Mocha Marble Loaf Cake with Espresso Glaze

I could look at this picture all day.

But the sooner I get this recipe written and posted, the sooner you can make it. And the sooner your life will be that much improved. If you love coffee, chocolate, and cake (and glaze): dig in.

I remember when I first found this recipe, I thought it was so clever that there was coffee in a coffee cake. Why had I never had such a creation before? Just a hint of coffee – enough to tie it all together. This is another great recipe to bring to brighten a morning meeting… or to give a hostess for a Sunday brunch (sneaky – a gift you can enjoy too!)… or to put out with afternoon coffee or tea. In fact, it is a good excuse to have someone over for afternoon coffee or tea in the first place.

The recipe makes one 9″ x 5″ loaf pan size cake, or two half-loaf pans, or four quarter-loaf pans. Baking and kitchen stores often sell loaf pans made out of paper, in various sizes – they are great – just place them on a cookie sheet when you bake them, and give as gifts at will!

Ingredients:

For the cake…
– 1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
– 2 t instant espresso or coffee crystals
– 3/4 c butter, softened (1.5 sticks)
– 1.5 c sugar
– 1 t vanilla
– 2 eggs, at room temperature
– 1.5 c flour
– 1/2 t baking powder
– 1/4 t baking soda
– 1/2 c fat-free sour cream (I mean, fat-free if you even care about the fat at this point)
– 3 T hot water

For the glaze… (the last step of the recipe)
– 1 T butter
– 2 t instant espresso or coffee crystals
– 1 T hot water
– 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
– 1/3 c powdered sugar

How do I make it?

• Preheat the oven to 350, and spray a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan (or the smaller pans, referenced above) with cooking spray and set aside.
• In a small bowl, stir together the cocoa powder, and espresso or coffee crystals, and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, place the softened butter, and beat until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar, and beat until fluffy; add the vanilla and eggs, and beat until incorporated.
• Add half the flour, all of the baking powder, and all of the baking soda at the same time; beat until smooth. Add the sour cream; beat until smooth. Add the remaining flour and beat until smooth.
• Spoon about 1.25 – 1.5 c of the batter into a bowl. It does not need to be a big bowl, you are just moving the batter for a minute. This will be the lighter part of the cake – you are going to make the rest of it into mocha batter!
• Stir the 3 T hot water into the bowl of cocoa and espresso or coffee that you have put aside; when it has dissolved, pour that into the batter that you have left in the mixing bowl, and mix until the color is uniform. You know what, it does not have to be that uniform – you are making a marbled cake, after all. In any case, this will be the mocha part of the cake.
• Spoon about half of the mocha batter into the prepared pan – if you are using smaller pans, divide it evenly between the pans, leaving half of the mocha batter in the bowl. Spoon the lighter batter on top of that, and finish off with the remaining mocha batter.
• Take a knife and swirl it through the cake to marble the batters a bit. Or, skip that step – it is delicious no matter how you cut it. Or swirl it.
• Bake at 350 for 75 minutes if using the 9″ x 5″ pan. If you are using smaller pans, check on the cake at 45 or 50 minutes and keep an eye on it in 5 minute increments thereafter.
• The cake is done with you can insert a toothpick in the middle of the cake and it comes out clean. It should also be somewhat firm to the touch.
• Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. If you are using a metal or glass pan, gently remove the cake from the pans at this point to cool completely; if you are using paper pans, just leave as is.
• Now for the glaze! My favorite part. Melt the butter, espresso or coffee, and water together in a medium bowl – 30 seconds in the microwave should do it. Then sift in the cocoa, stirring until dissolved. Finally, sift in the powdered sugar, stirring until dissolved – and smooth and glassy. Add a few drops of hot water if it gets too stiff.  Drizzle glaze over the cake with a spoon. This is the hardest part of the recipe: make sure to not get too much glaze in your mouth – you want to have enough for the cake! But if all else fails, make a second batch of glaze. Note, the glaze will take about an hour to set.

Original recipe information: Believe it or not, I found this recipe on the inside of a coffee filter box. Do not ask why I happened to look inside the box – unclear. Just an example of how you never know where you will find the best recipes. I always try the recipes on boxes – why not? They are written by someone trying to highlight the product (which you already own). Oh that reminds me – I will have to post about a granola blondie recipe, also found on the box. I know someone who will love that! Stay tuned, SLRH!