March 2, 2016
Coffee Cake!
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A delicious and moist three-layer coffee cake with a light and fluffy coffee buttercream frosting – perfect for coffee lovers!
The other week I posted a standard ‘recipe request’ post on my Facebook page and got an insane amount of ‘COFFEE CAKE PLEEEEAAASSEE’ kind of posts – so, I was obviously going to oblige.
Now, if you know me then you know how much I adore an iced coffee so I obviously love a coffee based bake – and when it’s baked it’s even more delicious! You can use decaf coffee if you have it, as long as its still a strong flavour!
Coffee bakes
I would say that coffee cake is a classic and quite iconic, and I really don’t make enough coffee based content. I love it personally, and I know so many of you do as well. My coffee and walnut cupcakes have always proved so popular, along with a more recent coffee & walnut loaf cake.
I created an espresso martini cake in my second book Celebrate, and my third book Everyday features my homemade tiramisu and with how popular these were I know I needed to post a classic coffee cake, so here it is.
Cake sponges
These sponges are light and fluffy, and yes there are three decent layers. I know, 8 eggs is a lot, but it is how you make a basic sponge. You need to create an even quantity of eggs weighed in their shells, flour, eggs and sugar to create a sponge so for a three layer cake, you need a lot of ingredients.
- Butter – I use either a room temperature block butter or baking spread for a cake sponge
- Sugar – I use light brown sugar in my coffee cake as I think it helps the flavour profiles
- Flour – self raising flour as always. However, if you don’t have it, you can make your own with 2 level tsps per 150g of plain flour, mixed in before using and removing any other raising agent in the recipe.
- Eggs – 7-8 medium eggs, but weigh in the shells and try and get as close to 400g as possible and match the butter, sugar and flour to this weight
- Coffee – Instant coffee here for me, but a strong espresso works
- Baking powder – this is optional, but I think it helps. Make sure measuring you level the tsp, not heaped.
Cake frosting
This frosting is a basic American buttercream frosting that has had coffee added into it. A frosting like this is so super simple to make and that’s why I love it.
- Butter – unsalted block butter, NOT baking spread
- Sugar – icing sugar, every time
- Coffee – same as above, I use instant coffee that I have dissolved, by 2 strong espresso shots should work fine
Recipe Updated March 2024
Every now and again I will update blog posts as they are a few years old, my knowledge has developed, or I thought it required a change. However, I will always keep the original recipe on the post and that’s here.
- Cake – 400g butter, 400g caster sugar, 8 medium eggs, 400g self raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 4tsp dissolved coffee
- Bake at 150ºc fan into two tins for 45-55 minutes
- Frosting – 225g unsalted butter, 500g icing sugar, 3tsp dissolved coffee
- Beat the butter, add the sugar and coffee and pipe onto the cake
Tips & Tricks
- This cake will last in a container for 3+ days at room temperature, or you can freeze for up to 3 months!
- I used this Medium 2D Closed Star Piping Tip
- I used this large piping bag
- I used this 8″ Cake Tins
- Recipe updated March 2024 – original recipe on the blog post
Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Coffee Cake
- 400 g unsalted butter/baking spread
- 400 g caster sugar
- 8 medium eggs
- 400 g self raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 4 tsp strong espresso/instant coffee
Coffee Buttercream Frosting
- 300 g unsalted butter
- 600 g icing sugar
- 3 tsp strong espresso/instant coffee
- sprinkles/coffee beans
Instructions
Coffee Cake
- Heat the oven to 180ºc/160ºc fan and line three 20cm/8inch cake tins with baking parchment, leave to the side.
- Dissolve the 4tsp strong espresso/instant coffee in 1tbsp of boiling water and leave to the side to cool fully.
- Beat together the unsalted butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the self raising flour, eggs and baking powder and beat again briefly until combined - try not to overbeat!
- Fold through the cooled dissolved coffee in to the cake mix so it's evenly distributed.
- Divide the mixture equally between the tins and smooth it over.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean
- Once baked, leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, and then remove and leave to cool fully on a wire rack.
Coffee Buttercream Frosting
- Dissolve the 3tsp strong espresso/instant coffee in 1tbsp of boiling water carefully, and leave to cool fully.
- Beat the unsalted butter on it's own until smooth
- Add the icing sugar and mix
- Add the coffee and mix again until light and fluffy
- With the first layer of the cake, spread/pipe half of the buttercream onto the top of the first layer, then add the second cake on top, and repeat again
- Sprinkle over some pretty sprinkles and or chocolate coated coffee beans and enjoy!
Notes
- This cake will last in a container for 3+ days at room temperature, or you can freeze for up to 3 months!
