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Easy Coffee Cake – A delicious all-in-one coffee sponge topped with smooth coffee buttercream. Simple to make and packed full of flavour.
PLUS – How to make this cake in any size of round, square or rectangular tin.
Last week I shared with you my recipe for Easy Chocolate Cake, and today I’m back with another simple, classic cake recipe – Coffee Cake topped with Coffee Buttercream.
Two big cake recipes in a row?
Yes. I realised that I have so many more cupcakes on here than full-sized layer cakes. The reason for this is that I almost always test new cake recipes as cupcakes, as it’s easy to make small batches making lots of little tweaks until the recipe is just perfect. As soon as the recipe is just right, I’ll share it on here and move onto the next one.
I decided it was about time that some of those cupcakes were transformed into big cakes, so I’m on a mission to supersize them all for you.
One of the reasons I love this coffee cake recipe is that both the sponge and the buttercream are absolutely jam-packed with coffee flavour.
Coffee is one of my absolute favourite cake flavours, and I struggle to resist buying a slice if I spot one in a coffee shop. However, sadly I’ve noticed that quite a few lack coffee flavour in the actual sponge, there’s the subtlest hint, but all the coffee flavour is in the icing. Not so with this cake, both the sponge and buttercream are packed full of flavour.
Can I use freshly brewed coffee rather than powder or granules?
No, the reason I use instant coffee powder or granules in this recipe is that it’s the easiest way to get an intense coffee flavour into both the sponge and buttercream. The amount of freshly brewed coffee needed would mean adding too much liquid to the mixture.
You also cannot substitute the coffee powder/granules for ground coffee beans. Making this substitution wouldn’t give the same flavour (as they need brewing to bring out the flavour) as the coffee beans wouldn’t dissolve into the mixture, so you’d end up with bitty cake and buttercream.
I only have coffee granules, how do I grind them into a powder?
I always use granules rather than powder and I simply give mine a quick blitz in my spice grinder. You can also grind them in a pestle and mortar.
Can I use decaf coffee?
Absolutely. We mostly drink decaf coffee at home and so that’s what I usually use for my cakes. The results of using regular instant coffee and decaf are the same.
Can I use self-raising flour instead of plain?
Absolutely. Instead of the 200g of plain flour and 2½ tsp of baking powder listed in the recipe, use 210g of self-raising flour.
Other recipe inspiration for coffee lovers
If you’re like me and love coffee flavoured treats then take a look at some of my other coffee-filled recipes:
- Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes – coffee cupcakes topped with whipped cream and a hidden caramel centre
- Coffee & Walnut Cake
- Cappuccino Truffles
- Coffee Cupcakes
What’s the best way to store my coffee cake?
This coffee cake can be stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days. Preferably it should be stored in the fridge (but allow it to come up to room temperature before eating as it’ll have a better flavour and the buttercream will soften), but it’ll be fine at room temperature providing the room isn’t too warm.
This cake is suitable for freezing, either just the coffee sponge or the buttercreamed cake. To freeze the coffee sponge cake, wait for it to cool and then wrap the cake in clingfilm or store it in an airtight container before freezing. Defrost it thoroughly before decorating.
The buttercreamed cake can also be frozen in the same way. If you’ve piped the cake beautifully and you’re worried about squashing it when you wrap it in buttercream simply freeze the cake uncovered on a dish for an hour to firm up the buttercream. Then wrap it in clingfilm. As the buttercream is already solid, it won’t get squashed. When you want to defrost the cake, remove it from the freezer and remove the clingfilm (so it doesn’t stick to the buttercream as it thaws).
I would not recommend freezing just the buttercream to use later as the consistency becomes a little too fudgy. This means it’s delicious on the cake but tricky to spread or pipe.
What are the coffee cake ingredients for a different size of tin?
As for my easy chocolate cake, I wanted to make it simple for you to make this cake in a different size or shape (either round, square or rectangular) so you can get it to fit in a tin you already have at home or feed as many or few people as you need.
The main recipe below is for a two-layer 20cm round cake (this serves 12 people). However, this recipe is easily adapted to use other sizes of tins.
