Â
đChristmas Coffee Cake, full bodied coffee cake with a hint of mint.
Â
Soft, fluffy sponge cake, minty and chocked full of coffee flavour.Â
Â
Christmas Coffee Cake … up close
Â
We always like this coffee & mint flavour combination, especially when Christmas comes around. Somehow smoky roast coffee and/or peppermint hot chocolate on Christmas morning always hits the spot whilst opening presents. This Christmas Coffee Cake is exactly that and itâs made all the more celebratory, decorated with peppermint candy cane to get in the mood for the season!
Â
Perfect trio – mint, coffee, cake
Â
Upon request, the Sugar Crumble household made this Christmas Coffee Cake in advance to celebrate one of our November babes. Birthday girl was super happy and so were we. Perfect trio of mint, coffee and cake ⊠sweet, refreshing and brings just the right notes of nostalgia.Â
Â
Think my CandyCane gal is SATISFIED!
Â
What can I say – itâs beginning to look a lot like Christmas!đ
Â
Â
Christmas Coffee Cake Step-by-Step tutorial
Â
If you like this recipe tutorial and like to see more, subscribe to my YouTube channel here đ
Â
Â
TipsÂ
#1 How to get the perfect coffee sponge cake
Â
Make this soft light coffee sponge …
Â
- Donât over-whip the egg whites. They should be whipped to soft peaks only.Â
- Always whisk gently and slowly when adding the next ingredient, so as not to deflate the air built up in the batter.
- Make sure to fold in the flour well, especially scraping the bottom of the bowl to make sure there are no unmixed flour pockets.
- Mix the flour in until just combined, do not overmix.
- The cake layers should bake immediately after the folding in the flour. They should not sit out for too long, otherwise the air in the batter could deflate.
- Always bake in a pre-heated oven. I baked at the lowest rack of the oven as the cake browned too quickly when it was baked at the middle rack. You may want to test out to see which rack level bakes best for your oven temperature.Â
- Do not open the oven door to check the cake until towards the end when the baking is almost complete. Otherwise run the risk that the cake may sink in the middle due to the temperature change when the oven is opened.
Â
#2 Coffee frosting
Do not over-whisk the coffee frosting or it will become grainy. I also do not use cold brewed coffee directly to flavour the cream as too much liquid in the coffee can cause the cream not to whip up.
Â
DO NOT OVERWHIP … stop at stiff peaks
Â
Instead, I added Kahlua coffee liqueur (optional) and coffee emulco, an emulsion based flavouring to pump up the coffee notes. An alternative would be to dissolve instant coffee granules with a couple of tablespoons of warm cream and incorporate it into the frosting when it has cooled. That would work too.Â
Â
No cold coffee brew, use instant coffee granules instead
Â
If you love this Christmas Coffee Cake, check out my Coffee Doorstop Cake.Â
Â
Coffee Doorstop Cake .. another of our coffee favorite
Â
#3 Peppermint candy canes
We love all mint flavoured stuff. Especially at Christmas. Give us mint chocolate, mint coffee, mint ice cream ⊠anything MINT and we are happy puppies.Â
 Mint candy cane, a Christmas tradition
Â
So if you have always wondered why the mint candy cane is a part of the Christmas experience – the story goes that in 1670, a choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral handed out candy to children at their nativity mass to keep them occupied. The candy was further shaped to look like a shepherd’s staff as a celebration of the birth of the Shepherd and the Christmas story.Â
Â
Is this true? How it all actually started? I donât know and I donât mind because whoever started this tradition, thank you for it has become that something special our family loves so much at Christmas!
Â
Coffee cake, mint candy cane & milk!!
Â
Do note that mint candy canes tend to sweat in hot humid Singapore weather so only put them on just before serving and theyâll be perfect. And if you are a mint lover like us, you may also like my Easy No Churn Mint Ice Cream.
Â
Â
#4 Make ahead & storage
I usually make the coffee sponge cake a couple of days ahead and keep it cling wrapped and well chilled in the refrigerator. On the day before serving, prepare the coffee whipped cream, frost the cake any way you like and store the Christmas Coffee Cake chilled until ready to serve. This Christmas Coffee Cake keeps well chilled for 2-3 days and is best consumed within this time frame.