- I used this Medium 2D Closed Star Piping Tip
- I used this large piping bag
- I used this 8" Cake Tins
- Recipe updated March 2024 - original recipe on the blog post
ENJOY!
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J x
© Jane’s Patisserie. All images & content are copyright protected. Do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words and credit me, or link back to this post for the recipe.
Lovely cake! What would be the amount of ingredients for a 2 layer cake instead of 3 please?
Thank you! Use two thirds x
Hey! Love the recipes. Would it work to sub some of the flour for cocoa powder to make into a more mocha inspired cake, if not is there a way to be able to create a mocha cake please? Thanks x
Sounds yummy but I would like to make a 9 inch cake.
What should the recipe be increased to please?
Hi Jane, I’m planning on splitting this mix into 3 tins and adding the walnuts, how long would I bake them for?
Thanks 🙂
Could this be made into a mocha cake? If so how please
My cakes always turn out dense/stodgy how long am I to mix each ingredients from butter and sugar to flour thanks
Hiya! This usually means it is under baked. Hope this helps! x
Can I use a cream cheese coffee filling in place of buttercream
Absolutely, sounds yummy! x
hi Jane can I make this coffee and walnut cake eggless..if so then what can I replace with eggs ..pls can you reply
Looks and sounds lovely will have to make this cake Like how you said would last for three days, definitely won’t at my house
Hi, this is the first time I have put eggs and flour all in together and not doing slowly eggs and then fold in flour. Once I slowly added the coffee it curdled. I didn’t think thE coffee was that hot but do you think that was still the problem,?
Hiya! Yes is could be – or it may have been slightly overtaxed. Hope this helps! x
Can I please ask Jane, why do you have baking powder with Self Raising flour in this recipe?
Hiya! Sometimes raising agents are added to give a lighter texture – however you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to! Hope this helps! x
Hi!
I wanted to make this as a loaf cake, how many eggs would you use? And if you wanted to add walnuts? X
Could I use Stork in the sponge and Unsalted Butter in the buttercream? X
Yes absolutely you can! Enjoy! x
Hello, to make this gluten free do I just swap the flour for gluten free flour? Do I need to add anything else to make it work? Or just straight swap?
Thanks!
Hiya! I personally have not tried this – but it should be fine! Let me know! x
Hi, you will also need to add 1/2 tsp of xanthum gum
Hi Jane. I have made this cake before and it was amazing – thank you. I was wondering if it could be made into a tray bake and if so, what proportion of mix would work? 5 eggs maybe? Thank you.
I would like to know this also?
Hi Jane, I was just wondering how much of the batter would go into the 8 inch tins for two tiers?x
Hi Jane, Could you use camp coffee instead of espresso or instant coffee?
Hiya! This should work yes! Enjoy! x
Hi, this recipe doesn’t mention walnuts. How much would i add to this recipe for coffee and walnut cake? Thanks
Hiya! In the post it says just add 100g chopped walnuts to the mix for a coffee and walnut cake. Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane, I wanted to bake this cake and wondering how much in grams would go into each cake tin? x
The best thing to do is weigh out the cake batter and then divide the amount in half and put that amount in each tin.
HI Jane, I just bought your recipe book and made your coffee and walnut cake. I was wondering why it doesn’t have baking powder in and why the quantities are different to this recipe. Love your book and can’t wait to bake them all! Thank you
Good morning Jane!
Love your recipes, they are all so amazing!
Just wondered if you can use camp in this recipe instead of instant coffee?
Many thanks x
Yes for sure!! And thanks!! xx
Hi do you use the same amount of Camp coffee (4tsps)? Wasn’t sure if it was more concentrated or not!
Hi,
Will this work without a stand mixer please?
Hello, yes of course!x
Hi jane
I love baking all your recipes but im having a repeat problem baking this recipe and not sure where I’m going wrong?
It has a tendency to bubble but go sad in the middle? Any advice would be most welcome 😊
Many thanks
Hey, that sounds under baked xx
Hi Jane i just love all your recipes can i use coffee from a jar for this coffee cake
Thank you
Mary
Hi! If you mean instant coffee yes you can sometimes it just has a weaker flavour xx
I have made this and it is amazing!! I would like to make a Victoria sponge cake like this! Could I just leave out the coffee and Walnuts part qnd make the recipe into a Victoria sponge?
Hey! Yes that would work xx
Thank you !
Hi Jane,
I would like to add walnuts to this cake. Would this work with the mixture or would I need to make adjustments? Thank you.
