Contains Affiliate Links
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
FREE GRAMS TO CUPS CONVERSION CHARTS
Subscribe to the Charlotte's Lively Kitchen mailing list to get your FREE printable grams to cups and cups to grams conversion charts for twelve popular baking ingredients
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
jess says
this didnt work at all. i presume you need to use a mixer to cream the butter but as it didnt say that i mixed by hand and now i have a puddle of coffee nothing instead of a cake. not the one for me
Charlotte Oates says
There is no need to cream the butter before using if you are using soft butter or margarine per the ingredients list. If the butter is soft, all of the ingredients can be mixed by hand or electric mixer as stated in the instructions.
Tae says
Is it ok for this recipe to cream the butter and sugar together and then add the other ingredients?
Charlotte Oates says
You can do yes but providing the butter is nice and soft it isn’t a step that is needed in this all in one sponge mix.
Sophie says
Wondering if anyone has used normal brown sugar or Caster sugar? I haven’t been able to find ‘light brown sugar’
Thank you!
Charlotte Oates says
It will work with either
Kaz says
Could I add walnuts to three mix to make a coffee and walnut cake?
Charlotte Oates says
You can. I’d add c. 75g of chopped walnuts.
LozzaD says
Love the fact that this website provides options for different size cakes, so so helpful. Thank you.
Kelly says
Hi! Just wanted to ask what the consistency of the cake batter will be? Thanks!
Charlotte Oates says
It’s soft but not runny. It should dollop off the spoon and spread easily.
Amaryllis Part says
I made this as a birthday cake and it went down extraordinarily well! It was very easy to make, the instructions were very clear and you have a lot of knowledge about baking that comes through. I also liked how you put in brackets the measurements after you mention them in the instructions, as it saves me scrolling back up to check what the measurement was.
I never made buttercream icing, but I’m glad that turned out well too.
I didn’t have an electric mixer or anything so I used a food processor for both cake mix and icing, and it worked out well.
I got many compliments on the cake (incl. when am I going on bake off, when am I opening my own cafe!), and it was really yummy. Thank you for sharing your recipe, you made one Virgo friend’s birthday:)
Gina says
The best coffee cake recipe I’ve ever tried! Beautifully moist and so tasty
Laura says
Hi, love that you included the ingredients calculator for different size tins, really helpful thank you! Could you advise roughly how long to bake in a 15cm tin? Thanks x
Charlotte Oates says
Same time as in the original recipe as the cake is the same depth.
kim says
This is a beautiful cake and I can cut it into 16 slices which is perfect. I’ve tried many coffee cake recipes and this is The Best.
Rachel O'Connor says
This was a great recipe, all mixed in one bowl. I really liked how moist the cake was and that the recipe actually made enough icing for decorating. Will be making again.
Barney Maunder-Taylor says
Love this recipe – so easy. Only thing I will say is that next time I will reduce butter icing by 25%: too much icing for my liking. But the sponge cake worked out a treat, just the right amount of coffee flavour. I crushed decaff granules in a pestle and mortar. Thanks!
kam says
amazing cake. I had a question! next time I want to make this cake I want to try it with almond flour but i’m not sure if it’ll work. what do you think? will it rise normally?
Charlotte Oates says
I have not tested this recipe with almond flour and it is not usually a great idea to sub it 1:1 for wheat flour as the texture and structure of the cake will be quite different. Saying this, it may be worth trying an experiment and seeing if you like the outcome – I would usually advise testing with a small batch to avoid wasting any ingredients.
Oneill says
Hi does the cakes rise to the size in picture, I am asking this a previous coffee cakes I’ve used are always flat.
Charlotte Oates says
It does. The cake in the picture was made using the recipe
Kam says
so so good. not overly sweet. I switched the milk to almond milk and added a tablespoon more than written here for a bit more moisture. amazing !
Nalise says
Mine flopped .
Cake sunk in and I have no idea why as I followed it step by step
Charlotte Oates says
I’m sorry to hear that the cake didn’t work out for you.
A few possibilities as to why that may have happened which may help in future:
1) You may have added too much baking powder. The baking powder needs to be measured using a measuring teaspoon and not a standard one that you’d use to make a cup of tea. Adding too much baking powder will cause the cake to rise too much during baking and then sink as it doesn’t have the structure to support the height.
2) You beat the mixture for too long or on too high a speed. This will also cause the cake to over-rise during baking as the air in the mixture expands.
3) You removed the cake from the oven before it was fully baked.
4) You baked the cake in one deep tin rather than sandwich tins. I always recommend using sandwich tins for best results.
Josephine B says
Hi Charlotte, I live in Australia and for the past few days I’ve been searching the net for a “REAL COFFEE CAKE” made with REAL coffee. I’m so glad I found your site, so now I’ve got to go and get working on the scrumptious looking cake, I’m so excited. Thank you!
Sally Gallop says
Really lovely cake ! The family inhaled it ! X
Stevie Rangiawha says
Hi Am I able to use oil instead of butter. Thank you
Charlotte Oates says
I wouldn’t recommend substituting butter in this recipe as it will change the texture of the batter and therefore the finished cake.
Sam bugcher says
Hi would camp coffee work as well as instant?,
Charlotte Oates says
I have not tried this variation so I couldn’t suggest how much to use but if you are willing to experiment, I would imagine that you would be able to achieve a coffee flavour that way.