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Cakes to make: One for coffee lovers (or your caffeine-loving self)

For the coffee-keen cohort, easy cakes, lush bakes and indulgent icings too.

Tiramisu cakes also known as tiramisu squares

Tiramisu cakes Source: Alan Benson

--- See Mary Berry make coffee praline cake in Mary Berry's Simple Comforts, Sundays at 7.30pm from 23 January on SBS Food. Episodes will be available at SBS On Demand for 30 days after they air ---

 

'Coffee cake' is often used to describe the sort of easy cake you might serve with coffee for morning tea, and most of the time there's no coffee used in the making. But here we're talking cakes made with coffee, from glorious celebration cakes to cupcakes topped with coffee buttercream swirls, and even a no-bake biscuit cake. 

And for those who really like coffee, some ideas for your cup, too.
No oven is needed for this Bosnian beauty: this cake is made up of layers of petit beurre biscuits and chocolate cream, with the biscuits, dipped in coffee before layering. Serve chilled or even frozen.
Bosnian biscuit cake served in slices, with hot tea
Bosnian biscuit cake served in slices Source: Tammi Kwok
"This cake is an absolute cracker. Dead easy to make," says Mary Berry of this coffee and hazelnut praline cake, which she makes in Mary Berry's Simple Comforts. "Praline sounds very posh. It is simply caramel with nuts. It really is very, very easy if you follow the rules." This is perfect if you're making a celebration cake for a coffee lover: Two layers of coffee-flavoured cake are layered with a coffee buttercream icing and sprinkled with hazelnut praline. Especially good for when you want to make ahead: the cake can be assembled and iced a day ahead (and the un-iced cake can be frozen).
Mary Berry with Coffee Praline Cake slice
Mary Berry with coffee praline cake Source: Craig Harman © Endemol Shine UK
Four layers of coffee syrup-soaked genoise sponge, married with coffee buttercream and decorated with flaked almonds, this recipe from Anneka Manning makes a wonderful celebration cake.
Coffee and almond genoise (gateau moka)
Coffee and almond genoise (gateau moka) Source: Alan Benson
Another fabulous recipe from Anneka Manning, this time taking an Italian classic and creating elegant individual dessert cakes.
Tiramisu cakes also known as tiramisu squares
Tiramisu cakes Source: Alan Benson
"This is a treasured family recipe passed down from my mother," says Kathy Kerestes of this Hungarian dessert cake. A coffee-chocolate whipped cream icing is layered with an almond-coffee-cocoa cake and crunchy praline.
Noti's torte (grillazs torta)
Grillazs torta Source: Alan Benson
Throw yourself into an intense expression of the glory that happens when dark chocolate meets coffee with this indulgent (and gluten-free) mud cake.
Dark Chocolate Espresso Mud Cake
Dark chocolate espresso mud cake. Source: Melissa Darr
Call it a cake, a loaf, a log or even a scone, what matters most is how good this is. Although based on a scone dough, the slices are more like a cakey biscuit, The chocolate filling is studded with coffee-soaked raisins, and the cooked and cooled loaves are drizzled with coffee icing. This is another great bake-ahead recipe, as the rolls will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days.
Choc-raisin log aka Chocolate, coffee and raisin rolls
Chocolate, coffee and raisin rolls Source: Alan Benson
Here, delicate layers of hazelnut meringue are matched with a sweet but intense coffee-cream filling.
Hazelnut cake
Hazelnut cake Source: Alan Benson
This recipe calls for Vietnamese brewed coffee, which uses a stainless steel filter, but if you can't source one, regular coffee will do, says Lisa Nguyen of these little coffee-flavoured cakes, which are finished with a coffee and condensed milk frosting.
Coffee cupcakes
Coffee cupcakes Source: One World Kitchen
There's a lot to love in this colourful Italian dessert cake: three layers of cake, two soaked with coffee syrup and the middle layer (that's the vibrant pink layer) livened up with grenadine, plus two flavours of crema pasticciera (pastry cream) - cocoa and lemon.

pizza dolce
Pizza dolce from Abruzzo Source: Feast magazine
Described as "decidedly rich and one for sweet tooths", these little cake stacks are made up of nutty hazelnut meringue layered with a rich coffee-chocolate filling.
Hazelnut meringue layer cakes with coffee buttercream
Hazelnut meringue layer cakes with coffee buttercream. Source: Alan Benson
"The combination of vanilla cake, strong coffee and rich mascarpone cream-cheese frosting with a hint of chocolate will give you some serious food-coma vibes," says 's Nick Makrides of these cupcakes. Each little baked cake gets dipped in coffee before getting a dose of chocolate filling and then being topped with a piped tower of frosting.
Tiramisu cupcakes
Tiramisu cupcakes Source: Nick Makrides


The classic tiramisu meets the Yule log in this 'Tiramisu buche de Noel' recipe from Anna Olson - but it's just as good for any day of the year. There's a hint of coffee in the cake, in the chocolate-coffee filling and in the whipped cream covering, too.
Tiramisu buche de Noel
Tiramisu buche de Noel Source: Bake With Anna Olson

And to drink ...

If you're looking for a coffee to have with your cake, here are a few ideas. For a celebration summer brunch, whip up an ; or for cold days, a (café caleta). Or spice things up with a .
Spiced coffee
Lebanese spiced coffee Source: One World Kitchen

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SBS Food is a 24/7 foodie channel for all Australians, with a focus on simple, authentic and everyday food inspiration from cultures everywhere. NSW stream only.
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4 min read
Published 18 January 2022 11:44pm
Updated 25 January 2022 9:40pm
By SBS Food bite-sized
Source: SBS


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