Â
Â
Did you make this Christmas Coffee Cake? I would love to know how it turned out. Tell me more! đ Please leave me a comment or tag me on Instagram, FB hashtag #thesugarcrumbleÂ
Â
đChristmas Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Coffee Sponge Cake
- 95 g egg white ~ 3 egg whites
- 45 g egg yolks ~ 3eggs
- 85 g sugar
- 90 g cake flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 30 g milk
- 25 g oil
- 1 tbsp instant coffee granules
Mint Coffee Frosting
- 250 g mascarpone cheese
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp Kahlua coffee liqueur (optional)
- 1 tsp gelatin bloomed in 3 tsp cold water
- 300 ml heavy cream
- 1 tbsp coffee emulco
- 1 tsp peppermint extract (optional)
Decor
- 7-8 peppermint candy canes
- A sprinkle of dried mint leaves (optional)
Instructions
Coffee sponge cake
- Pre-heat oven to 150C.
- Double sift cake flour together with salt and set aside.
- Beat egg whites until foamy. Add the granulated sugar in 3 parts and beat till soft peaks. Add yolks and mix lightly with a hand whisk until just combined.
- Add the sifted flour mixture in 2 parts. Mix until just combined. Warm up the milk in the microwave for 20 sec. Add the instant coffee granules and stir until well dissolved. Combine the 25g oil with the warm milk coffee mixture and add to the batter. The warm milk helps the eggs to aerate and keeps the batter light and airy.
- Switch to a spatula and mix gently until the batter is even and well combined. Be careful to fold gently and slowly so as not to deflate the air that has been whisked into the batter.
- Line the base and sides of a 6 x 3 inch round cake tin and pour in the cake batter. Tap the cake tin a few times on the work table. Then, gently stir the batter with a wooden skewer. Both the tapping and stirring with a skewer will help to take out large air bubbles.
- Once the oven is pre-heated to 150C, bake for 40 minutes at the lowest rack of the oven (see note 1) or until a skewer comes out clean. Set the cake aside to cool completely before un-moulding.
Mint coffee frosting
- Mix 1 tsp gelatine with 3 tsp cold water and set aside to bloom.
- Add the kahlua coffee liquer and powdered sugar to the softened mascarpone cheese and whisk until creamy. Set aside.
- Whisk the heavy cream until stiff peaks. Separately add a tsp of heavy cream to the bloomed gelatine and microwave for 5 seconds. Stir and combine the gelatine with the cream once it is warmed. Add the gelatine cream mixture to the whipped cream together with 1 tbsp of coffee emulco and whisk gently just to combine.
- Add in the coffee mascarpone cheese, 1 tsp of peppermint extract, switch to a spatula and mix by hand until incorporated. Frosting is ready.
Assembly
- Level the top of the cake and slice it into two equal layers.
- Place the first layer on a cake board, layer on 1/4 of the mint coffee frosting. Repeat with 2nd cake layer and frost the whole cake well with the remaining frosting. Using the spatula, do a simple smudge and swirl pattern on the sides and top of the cake for a rustic look.
- Using a large closed star tip, pipe tall florets on the top of the cake. Decorate with peppermint candy canes just before serving. Enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Donât over-whip the egg whites. They should be whipped to soft peaks only.
- Always whisk gently and slowly when adding the next ingredient, so as not to deflate the air built up in the batter.
- Make sure to fold in the flour well, especially scraping the bottom of the bowl to make sure there are no unmixed flour pockets.
- Mix the flour in until just combined, do not overmix.
- The cake layers should bake immediately after the folding in the flour. They should not sit out for too long, otherwise the air in the batter could deflate.
- Always bake in a pre- heated oven. I baked at the lowest rack of the oven as the cake browned too quickly when it was baked at the middle rack. You may want to test out to see which rack level bakes best for your oven temperature.Â
- Do not open the oven door to check the cake until towards the end when the baking is almost complete. Otherwise run the risk that the cake may sink in the middle due to the temperature change when the oven is opened.
2 Comments
Leave a Comment
Cloud Jelly Cheesecake
  Love this beautiful whimsical Cloud Jelly Cheesecake!   This is an easy No Bake cheesecake topped with jiggly coconut jello and tender coconut kernel cloud pieces.   Top-view .. love the depth of blues skies  I made this Cloud Jelly Cheesecake to...
Light it Up Dulce de Leche Cake
 Light it Up Dulce de Leche Cake!  A light toffee marbled sponge cake with rich dulce de leche fresh cream frosting.  This Light it Up Dulce de Leche Cake is a delectable bite with every slice and perfectly lit to grace any celebration. In this case, a...