I would maybe reduce the cake quantities by 100g sugar/butter/flour and 2 eggs, and then add in loads of walnuts! X
Could I replace the caster sugar with light soft brown sugar?
Yes for sure! x
Hi Jane,
I have made a few of your recipes now and they have all turned out perfect. I’ve just popped these sponges in the oven however I am just wondering as I struggled on the coffee part- the most important bit! I dissolved the 4tsp coffee in the water however it turned into a solid texture and was really hard to blend into the mixture. Please can you advise on this?
Thanks 🙂
Oh this is so strange!! If they were heaped teaspoons it may have just been too much coffeee for the amount of water so just add a smidge more next time! x
Hello Jane, what would the measurements be if I were to make this a loaf? Thank you x
instead of a 400g mix I would use maybe a 250g mix! x
Hi Jane,
I am looking to make this cake as a double layer but with 2 x 7 inch diameter tins that are about 3 1/2 inches deep – how would you suggest I change the ingredients to suit?
Thanks in advance!
Hiya! This cake is very deep for a two layer (its an old post, normally I’d do three layers from these quantities now) – so I would use maybe 2/3 of the recipe! x
Hi Jane! I want to do this recipe, how do I go about colour the coffee buttercream? X
Sorry, do you mean you want to colour it?
Hi, yes colour it to another colour so it is not brown x
Okay so as the base colour is brown, it will be harder to colour.. you’d have to use a good quality colouring such as sugar flair, wilton, pro-gel etc and counter the brown somehow depending on what colour you want it to be!
Thankyou!!
Hi Jane,
Could I make this with brewed and then cooled espresso or does it need to be instant coffee? Also, if I were to split this across three tiers rather than two, how would you adjust oven times/temperatures please?
Thank you! 🙂
Yes you can do! A strong espresso works well! And yes – it would take 25-30 minutes per layer x
Amazing, thank you so much for your response. Would you use the same amount, 4tsp, of espresso?
Yes roughly – I would use one strong espresso shot! x
Hey, if I’m using 300g how many eggs should I use? I have large eggs?
I would weigh the eggs in their shells and get as close to 300g as you can, and then match the butter/sugar/flour to that weight x
I made this for my mom’s birthday and it went down so well! Everyone loved it. I think it’ll become a new family favourite
Hi Jane, I am looking at making this cake but doing the buttercream the whole way round (crumb coat and 2nd coat and extra for decorating) do you think the mixture will be enough or do you think I should double the ingredients? Xx
Hiya Jane, I wanted to do this recipe but with a crumb coat and 2nd coat of buttercream like a proper cake and then pipe to decorate. Would there be enough buttercream to do this or should I make 2 x the mixture? X
I would say 1.5x would be enough! X
Hi Jane, I’m looking at making half this recipe. Would it be okay if I halved the recipe and put it in 2 6in tins? I’ve done this with a few other recipes and they have turned out well maybe just a little thinner on layers of anything and cooking time may be a bit longer I presume?
Yes that would work, but I would say the baking time is less not more x
Hey Jane,
In a convection oven how long should I keep this in for?
Thank you 🙂
I believe a convection oven is the same as a fan oven so its the timings as listed on the recipe x
Delicious, parents loved it for their anniversary.
I am looking to make a 3 layer 6 inch cake – will I need to amend the quantities? I usually do it myself on the other recipes but I know you said at this one is an older one the sponges are deeper!
Love all your recipes I’ve done so far! Can’t wait to try this one!
I’m not 100% sure, but I think a 300g ratio rather than 400g should work well? x
Hi Jane, just wondering if you can use coffee extract instead to flavour?
Oh yes for sure!! x
Hi Jane I am wanting to make this as a 3 tier coffee and walnut cake my tins are quite deep they are PME and are 8×3 inches. How much more mixture would I need? And if I was to blend the walnuts and put into the buttercream for it to be covered would this work?thankyou! You are always so helpful x
These cakes are really quite deep already (I usually split a 400g mix between three tins now, not two) so you can just split it as it is between the three. Or, increase the mixture to a 500g mix! And I would just fold through chopped walnuts for a cake, but for the buttercream you could blend, but it would have a grainy texture! x
Great thankyou I will do the 500g mix how many walnuts would you suggest? As I don’t want it too heavy x
Maybe 250g? xx
Hi jane, id like to add extra height to the cake, are these layers ok to split and fill or would you recommend halving the recipe to make an extra cake and just stack the 3?
I would personally still use 400g mix for three layers (like in all my other recipes) but you can still add more ingredients if you wish! x
Hi
I wanted to do a coffee and walnut cake in this size. Is there a certain amount of walnuts to put in or can I just put some into it without it affecting the bake?
