Easy Coffee Cake with Cappuccino Frosting

Ingredients:

• 120 g (½ cup) whole milk
• 15 g (3 ½ tbsp) instant coffee granules
• 140 g (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 100 g (½ cup) light brown soft sugar
• 75 g (¼ cup + 2 tbsp) caster/superfine or granulated sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
• 3 UK medium/US large eggs, room temperature
• 180 g (1 ½ cups) plain gluten-free flour blend (or 50% white rice flour, 30% potato starch, 20% maize flour)
• 60 g (½ cup + 1 ½ tbsp) ground walnuts (or more GF flour blend/almond flour)
• 2 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp xanthan gum (omit if already in your GF flour blend)
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line an 8 inch (20 cm) round cake tin with baking paper.
2. Heat milk and coffee granules in a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl until dissolved. Let cool.
3. Cream butter, brown sugar, caster sugar, and vanilla until pale and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
5. Sift together the GF flour blend, ground walnuts, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt.
6. Alternate adding dry ingredients (in 3 batches) and coffee milk (in 2 batches) to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
7. Pour batter into the cake tin and smooth the top.
8. Bake for 38-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cappuccino Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 300 g (1 ⅓ cups) double/heavy cream
• 18 g (2 ½ tbsp) cappuccino powder
• 2 g (1 ½ tsp) instant coffee granules
• 120 g (1 cup) icing/powdered sugar (adjust to taste)
• Chocolate shavings for decoration

Instructions:

1. Heat 70 g (⅓ cup) cream with cappuccino powder and coffee granules until dissolved. Cool completely.
2. Whisk remaining cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
3. Gradually add the cooled coffee-cream mixture to the whipped cream, whisking until well combined and fluffy.
4. Spread the frosting on the cooled cake, creating decorative swirls. Top with chocolate shavings.

Storage:

• Store in a closed container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Enjoy your baking! Your husband and colleagues will surely love this coffee cake.