Mocha Cake With Mocha Buttercream Frosting

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Happy New Year, beloved readers ! Hope you all had a wonderful New Year week end. We had a fun time with some great friends and lots of good food. The weather here is unusually hot for January in Colorado.Though I am relieved that I don't have to drive on icy roads, I'm a bit concerned about this weird weather change.

Now, am I worried about apocalypse and the end of the world in this year ? How can a January day in Colorado be in upper 60s ? How does it rain so hard even in December back in Kerala? Sure the weather changes in the entire world hints that something is going to be different in the upcoming future.Don't you think so? Hope whatever happens will be for good !Or like some says, why worry so much about tomorrow when you have a beautiful today lying in front of you, to live to the fullest, and you can make the best of it by this mocha cake:)

This is the cake I made to welcome 2012. Everyone in my small family loves it and so do I.This is not the first time I'm making this cake.Though the flavors of cocoa is subtle in this, it creates pure magic with the coffee flavor. Even the people who are not crazy about coffee will love this, since the coffee in the cake is not overpowering or edgy.You could imagine how good it is, when I say that even my 3 1/2 year old, who is super picky on cakes, loves this.I hope you will try it,and wishing your family will love it too,and if you love it like me, it will sure be a keeper recipe.

I wish you all remain happy and peaceful in this new year . Like lil M says : "Mamma, be happy because that is good for your heart". Have no clue where he got this scientific connection ! Happy 2012, folks !

Ingredients:
For Cake:

Egg yolks- 6
Granulated sugar- 1 cup
Espresso/Instant coffee granules (I used Nescafe)- 2 tsp
Cocoa powder- 2 tsp
Pure Vanilla Extract- 1 1/2 tsp
Warm water- 2 tsp
Canola/Vegetable Oil- 1/2 cup
Cake flour- 1 cup
Baking powder- 1 tsp
Egg Whites, at room temperature- 6
Cream of tartar- 1 tsp

For Frosting:

Butter- 1 cup
Confectioner's sugar- 2 1/2 cup
Coffee Granules/Kahlua- 2 tsp
Cocoa Powder- 1 tsp
Pure Vanilla Extract- 1 tsp

Method:

1.Preheat the oven at 375 degree F.Line two 9 inch round pans with parchment paper and grease them by spraying oil on the bottom and sides.
2.Cream the sugar and egg yolks until you get a creamy light yellow mixture.
2a..Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar till stiff peaks are formed.
3.Mix the coffee granules with cocoa powder and add the warm water. Mix well and get rid of lumps, if any.
4.Pour this into the egg sugar mixture along with the oil and beat well to mix.
5.Sift the flour and baking powder over this bowl with sugar mixture. Stir using a wooden spatula until everything is blended well.
6.Fold in the egg whites into this mocha batter until no traces of whites are seen.
7.Divide this among the pans and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a tester inserted comes out clean.
8.Cool the cakes in the pan for a few minutes and then turn them on to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
9.To make the frosting, beat the butter and sugar until smooth.Start with a cup of sugar and gradually add the rest of it to incorporate.
10.Mix the cocoa powder,kahlua/coffee granules(mix with a tsp of water if using granules) and vanilla extract with the frosting.
11.Place one cake on the plate and spread 1/3rd of the frosting on the top.Keep the other cake on top and spread the frosting using a spatula/ butter knife. Frost the sides too.
12.I have decorated just like the original recipe suggests.

Noes:

1.If you do not have cream of tartar you could substitute with either white vinegar or lemon juice, but you must use about 2 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice. I have tried that once.


Recipe Adapted from here