Orange Chocolate Peanut Butter Burnt Cheesecake
 Orange Chocolate Peanut Butter Burnt Cheesecake! My version of Basque cheesecake, beautifully burnt on a biscuit crust (because we like crust!) topped off with a oh-so-yummy orange chocolate peanut butter ganache & toffee leaf.  I have never made a...
No Bake Brownies (No Butter, No Sugar & Gluten Free!)
 No Bake Brownies! These are just the best! No Butter. No Sugar. Gluten free & Super Easy.  Super fudgy! Packed with antioxidants from 3 types of nuts, dried fruit and chia seeds. Vegan, gluten free, naturally sweetened, super fudgy and super good! The...
How to make Spiky Candied Nuts
 Love these Spiky Candied Nuts. So fancy and delicious. Nutty sweet brittle that looks amazing on any bake. I first saw these spiky candied nutties on a German baking program where they embed and bake hazelnuts into the fruit cake. Once the cake is baked,...
No Bake Nutella Cheesecake
 Nutella Cheesecake, a luxurious No-Bake cheesecake chocked full of Nutella hazelnut spread and crowned with beautiful amber spiky candied nuts. Rich, creamy, nutty and a real stunner!  November is always a busy busy baking month as there are many November...
Sticky Date Pudding
 Sticky Date Pudding! A super moist date sponge layered with butterscotch sauce, best served warm with vanilla ice cream. Delicious, indulgent, filled with plumped dates and toffee sauce goodness. Absolutely comforting and feels always like Christmas đ I...
Easy Durian Ice Cream (No Churn)
 Easy Durian Ice Cream.  No churn. No egg. Comes together in just a few minutes in a blender. 3 ingredients. 3 simple steps. And Voila ⊠creamy full flavored Easy Durian Ice Cream!! Really, it only takes 3 ingredients .. I love durian and I have always...
Lana Chocolate Cake (My Inspired Dairy Free Version)
 This is my dairy free version of the Lana Chocolate Cake that I love love love â€ïžâ€ïžÂ For those who are unfamiliar, Lana cake is a timeless classic in Singapore. Baked by Mrs Violet Kwan since 1964, it is a delicious chocolate fudge cake, well loved for its...
Easy Bika Ambon
 Easy Bika Ambon - using whole eggs and cooked on a traditional hot griddle.  I love this golden bouncy kueh. Beautiful delicious honeycomb cake, with lovely kueh strands and a wonderful springy texture. Sweet, savoury, with a hint of lime and squishy just...
Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca)
 Brazilian Fish Stew or Moqueca, my familyâs favorite fish stew. Thick delicious spicy fish stew - hot, zesty, coco-nutty, full of sweet pepper goodness and perfectly grilled fish!  This Brazilian Fish Stew is made the way we like it, pumped up in spice,...
Kee Chang (çą±æ°ŽçČœ)
 Kee Chang (çą±æ°ŽçČœ), my momâs favorite Chang. Plain, with no filling - just the simple taste of Kee with a drizzle of gula melaka or coconut palm syrup. Kee Chang are rice dumplings made with alkaline glutinous rice. The rice is alkalinized with lye water or...
Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream (No Churn!)
 Pumpkin pie ice cream! No churn and easy!  Think fall, think spiced pumpkin latte, except deeper, creamier, spicier. Full bodied pumpkin flavour and an explosion of frosty sweet and spice on the palate - Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream.  Golden gleaming pumpkin pie...
Dinosaur Volcano Cake
 Mad about dinosaurs? Make this Dinosaur Volcano Cake and HEAR THEM RAWR!  Little sugar crumble and I had great fun making this Forevermore Dinosaur Cake for handsome 3 year old cuzzie who loves dinos. Ugly cute? Ugly delicious? đ Our volcanic terrain We...
Blueberry Cheese Ice Cream (No Churn! So Good!)
Blueberry Cheese Ice Cream. No Machine. So Easy. So Good. Simple ice cream bliss ⊠chocked full of berries and tangy cream cheese. Rich, velvety, creamy, yummy. My feel-good Blues ... Itâs been a bluesy week of rising COVID,...
Whisky Tang Yuan Jello Shots
 Whisky Tang Yuan Jello Shots! So pretty, they demand appreciation! Beautiful fruit tang yuan in au naturale colors, poised in sweet whisky jello. Too much whisky is barely enough? Make this and have more đ đ ! I had the pleasure of collaborating once more...
