pans.

To make the vanilla batter: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, vegetable oil, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites, whole egg, and vanilla.  With the mixer running at medium-low speed, slowly add the egg mixture to the butter/sugar mixture.

Add the flour alternately with the yogurt, beginning and ending with the flour.  Scrape down the bowl and mix for another 30 seconds.  Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.

For the chocolate batter: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa, expresso powder, and sugar.  Add the butter and beat at medium speed until the mixture looks sandy.  Mix in the vegetable oil and vanilla.

Combine the milk with the coffee and add gradually, with the mixer running at low speed.  Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.  Scrape the bowl, then beat for 30 seconds more.

Scoop the batter in a random pattern into each of the three pans until all is used.  Using a table knife or spatula, swirl the chocolate batter through the vanilla very lightly, taking two or three turns through each pan.

Place the layers on the center rack of the oven and bake for 24 to 26 minutes, until they just begin to pull away from the side of the pan and the top springs back when lightly touched.  Remove from the oven and cool completely on a rack, still in the pans.

To make the coffee soak: In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the sugar and coffee, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Turn the cake layers out of their pans and place them right side up.  If the layers have a dome on the top, use a long, serrated knife to trim them level.  Brush the trimmed side with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the coffee soak, then flip one of the layers over, trimmed side down, onto a serving plate.  Brush the other side of the layer with more of the soak, and once it's absorbed, spread a 3/8"-thick layer of the whipped cream frosting over it.  Repeat the trimming and soaking process with the second layer, placing it over the first.  Frost the top of that layer with whipped cream frosting.  Trim, soak, and place the last layer on top of the cake.  Frost with remaining whipped cream frosting.

Store the cake in the refrigerator until 30 minutes before you wish to serve it. Place plastic wrap on any cut edges of leftover cake, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.  

From King Arthur Flour with changes

Double Chocolate Mocha Brownies

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee granules
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips  

Heat oven to 375°F. Line a 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan with foil, allowing 2 inches of foil to hang over ends of pan, and grease foil well (except overhang) with 1 tablespoon butter.

Melt remaining 11 tablespoons butter with unsweetened chocolate in a large metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and whisk in sugar, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt (mixture will be grainy), then add eggs 1 at a time, whisking after each addition until batter is smooth.

Toss together flour and chocolate chips in another bowl and add to batter, stirring until just combined.

Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until top is firm and edges just begin to pull away from sides of pan, about 20 minutes (do not overbake).

Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then carefully lift brownies from pan by grasping both ends of foil and transfer to rack to cool 10 minutes more. Cut into 32 squares and lift brownies off foil with a spatula

Makes 32 brownies.

From Gourmet/Epicurious

Chocolate Espresso Cookies

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons finely ground dark roast coffee beans
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chunks or chips

Heat oven to 350°F and grease 2 large heavy baking sheets.

In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, melt chopped bittersweet chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth, and then remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat.  (Alternatively, melt chocolate and butter in a microwave, in a glass bowl and on medium power level, stopping frequently to stir for even melting.) 

In a bowl with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer, beat eggs, sugar, and ground coffee on high speed until very thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 3 minutes, and beat in chocolate mixture. Into mixture, sift flour, baking powder, and salt and stir until just combined. Stir in cup of chocolate chips.

Drop batter by heaping tablespoons, about 2 inches apart onto baking sheets.  Bake in batches in middle of oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until puffed and cracked on top. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 1 minute and transfer to racks to cool completely.

Makes about 30 cookies.

From The Sundried Tomato Cafe and Catering Company in Whittier, CA, via Epicurious, with minor changes

Coffee Caramel Swirl Ice Cream

For caramel swirl:

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup water

7 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For custard:

1 cup sugar

2 1/4 cups whole milk

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

4 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons instant espresso powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Make caramel swirl:

In a 3-quart heavy saucepan, boil sugar, corn syrup, water, and a pinch of salt over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Boil mixture, without stirring, gently swirling pan, until a deep golden caramel. Remove pan from heat and carefully pour cream and vanilla down side of pan (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Simmer mixture, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and cool caramel. Caramel swirl may be made 1 week ahead and chilled, covered. Bring caramel swirl to room temperature before using. (If caramel swirl is too stiff to pour, heat slightly.)

Make custard:

In a dry 5-quart heavy saucepan, cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel, without stirring, gently swirling pan, until deep golden. Remove pan from heat and carefully pour milk and cream down side of pan (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Simmer mixture, stirring, until caramel is dissolved.

Temper the egg yolks by very slowly pouring in the hot milk mixture while whisking continuously.  Return the custard to the saucepan and place over low heat.  Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and it reaches a temperature of 185°F.  Do not bring to a boil. 

Whisk in espresso powder and vanilla until espresso powder is dissolved. Pour custard through a fine sieve into another large bowl and cool. Chill custard, its surface covered with wax paper, until cold, at least 3 hours, and up to 2 days.

Freeze custard in an ice-cream maker, in 2 batches if necessary. Transfer one third ice cream to a 2-quart airtight container and drizzle one third caramel swirl over it. Repeat layering with remaining ice cream and caramel swirl. Freeze ice cream until hard, at least 8 hours, and up to 1 week.

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.

From Gourmet, with many changes

Note:  Makes wonderful ice cream sandwiches with Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Coffee Gelato

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the milk and cream.  Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally so a skin doesn't form, until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges and the mixture reaches a temperature of 170°F.

Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.  Gradually whisk in the sugar until it is well-incorporated and the mixture is thick and pale yellow.  Temper the egg yolks by very slowly pouring in the hot milk mixture while whisking continuously.  Return the custard to the saucepan and place over low heat.  Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and it reaches a temperature of 185°F.  Do not bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in instant coffee until it is dissolved.

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring every 5 minutes or so.  To cool the custard quickly, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water and placing the bowl with the custard in it; stir the custard until cooled.  Once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Makes about 1 quart of gelato.


From The Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto by F.W. Pierce and Danilo Zecchin