Mocha Cake from 1917
This cake delivers a mild coffee flavor. It contains no cocoa and no chocolate.
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
- 2 cake pans, 8 or 9-inch diameter or whatever you have
- wax paper for bottom of pans
- Mixer
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup strong coffee brewed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour, all purpose I used Bob's gluten free 1 to 1 with good result
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
Mocha Icing:
- 4 tbsp strong hot coffee
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar May use 2 to 3 cups
Instructions
- Prepare your cake pans by lining them with wax paper. Or, if you prefer, grease and flour your pans. Preheat your oven to 350° F.
- Separate the eggs. Set the yolks aside and beat the whites until they are stiff. Pour the whites into a bowl for later.
- Cream the butter. Add the sugar, and cream again.
- Add the egg yolks and mix well.
- Add the coffee, vanilla, flour, and baking powder. Mix until combined and then beat for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Be gentle, you don't want to undo all your hard work.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes in a 350° oven. Test for doneness by pressing the top center of the cake. If a finger indentation pops back up and disappears, the cake is done. If the indentation stays, it probably needs another ten minutes or so.
- Let the cake cool before icing.
Mocha Icing Instructions
- Mix the 1 tsp vanilla with the 4 Tbsp coffee.
- Add the powdered sugar slowly until the mixture is thick and spreadable. You may need as much as three cups (even though the original 1917 recipe only called for 1 ½ cups).
- Spread over one layer and place the other layer on top. Spread the icing on the top. Depending on the size of the cake, you may also have enough for the sides.