Many thanks
Christina
I would add maybe 200g or so?! x
Afternoon!
I’m looking to make my husband a coffee and walnut cake. I hate coffee so trying to find a recipe to use in a 7inch deep tin. Bake it in one go and then cut in half. Do you think halfing this recipe would work?
Thanks
Typically to just change the recipe to a 7″ you’d use 0.8x the recipe – so I would say half is too little. It may be best to stick to at least 2/3 of the mix instead x
Hi Jane,
I want to make a marble cake using this recipe and also the back to basic chocolate cake. Would this idea work if I combine the two recipes together? Just with the timings being different?
Yeah it should work well! Timings should be okay if you stick to the same total of ingredients xx
Hi Jane,
I want to make a chocolate and coffee marble cake. I was thinking of combing this recipe with your back to basics chocolate cake to create a marble cake. Do you think this will work, with both the batters being baked at different temperatures.
Thanks,
Jane
What measurements should I use if baking this in a 2lb loaf tin???? Xx
Use the guidance of my other loaf cakes – its about 250g per ingredient! x
Thank you, would the amount of coffee be the same?? X
Yes, or you can reduce it – it depends how strong you want it! x
Hey! Would Nescafé original instant coffee be okay to use for this? Or is that not strong enough?? X
It should be okay, but might be weaker than others!
Okay, do you have any recommendations of instant coffee brands that would create a strong enough flavour? 🙂 x
I usually use an espresso type one thats designed to be really strong- I like Nescafe azzuro I think it is? x
Hi Jane as I don’t have deeper tins I was going to split the mix between 3 sandwich cake tins and bake for 25-30 mins but then for decoration as there’s another layer would I need more buttercream?x
Hey! Yes baking wise that’s ideal – and maybe add on another half for the decoration? x
Hellooo, could you somehow make this into a 2 layer drip cake? How much buttercream ingredients? Also what ingredients in the drip? Thank you xxx
Hey! I would double the buttercream, and maybe use the drip from any of my drip cake recipes! x
I Jane I’ve recently started following you on Instagram and really love your cake designs. I’m interested in trying this cake but was thinking of doing three layers. I have 18cm tins about 2.5cm deep, what would be your recommendation in adjusting the recipe and baking times
Hiya! They sound like quite small and thin tins, so it may be best to reduce to a 300g mix/6 eggs, and split between the three tins. Baking time could be about 25 minutes? x
Thanks Jane, I did 200g, 4 eggs and added walnuts. Turned out great!
I’ve made this cake today but as a loaf cake, I used 250g recipe and weighed the eggs so they were that too, its worked really well and tastes great. Thanks Jane I love your recipes and can’t wait for your cookbook 😊 x
Hi Jane, what would the measurements be if i wanted to bake in a 24cm tin?
Hey! Technically it’s about 1.4x the recipe, so about 550g of each ingredient rather than 400g! x
Hi, I was wondering if I doubled the ingredients in this recipe, could I bake it in 4 6inch cake tins for a 4 layer cake. Thanks. I admire all your baking !!
Hey so if you were just wanting to do the same two layers but in 6″ tins, it would actually be 2/3 of the recipe – so to do a four layer 6″ cake you really don’t need too much more mix! Maybe add on 50g/1 egg extra and that’s it!
Hi Jane, is this a recipe that works well gluten free? Or does anything need to be added to it
This should work absolutely fine! I would use GF flour, and add xantham gum!
Hi jane, love your recipes! I’m making this coffee sponge for my daughters birthday and I was thinking of covering it in fresh cream and have caramel drips… what do you think of This combination? Do you think caramel and fresh cream would Be good between the layers or Nutella and cream. Thank you in advance.
Hey! I would say filling it with fresh cream would be yummy, but covering the sides would maybe go a little odd (fresh cream doesn’t hold particularly well) – but either caramel or Nutella would be yummy!
Hi Jane
Could you please advise how deep your tins are-want to avoid spillage!
Made your raspberry/lemon cake a few days ago…..delish!!!!!
Hey!! So all tins I have are at least 3″ deep! So glad you liked the lemon raspberry cake! x
Hi Jane, I love your recipes and tried many of them. I’ve just baked the yummy looking coffee cake in 8 inch tins, but found some of the batter spilled over into the oven – is there anything I can do to stop this another time?