To find the ingredients needed to make this cake in a different size, simply add the dimensions of your tin and the number of layers into the boxes below and hit “Calculate”.
Round Cake
Cake Diameter (cm)
Number of Layers
Cake Ingredients
0 g plain flour
0 tsp baking powder
0 tsp coffee powder/granules
0 medium egg(s)
0 g soft margarine or butter
0 g soft light brown sugar
0 tsp milk
0 tsp salt
Buttercream Ingredients
0 g butter
0 g icing sugar
0 tsp vanilla extract
0 tsp instant coffee powder/granules
0 tsp boiling water
Square or rectangular cake
Cake Size (cm)
x
Number of layers
Cake Ingredients
0 g plain flour
0 tsp baking powder
0 tsp coffee powder/granules
0 medium egg(s)
0 g soft margarine or butter
0 g soft light brown sugar
0 tsp milk
0 tsp salt
Buttercream Ingredients
0 g butter
0 g icing sugar
0 tsp vanilla extract
0 tsp instant coffee powder/granules
0 tsp boiling water
Easy Coffee Cake
INGREDIENTS
For the coffee sponge
- 3 tbsp instant coffee powder - or coffee granules ground to a powder
- 200 g plain flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- 220 g soft light brown sugar
- 220 g margarine or butter - butter must be soft at room temperature
- 4 medium eggs
- 2 tsp milk
- ⅛ tsp salt
For the coffee buttercream
- 200 g butter - soft at room temperature
- 400 g icing sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 8 tsp instant coffee powder or granules
- 4 tsp boiling water
- A little milk
This recipe is for 2x 20cm round sandwich tins. To find the ingredients for a different size of tin please use the calculator above the recipe.
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the coffee sponge
- Pre-heat your oven to 160ºC/140ºC fan.
Line two 20cm round sandwich tins with greaseproof paper or re-usable baking tin liners (I use these tins and these liners). - Put all of the cake ingredients into a large bowl (3 tbsp coffee powder, 200g plain flour, 2½ tsp baking powder, 220g soft light brown sugar, 220g margarine or butter, 4 medium eggs, 2 tsp milk, ⅛ tsp salt). Beat with an electric mixer or by hand on a low speed until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Split the mixture between the two prepared tins. Then bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Once the cakes are cooked, remove them from the oven. Leave them to cool in their tins for about 10 minutes before removing them from the tins and moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the coffee buttercream
- While the cakes are cooling make the coffee buttercream. Start by mixing together the instant coffee powder/granules (8 tsp) with the boiling water (4 tsp). Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl beat the butter (200g) and vanilla extract (¼ tsp) on a low speed until soft. Add the icing sugar (400g) and beat on a low speed until combined with the butter and smooth. Gradually add the coffee mixture, 1 tsp at a time. After each addition beat the buttercream until the coffee has been fully combined before adding more.
- Check the consistency of your buttercream. It should be soft enough that you could spread it onto a slice of bread. If it is too firm, then add a little milk (no more than 1 tsp at a time) until it is your desired consistency.
Build the cake
- Place the bottom layer of your coffee sponge onto your serving dish. Spread about ⅓ of the coffee buttercream evenly across the sponge (I like to use a palette knife, but you could use a regular knife or the back of a spoon).
- Add the top layer of sponge. Again spread ⅓ of the coffee buttercream on top. Put the remaining buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle (I use a JEM1B nozzle). Pipe 12 blobs of buttercream evenly spaced around the edge of the cake. I give the piping bag a little wiggle as I squeeze so that the buttercream looks slightly ruffled.Of course, if you don't fancy piping, simply split the buttercream even between the middle and top of the cake.
- Serve
NOTES
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Any nutritional information provided is the estimated nutritional information per serving. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you would like to learn more about how this is calculated.
Free From/Suitable For
The ingredients I used to make this recipe are all free from the following allergens. However, please check any labels carefully for allergens you need to avoid as brands can vary, and product recipes can change over time.
