Coffee Walnut Streusel Cake

Have been cracking my head ... what cake to bake for Father's Day celebration at home. My hubby loves beer and coffee (well, most guys do ... don't they? hee.. hee !) ... Obviously, I can't bake a "beer cake".  He didn't like too sweet and creamy cakes either.

My previous bakes coffee walnut loaf and cranberry coconut streusel muffins. So, a simple Coffee Walnut Streusel Cake it is !

A few days ago, I baked a Coffee Cinnamon Chocolate Chips Bundt Cake for breakfast with my colleagues. A yummy recipe I tweaked from here.

Coffee Cinnamon Chocolate Chips Bundt Cake

I liked the texture and glad that it was well received by most colleagues. So I adjusted the recipe a little (cos realised didn't have any yogurt) and added streusel toppings to bake a coffee walnuts streusel cake.

Coffee Walnut Streusel Cake
Makes one 8x8-inch square pan
Ingredients (A)
113g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
110g castor sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature (the size of my egg is 60g each with shell)

Ingredients (B)
1 teaspoon baking powder
180g all-purpose plain flour

Ingredients (C)
120g full cream fresh milk
2 tablespoons instant coffee mixture (dissolved 3 teaspoons Nescafe instant coffee in 2 tablespoons hot water, cooled).

Streusel ingredients (D)
45g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
45g light muscovado sugar
45g all-purpose plain flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
80g toasted walnuts, finely crushed

Method:
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.

Combine ingredients (B) in a medium bowl, sifted and set aside

Make the streusel ingredients (D) : In a large bowl, whisk together flour, light muscovado sugar, ground cinnamon and walnuts. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with either a pastry blender, your fingertips or two knives until it resembles coarse crumbs. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Line and grease the base of a 8x8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease the sides with butter.

In a clean mixing bowl, beat together the butter, castor sugar, and salt until light and fluffy using an electric mixer on medium speed.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

With the mixer on low speed, add alternately the ingredients (B) flour and ingredients (C) milk & coffee. (flour mixture in three additions) and milk & coffee (in two additions) [starting and ending with the flour mixture]. Mix only until just combined.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with spatula. Dot or spoon the streusel evenly all over the batter top. Tap the pan lightly on a table top a few times to get rid of any trapped air bubbles in the batter.

Bake the cake in preheated 170°C oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
*note: you may tent it with aluminium foil if it gets browned to quickly.

To check for doneness, insert a skewer or toothpick in the center of the cake if it comes out clean with a few moist clumps clinging to it.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing top-side up, onto wire rack to cool completely.

Well, we have them warm with hot coffee!

It is a soft with tender crumbs, not too buttery cake. The streusel crumb topping is an addition ... crunchy, sugary crusty with a hint of cinnamon fragrance.

Be it a celebration cake or not, we simply enjoyed this simple cake.
Happy Father's Day to my hubby and all daddies out there !

Happy baking! Enjoy !

Lemon Chocolate Swirl Bundt Cake

Indulgence in another lovely baked bundt cake.

I wanted something lemony and chocolate flavour.  A citrus tangy and chocolate flavour all in one ! Ta da ! ... a Lemon Chocolate Swirl Bundt Cake ! The tangy aromas filled the kitchen as it baked.

Lemon Chocolate Swirl Bundt Cake
Makes one 6-cup Bundt pan or one 8-inch cake pan.
Ingredients (A)
113g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
110g castor sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature (the size of my egg is 60g each with shell)
2 teaspoons lemon zest

Ingredients (B)
100g All-purpose plain flour
80g cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Ingredients (C)
100g full cream fresh milk
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the chocolate batter:
1.5 tablespoons cocoa powder (I used Hershey's cocoa)
2 tablespoons hot water.

For the Icing:
3 - 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
100g confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

Method:
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.

Combine Ingredients (B) in a medium bowl, sifted and set aside

Grease the 6-cup Bundt pan lightly with some *vegetable oil using brush or with kitchen towel, set aside.
(*or well-greased with butter and lightly flour)

In a small cup or bowl, mix the cocoa powder with hot water and set aside.

In a clean mixing bowl beat together the butter, castor sugar, and salt until light and fluffy using an electric mixer on medium speed.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

With the mixer on low speed, add alternately the ingredients (B) & (C) starting with B (flour mixture in three additions) and milk + lemon juice (in two additions) [starting and ending with the flour mixture]. Mix well until just combined for each addition.
Lastly, stir in the lemon zest till just incorporated into the batter.

