How to make coffee cake: 4 “variations on a theme”

If you think about coffee-based desserts, maybe the first thing that springs to mind is  tiramisù.

Actually there are many other types of dessert that you can make with this energizing drink and today we would like to give you some ideas on how to make 4 different versions of coffee cake. Get the mocha on: we’re ready to cook!  

Coffee cake: 4 recipes with variations 

Whether we’re talking about a home-made cake that you can enjoy for breakfast, a flavorsome filling for a special occasion, or a mouth-watering snack, coffee cake is always a guaranteed success. In this article we would also like to suggest some recipes for those who may have food intolerances. 

Here’s why we are giving you a variation for every recipe: the first is butter-free, and uses only oil; we also have a version for you with yoghurt but no eggs; a soft, light sponge cake without any yeast, with a cream filling and, finally a fresh cheesecake which requires no cooking.

All of these recipes have the common element of coffee, which gives that special flavor to any dessert.

Butter-free coffee cake. 

In this recipe goodness goes hand in hand with lightness: no butter, just seed oil, combined with the luxury of the cocoa and the energy of the coffee.

Ingredients for 8 people  

• 3 eggs
• 9.88 oz of sugar
• 5.07 fl oz of ristretto coffee  Filicori Zecchini
• 6.76 fl oz of seed oil 
• 12.35 oz of flour
• 2.82 oz of bitter cocoa powder 
• 1 sachet of yeast for desserts 
• Half a glass of milk 

Method 

1. To prepare the butter-free coffee cake, start by breaking the eggs into the food mixer or into a large bowl; mix the eggs with the sugar until you get a light, fluffy mixture. 
2. Then add the cold ristretto coffee, and continue mixing. Pour in the oil gradually and continue making the dough. Carefully add in the flour one spoonful at a time until it is fully mixed in. Finally, add the bitter cocoa and keep stirring until you get a smooth mixture.  
3. Dissolve the yeast for desserts in half a glass of milk, then pour this into the mixture and keep stirring.  
4. Oil and flour  a 10.24 inch baking tin, pour in the mixture and put into the oven pre-heated to 356° F and bake for  40-45 minutes. Before removing from the oven, do the toothpick test. Stick a toothpick vertically into cake, if when you pull it out, there is some mixture stuck to it, then you should leave it to cook for a little longer. If, on the other hand, it comes out clean, your cake is ready, remove it from the oven and leave to cool before turning it out of the tin.   

Egg-free coffee cake  

Those who are intolerant or allergic to eggs can rest assured that this recipe doesn’t require any at all.

Ingredients for 8 people

• 8.82 oz of cake flour 
• 1.76 oz of potato flour 
• 5.29 oz of brown sugar 
• 3 shots of Filicori Zecchini coffee
• 5.29 oz of low-fat yoghurt 
• 2.37 fl oz of water
• 2.71 fl oz of peanut oil  
• 1 sachet of yeast  
• salt
• 3.53 oz of dark chocolate 

Method 

1. First of all, prepare the coffee and leave it to cool.
2. In a large bowl, put the yoghurt and sugar and mix well. Pour in the coffee, the oil and the water and continue stirring until you get a smooth mixture.  
3. Then add the sieved flour with the potato flour and the yeast, and continue stirring. Finally, add a pinch of salt, the chocolate cut into chunks and mix well. 
4. Oil and flour a baking tin and pour in the mixture. Cook in oven pre-heated to 356° F for 40 minutes. Do the toothpick test to check if the cake is cooked through. Then,  take out of the oven and leave to cool and turn out of the tin. 

Yeast-free coffee cake 

A yeast-free sponge cake and a tasty filling of mascarpone and coffee: here are the ingredients for this amazing cake.

