Hummingbird Bakery Coffee Cake

I have never made such a big cake before - 8 eggs ! this makes a really big cake - great for a special occasion. I made this cake for a work colleague's birthday morning tea and all who had a piece said it was delicious ( those who were dieting that week don't know what they missed!) I have also made a half recipe and still got a really good sized cake for my family cake tin.

Notes - thoughts:

• If you are going to make this cake regularly make up a big quantity of the coffee essence and store it - it will speed things up at the beginning of the recipe
• Chocolate covered coffee beans make a nice decoration too.

Hummingbird Bakery

Coffee Cake2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
450 g unsalted butter
450 g caster sugar
8 eggs
450 g plain flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cocoa powder – plus extra to decorate
1 quantity Hummingbird Vanilla Frosting
60 g dark chocolate – grated into shavings to decorate
Coffee beans to decorate (optional)
A 25 -26cm ring mould – greased and dusted with flour

• Firstly make coffee essence by putting coffee granules and 170mls water in a small saucepan, bring to boil over medium heat. Boil until reduced by half and remove from heat and leave to cool completely. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the essence to use in the frosting.
• Preheat the oven to 170º (325ºF) Gas 3.
• In a freestanding mixer using a paddle attachment beat butter, sugar and coffee essence until all ingredients are well incorporated.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition.
• Beat in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder until everything is combined and the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Pour into ring mould and smooth surface.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until sponge feels firm to touch. (Do not open the oven up until the 40 mins or the cake will sink).
• Remove from oven and leave to cool slightly before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• Make the Hummingbird Vanilla frosting (recipe below) incorporating the reserved tablespoon of coffee essence at end of step 1.
• When the cake is cold put on a serving plate, cover the top with frosting, dust lightly with a sprinkling of cocoa powder and decorate with the chocolate shavings and coffee beans, if using.
  

Hummingbird Vanilla Frosting
250 g icing sugar, sifted
80g unsalted butter
25 ml whole milk
a couple of drops of vanilla extract

• Beat icing sugar and butter together in freestanding mixer on medium slow speed until the mixture comes together.
• Turn the mixer down to slow speed and add the milk (and vanilla essence previously mixed) gradually.
• Once all the milk has been incorporated turn the mixture up to high speed.
• Beat for at least 5 minutes until fluffy and light.