- Suitable for Vegetarians
- Tree Nut-Free
- Peanut-Free
- Sesame-Free
- Soya-Free
- Sulphur Dioxide & Sulphite-Free
- Lupin-Free
Zainab says
I made this cake and it was absolutely amazing. So moist and perfect. I did forget to tap the tray however it still tasted great. Absolutely love your recipes. Always use them now when I’m baking. I wish I used your recipes before. I want to make the chocolate orange cake next. I’m sure it’ll be just as good as this one.
Snigdha Gobburu says
Hello can you please suggest a good substitute for eggs for this recipe
Charlotte Oates says
Unfortunately eggs are the trickiest ingredient to replace in cakes as it’s not just the eggs that need replacing, other ingredients also need to be adjusted to make up for the loss of the eggs.
You could try adapting my vegan vanilla cake (I’d say it’s easier to substitute the coffee into that rather than remove the eggs from this). I haven’t tried it, but if I did I’d swap the self-raising flour for 245g of self-raising flour and 3 tbsp of coffee powder.
A Mum who bakes says
Hi!
The cake and the cream was absolutely amazing!! However, with the buttercream, it was a bit too stiff, so I ended up adding a little milk, but then the cream kind of granulated and looks like it had bubbles – it was spreadable consistency but spreading it it wasnt smooth.. wondering what went wrong?
Charlotte Oates says
It sounds as though too much milk was added at once. Liquid has to be added to buttercream very gradually otherwise it will crystalise a little. In future if this happens, I find it can be rescued pretty well by giving it a blitz with a hand blender.
Julieann says
Just made this cake using your recipe ingredients conversion for 24inch tins. Perfect.i just swapped the coffee for camp chicory and coffee essence and didn’t add any milk to not over-do the fluid. Worked a treat. Cake looks smells and tastes perfect, thank you
Ange Bergin says
Using the ingredients for 2×20 cm tins, can I make this in just one 9 inch tin and how long and what temperature do I cook it for ? my cakes always seem to get slightly overdone !!
Charlotte Oates says
I assume you’re using a deep 9″ tin (as using a sandwich tin it would overflow!).
I’ve not tried using the original amount of mixture in a 9″ tin. Theoretically it should be OK, although as it’s deeper than the original recipe was intended to be you may find it won’t rise quite as well and may be a little prone to dipping in the middle. If you give it a try then I’d suggest a cooking time of around 40 minutes.
Eliska says
Hi, I want to ask you if I would do 2x20cm tins, it’s possible to cut each of the layer in half, so I have 4 layers approxor 2cm high? Or would the layers be thin to much? Thanks!
Charlotte Oates says
Each layer is about 3-3.5 cm high so not as tall as you’ve mentioned in your post. You probably could do it if you have a sharp knife and very steady hand, but you might find it tricky. If you want to give it a try then I’d recommend using large eggs instead of the medium recommended in the recipe. This will add a little more firmness to the cake making it easier to cut.
Brittany Walker says
I’m currently making this right now. Just cooking in the oven. Is it meant to be quite a wet batter? Just panicked a wee bit. I always use your chocolate and vanilla cake recipes and they aren’t as wet as this mix. Thanks
Charlotte Oates says
It should have a similar consistency to the vanilla cake.
Foruzan says
Hi.I made this cake today using your calculator .I wanted acake with one layer and a 20 cm spriingform tin . Unfortunately my cathe middle of cake collapsed.can you tell me why this happened.
Charlotte Oates says
I’m not too sure why that could have happened. Was the cake cooked in the middle when you first opened the oven? If not then that can cause the cake to collapse. Another possibility is if there was a little too much baking powder added. This can cause the cake to rise too much and the collapse. You need to use a measuring spoon made for baking rather than a regular teaspoon, and it needs to be level.
Ragini says
Hi, I tried this cake yesterday. It tastes amazing and is moist. I had somewhat iced my cake like yours, just between the layers and the top but while cutting I found my cake i found it a bit dry just on the edges. Did I miss something? I baked and iced the cake on Friday night and kept it outside in cake box and cut it yesterday afternoon. Thank you
Charlotte Oates says
It sounds as though it may have been in the oven just a touch too long.