Ingredients for 8-10 people 

For the coffee sponge cake 

• 5 eggs  
• 5.29 oz of powdered sugar  
• 2.82 oz of cake flour
• 2.82 oz of potato flour
• 2 shots of coffee  Filicori Zecchini

For the cream 

• 5 egg yolks  
• 4.23 oz of sugar
• 2.82 oz of flour 
• 33.81 fl oz of milk
• The rind of a lemon 
• 1 shot of coffee  Filicori Zecchini

For the coffee sauce

• 8.45 fl oz of Filicori Zecchini coffee
• 1.35 fl oz of water
• 2.82 oz of sugar

for the decoration 

• Bitter cocoa  
• Chocolate drops 

Method

1. In order for the sponge cake without yeast to rise properly, start by beating the eggs at room temperature. So separate the yolks from the egg whites. Beat the yolks together with the sugar until they are light and fluffy. Separately, beat the egg whites until they are white and stiff. To get the best result, put the container in the freezer for at least 10 minutes, so that it is very cold when you are beating the egg whites. Once they are ready, incorporate the beaten egg whites into the egg yolks, adding them a little at a time, mixing with a spatula using a top-down mixing motion so that they don’t deflate. Add the flour a little at a time and, then finally the coffee, mixing continually. 
2. Butter and flour a 9.45 inch cake tin, pour in the cake mixture and place into the oven pre-heated to 356° C for 35 minutes. Test if the cake is cooked through using the toothpick test. If it is cooked, leave it to rest in the oven with the door open for 5 minutes, then take out and leave to cool completely. 
3. In the meantime, prepare the cream. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar and a shot of coffee until they are light and fluffy. Add the sieved flour a little at a time to avoid the formation of lumps. Pour in the milk and add the lemon peel and start cooking on a low heat until the mix comes to the boil. From that moment continue heating for another two minutes then remove from the heat, remove the lemon peel and leave to cool.
4. Prepare the coffee for the coffee sauce and leave to one side. In a small saucepan, put the water and sugar and heat on a low gas until the sugar has dissolved. Add the coffee and stir well. 
5. Cut the sponge cake horizontally, spread the coffee sauce evenly, then spread the cream and repeat with the second layer. Cover the last layer with the bitter cocoa powder and some chocolate drops. Keep in the fridge for at least two hours and remove 15 minutes before serving.  

Chocolate and coffee no-bake cheesecake

And finally we would like to recommend this luxurious coffee-flavored cheesecake with mouth-watering chocolate and hazelnut icing, quick to make and without needing to cook anything. 

Ingredients for 8-10 people 

For the base

• 12.35 oz of dry biscuits
• 5.29 oz of butter
• 2 shots of coffee Filicori Zecchini

for the filling 

• 17.64 oz of low-fate plain yoghurt
• 5.29 oz of cream cheese 
• 2.82 oz of powdered sugar 
• 12 leaves of gelatine 
• 6.76 fl oz of coffee  
• 8.45 fl oz  of fresh whipping cream 

for the icing 

• 6.35 oz of dark chocolate 
• Hazelnuts for decoration 
• 2 knobs of butter

Method

1. Firstly, chop or crush the biscuits to reduce them to crumbs, then put them in a bowl. Pour in the coffee, mix well, add the melted butter and mix thoroughly. Take a hinged  baking tin, line it with baking paper and put in the biscuit crumbs as a base, pressing them down lightly with your hands. Place in the fridge to rest. 
2. Meanwhile, turn your attention to the filling. Put the leaves of gelatine in a small bowl with cold water for at least 10 minutes. Pour the yoghurt and the cheese into a large bowl, add the powdered sugar and stir well. Pour in the coffee and mix everything together well. 
3. Whip up the cream, keeping 1.69 fl oz to one side, and add it into the bowl gradually, mixing it in with a bottom-to-top motion so that it doesn’t deflate. Warm the remaining cream in a small saucepan and add the leaves of gelatin and stir until it forms gelatine, which you should then add to the yoghurt cream. 
4. Take the base out of the fridge and pour on the mixture, leveling it off with a spatula; then put back in the fridge.  
5. Melt the dark chocolate in a Bain-Marie with a couple of knobs of butter and pour over the cake and level off. Add some hazelnuts for decoration and put in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving. 

If you are real coffee lovers  and you want to prepare this delicious coffee cakes, we recommend visiting our shop on line to buy the best quality products.