Thanks so much
Hey! What depth are you cake tins? It may be that they were shallower than mine so over spilled slightly!! x
I tried this cake last week. I didn’t have enough eggs for the full recipe so just halved the amount of the ingredients and made one layer. I also grated dark chocolate on the top as I didn’t have sprinkles. I used a fine coffee (Nescafe Azera) which dissolved great without sticking to the spoon (I find granules stick too much and you loose lots of coffee). I used a £1.99 piping syringe from B&M which made it quite easy to pipe considering I’ve never piped icing before. The cake tasted so good. Was really chuffed with it. Recipe is so easy to follow. Thank you 🙂
Hi Jane! I really want to try this one but only have two loaf tins, no cake tins (haven’t been able to get my hands on any during lockdown!). If I used half of all the ingredients would this be okay to split into two loaf tins? Or use the same amount of ingredients?
Hiya! It depends on the size of your loaf tins?
Hi Jane, please could you advise what size piping nozzle you used to pipe the buttercream on this cake.
This one will have been a wilton 1M!
Hi Jane.
My husband wants me to make a latte style cake, I couldn’t find one anywhere but thought of what would happen if I used this recipe and dissolve the coffee in hot milk instead of water. Do you think this would work?
Hi Jane i would like to do this as a loaf cake but would that work with the same amount of ingredients? As I feel it would be spilling out x
[…] Find the recipe here. […]
Hi Jane,
Im making this for 50 people for a surprise 60th..as the top layer is going to be quite heavy there is a chance it will push all the filling out..im afraid of it being too dry! can you give me any tips please on doing such a large cake?? its 18*20 inches..thank you xx
Bake it on 140C fan – no higher, but for a long long time. And if you’re worried, use a sugar syrup! If you do the frosting properly, and use genuine unsalted butter and no type of spread, it should stay sturdy!
If I want to make a smaller cake – can I just half the sponge ingredients and cook in two 20cm layer tins?
I would half and bake in one tin, but stick to the timings of the recipe – or yes half and split, but the timings would change.
Thank you very much. And if I was to add chopped walnuts to the sponge – would you reduce any of the other ingredients?
No I wouldn’t – I just whack some in! About 150-200g!
Can you add Walnuts into this recipe?
Hi there, i need to make this as a 10″ cake for an upcoming event and was wondering what id need to up the ingredients to? and also how long i would need to bake it for?
For a 10″ cake you need to use 1.6x the recipe, so 2/3 more on top of the original! Baking times I am unsure though – I usually lower the temperature to 140C Fan, and bake for a long long time. And yes you can add walnuts!
Hi, for your coffee cake as you have used caster sugar on this recipe and light brown soft sugars on your coffee and walnut cupcakes, which sugar tastes better in the cakes? Or do they taste the same?
Many thanks!
Honestly it doesn’t matter which, both work well, but LBS has a more caramel hint x
Thank you for this recipe! Would it be possible to split this into 3 sandwich tins instead of 2 deep tins to get a triple layer cake? x
Yes that would work!! X
Hi Jane, I’m considering to bake 3 layers – i was thinking to up all cake ingredients to 450g, Does that sound alright? thanks
Yes you can do! To be fair, you can easily make the weights as is in to three layers such as with my other three layer cakes. I usually split the 400g mix between three 20cm tins, and bake for about 25-30 minutes! x
Could I half this recipe??
Yep! But be aware the baking times might change!
[…] think of Cupcake recipes that people would want to see and make themselves, and these came up. My Coffee Cake recipe was so popular and such a big hit with my readers that I know these will be loved by all […]
I made one of your drip cakes recently and although I need to perfect the drip!! I wondered if I could make a coffee drip cake based on this recipe? I have now ordered a turntable and some big scrapers and offset spatulas as I need to perfect my technique!
Would you be able to make one and show us as you are very inspiring and the website is fantastic for helpful advice.
Love all your recipes. Inspired me to finally set up my own cake business. Thanks Jane xx
Awh thats amazing!! I am so glad!!
Hi Jane- do you think it would be ok to useStork/margarine in the cake instead of butter? Thank you! Paula
In the cake yep! Not the Buttercream though ?
Hi jane, im intrested in making this cake but was wondering why you didnt use the soft brown sugar like in the coffee and walnut cupcakes? X
Because they were made at different times. It demonstrates you can swap between them.
Hi there,just made yr coffee cake. Looks good. Can u freeze it and can u freeze it with the buttercream
A.
Yes you can! x
I’ve just made this to give to my daughters school for their annual soup kitchen for the town’ 1940s festival. Really easy to follow. Love your recipes!
Ohh this is amazing! I am so glad you enjoyed making this one and like my others! x
looks awesome!
Thank you!! 🙂
I am wondering if this is sturdy enough to make a wedding cake . 5 layers and buttercream filling with fondant outside! Anyone made this as a wedding cake using this recipe 😅?