Coffee Charlotte Christmas Cake

My big kids didn't like the traditional Christmas fruit cake. And I didn't want to make a log or stump Christmas cake either. So I thought a charlotte cake will definitely fit the bill for a home baked Christmas cake to celebrate the festive season. They love coffee cake with cream cheese icing. So I scaled down the recipe a little from the mini mango charlotte cake.  For a contrasting snowy effect, I coated the dipped sponge fingers with sparkling sugar. I like simple dercoration for this charlotte Christmas cake ... just 2 reindeers (I brushed with a little cream cheese and sprinkled a little sparkling sugar) and a big sprig of rosemary.  I have actually dust some icing sugar on the rosemary but not very visible.  Overall, I'm glad it turned out pretty well.

Coffee Charlotte Christmas Cake 
For the Sponge Cake
6-inch cake pan (removable base)
Ingredients :
2 eggs (the size of my egg is 60g each with shell)
65 grams caster sugar
80 grams cake flour
10 grams vegetable oil
10 grams unsalted butter
15 grams fresh milk
1 tablespoon Espresso coffee liquid

Method:
1) Line and grease the base of a round 6-inch removable cake pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease the sides with butter.

2) Preheat the oven to 170ºC. Position the rack in the middle. The temperature of the oven may vary, do adjust the temperature and timing to suit your oven.

3) Melt butter and milk in a heatproof pan. Once melted, add the vegetable oil and coffee and mix well.

4) Sift the cake flour and set aside. Separate the eggs into yolks and whites.

5) In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the cold egg whites till foamy using the electric mixer. Gradually add in caster sugar in 3 separate additions and beat till stiff peak, formed into a firm meringue.

6) Add the egg yolks to the meringue and whisk on low until evenly combined (about 1 - 2 minutes).

7) Next, fold in the sifted flour in 3 separate additions, folding gently with a spatula until combined.

8) Mix in the melted butter mixture in 2 separate additions with a spatula.

9) Pour batter into the cake pan. Tap the pan lightly on a table top a few times to get rid of any trapped air bubbles in the batter.

10) Bake for about 25 minutes or until the cake surface turns golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

11) When the pan was removed from the oven, I used the suggested technique to drop the pan at a height of 20~30cm onto a table top. This action helps to keep the springy texture of the cake when it is left to cool.



12) Invert the cake pan onto the wire rack. Detach the removal base and peel off the parchment paper.  Remove the pan and leave the cake to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Icing:
55grams unsalted butter, room temperature
140 grams cream cheese, room temperature
80g grams powdered or icing sugar, sifted
2 - 3 tablespoon fresh milk (adjust the texture to your preference)

To make cream cheese icing:
1) Allow cream cheese and butter to stand at room temperature. In large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and butter with mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy. Add in fresh milk and whisk to combine.

2) Gradually add in the powdered sugar in 3 additions, beating well. Scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary.  Beat until it reach spreading consistency.
*note: I left with 140g cream cheese in the fridge.  So the icing is barely enough to coat the sponge fingers. Will need to adjust about 20% up for all ingredients to make the icing.

Sponge fingers coat with sprinkle sugar
A pack of store bought Savoiardi (sponge fingers).
15 pcs sponge fingers
2 tablespoon of sparkling sugar

Some canned halved peaches for the filling. Drained syrup and sliced thinly.
Or any fruits of your choice.

Cut about 2-inch off for each sponge finger.
Prepare a tray line with parchment paper.
Dip sponge finger with some cream cheese and sprinkle some sparkling sugar. Line the sponge finger (with sugar coating side face up) on the tray. Freeze for about 10 - 15 minutes.

To assemble the cake :
1) Slice horizontally half and frost the bottom slice with some cream cheese. Fill the center with sliced canned peaches.

2) Sandwich the 2 slices of cake and frost the whole cake with cream cheese.

3) With the sugar coated side, "glue" the sponge fingers gently around the cake. Refrigerate the cake until served.

Wishing you and family a blessed Christmas filled with love, joy & peace.

☆☆☆ MERRY CHRISTMAS ☆☆☆