Mocha buttercream cake

This will be my last post before we head off to Greece!

Have to say I'm happy with these pictures, and most of all with the cake! Even if you are not a coffee drinker, I think you might still like this cake. And of course you can adjust the amount of the coffee syrup you use. I like mine strong, so sometimes I cook up more coffee syrup, than in this recipe. :)

Again I'm in bed writing. We had a fun day yesterday. A proper country fair party in on of the neighborhoods near us. I really like the countryside. Makes me happy seeing horses and other farm animals almost every day. But if I want to go shopping, I just cycle 10 minutes to the center. I find it quite perfect.

Next time I write, I hope I have nice pictures of Samos and their food!

Vanilla cake

200 g butter

200 g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract or sugar

4 large eggs

150 g flour

150 g self raising flour

Preheat the oven to 160 C. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at the time, mixing after each one. Add the vanilla. Sieve the flours and mix with a spatula until combined. Don't over mix. Pour into a greased and lined springform tin. Bake around 30 minutes. Check with a toothpick - when it comes out clean the cake is ready.

Custard filling

1 vanilla pod

500 ml milk

4 egg yolks

150 g caster sugar

2 tbsp flour

Halve the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Bring the milk to boil with the vanilla seeds and the pod. Stir the egg yolks with the sugar, add the flour and stir smooth. Pour the hot milk on the egg mixture, pour back into the pan and keep mixing until smooth, wait until it thickens on a low heat. Remove the vanilla pod and let the custard cool.

Mocha buttercream

70 ml of espresso, or very strong coffee

30 g caster sugar

250 g butter

60 g icing sugar

(vanilla extract)

Cook the espresso (or strong coffee, double in strength) with the sugar until there is about 2 tablespoons of coffee syrup. Beat the butter with the powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cooked espresso to the butter and stir until the butter is even in color. You can also add vanilla extract if you like.

Decorations

Chocolate shavings

Chocolate covered coffee beans (shop bought)

Assembling the cake

Cut the cake into three even discs. Spread the bottom slice of cake with custard. Place the next slice of cake on it and spread it with mocha buttercream. Finish with the third disc and spread buttercream all over the cake. Pipe rosettes on the cake with the rest of the buttercream, and sprinkle chocolate shaving in the middle. Finish the rosettes with chocolate coffee beans.