CNY Tiger Tree Trunk Cake
 Celebrating January babies and ushering in the Year of the Tiger with this CNY Tiger Tree Trunk Cake. Why tiger and tree trunk? Hmm, Iâm not sure ⊠perhaps the heart is still holding on to Christmas vibes of log cakes and pinecones hence birthed this TSC...
Durian Creme Brulee
 Durian Creme BrĂ»lĂ©e, my favorite dessert to make this durian season with the King. Bittersweet durian and silky creme brĂ»lĂ©e served with that perfect crackle sugar top. Simple, classy and oh-so-scrumptious đ What is Creme BrĂ»lĂ©e?Creme BrĂ»lĂ©e meaning...
Christmas Mochi Elves
 These Christmas Mochi Elves are just too cute. Filled with biscoff spread on a sweet juicy strawberry, put them on any Christmas bake and they will weave their irresistible elf magic! What can I say? Christmas is in the air, ENJOY đ ! These Elves first...
Matcha Mochi
Matcha mochi, soft and chewy mochi with a tinge of matcha bitter and a creamy sweet bean centre. Simple homemade goodness and a lilâ delicious delight. What is Mochi? ... Mochi is a rice cake confection with oriental roots but probably most...
Chai Tart
 I fell in love with Chai when Gorgeous (Daughter No. 1) and I had the privilege of going to India two years ago with the church. It was an eye opening experience. I saw the beauty, the resilience and the strength of the people there. Life was challenging...
Putu Piring Cake
 Putu Piring or Kuih Tutu, a popular Malay sweet snack made of steamed rice flour and filled with delicious coconut palm sugar. Now imagine it in cake and youâll have this beautiful Putu Piring Cake đ ! Delicious! Soft moist rice flour vanilla sponge...
Boba Fett Cake
 âBoba ..who?â My eyes widened as I listened intently again to what the Man was saying he wanted for his birthday. âWell, Iâll be happy whatever cake you make but if I could choose, can I have a Boba Fett cake for my birthday?â By now, I was kinda guessing...
Pulut Hitam Creme Brûlée
 Pulut Hitam Creme Brûlée ... Coco-nutty black sticky rice with a hint of salt and creamy vanilla creme brûlée served up with a perfectly caramelized sugar top. A hit of flavors in every bite - sweet & salty, crunchy & creamy, delicious &...
Creme Brûlée
 This classic Creme BrĂ»lĂ©e is delicious and simple to make. Rich creamy silky brĂ»lĂ©e with a perfectly caramelized sugar top, a marvelous combination of crunchy brittle candy and soft velvety creme brĂ»lĂ©e. What is Creme BrĂ»lĂ©e? Creme BrĂ»lĂ©e meaning âburnt...
Coffee Doorstop Cake
 This Coffee Doorstop Cake was inspired by a beautiful Chocolate Doorstop Cake I recently had at PS. Cafe. I was at the popular local hangout with Hubs when I locked eyes on an irresistibly attractive 3-layer chocolate cake. Upon enquiry, we were informed...
Strawberry Lemon Cheese Tart (VIDEO)
 This Strawberry Lemon Cheese Tart is Tart. Sweet. Creamy. & Bitter. All at once. It is made up of tart yellow lemon curd, silky white cream cheese, served with fresh red strawberries on a bittersweet black cocoa biscuit crust. IMHO, the eclectic...
Whisky Chocolate Cake (VIDEO)
  This Whisky Chocolate Cake is liquid sunshine in glorious chocolate goodness. Simply divine - creamy delicious chocolate mousse cake with that alcohol punch in every bite. What can I say, too much whisky is barely enough? Add chocolate and itâs...
Christmas Wreath Pavlova (VIDEO)
 This is a late late Christmas post but I guess I am still channeling and cherishing the last cheers of Christmas before we switch completely to the rowdy tong tong qiang (cymbals heralding no less!) of the coming Lunar New Year. I love this Christmas...
Mie Goreng Cake (VIDEO)
 This Mie Goreng Cake is as easy as pie! Simple to make and assembles in less than an hour. Top it off with all your favourite things and Voila, youâve got yourself a beautiful and delicious homemade instant noodle cake.  Mie Goreng Cake... beautiful top...
Wow! So so helpful! Every detail considered and shared. Thank you thesugarcrumble!
Haha thank you!