Scoop about 1/3 lemon batter to a bowl, mix in the cocoa mixture well with a spatula.

Pour half the lemon batter into bundt pan and smooth the top. Next, spoon all the chocolate batter. Spoon the remaining lemon batter and level the top with a spatula. Tap the pan lightly on a table top a few times to get rid of any trapped air bubbles in the batter.

Bake the cake in preheated 170°C oven for 40 to 45 minutes.  Check for doneness, insert a skewer in the center if it comes out clean with a few moist clumps clinging to it. Do not over bake else it will be dry.

Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 - 15 minutes and then invert onto a rack to cool completely. Once cooled, carefully lift the cake onto a serving dish or platter.

Once the cake is completely cooled, make the icing.
In a bowl, combine the sifted confectioners' sugar with the lemon juice. Stirring and mixing constantly with a spoon. Start with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Adjust the consistency to your preference by adding more lemon juice or confectioners' sugar accordingly.

Use a spoon to drizzle the icing over the top of the cake and allow it to fall down the sides. Let the icing set for a couple of minutes before slicing the cake.

Let the icing dry before covering and storing.


Beautifully browned !

Love the texture ... like a light pound cake not too dry or too dense.

Love this simple yet gorgeous lemony chocolate flavour cake with fine tender crumbs.

Enjoy our weekend afternoon break with a slice of lemony and chocolate swirl flavour cake. Perfect with a cup of warm honey lemon tea.

Happy Baking!

My modifications made from recipe source : King Arthur Flour

Chocolate Yogurt Bundt Cake

Oh gosh ! I've been craving for chocolate cake again. And I wanted something rich, moist and chocolatey.
Even better to just use one bowl for mixing the ingredients and one baking pan with minimal washing (lazy me ...) No electric mixer is required. Well, glad that this easy fool-proof, guaranteed recipe that put a big smile on all our faces.

Moist, full of deep chocolate flavor, a bundt cake somewhat resembles fudgey brownie. Yes my big kids love chocolatey cakes too!

Recipe adapted from:Beyond Kimchee
Below my slightly adjusted version to suit my 6-cup Bundt pan.

Chocolate Yogurt Bundt Cake
Makes one 6-cup Bundt pan or one 7 inch round pan.
Ingredients
(A)
113g unsalted butter
15g cocoa powder (I used Hershey's cocoa)
1/2 teaspoon salt
120g water

(B)
126g cake flour
120g castor sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg
60g plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method
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.

Grease the 6-cup Bundt pan lightly with some *vegetable cooking oil using a brush or with kitchen towel, set aside.
(*or well-greased with softened butter and lightly flour)

In a small saucepan combine Ingredients (A) and place over medium heat. Cooking and stirring with a spatula until melted and combined. Careful don't let the mixture come to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside.

Combine and mix well Ingredients (B) with a balloon whisk in a big bowl, set aside.

Pour half of the melted cocoa butter mixture to (B) and whisk until incorporated and blended. The mixture will be thick. Add the remaining cocoa butter mixture and whisk until combined. Next add the egg, whisking until completely blended. Whisk in the yogurt and the vanilla extract until smooth.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. The batter is runny. Bake in preheated oven at 170°C for about 35 - 40 minutes. (Mine was baked at 35 minutes and I tent with an aluminium foil in the last 10 minutes of baking). Check for doneness, insert a skewer in the center if it comes out clean with a few moist clumps clinging to it. Do not over bake else it will be dry.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then invert onto a rack to cool completely. Then carefully lift the cake onto a serving dish or platter.

For the chocolate glaze
Ingredients :
100g Dark chocolate, break or chopped coarsely
100g heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar (you may increase the amount if prefer it sweeter).

Method:
To make the glaze, combine the heavy cream and sugar in a small saucepan and boil over medium heat. Stirring occasionally with a big metal spoon or whisk until the sugar is dissolved. The cream should be hot but not over boiled.

Off the heat and remove the saucepan. Add the chopped chocolate to the hot cream and whisk until smooth.

Let the mixture cool down for about 5 minutes until it is slightly thickened.
Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cake and allow it to fall down the sides. Let the ganache set for about 5 minutes before slicing the cake.

Served with some ice cream and a glass of cold milk if you like. But for me ... simply indulge this heavenly rich, moist, delicious and chocolatey cake with a cup of 'kopi kosong' ... black coffee without sugar on a sunny afternoon!



Enjoy & Happy Baking!