Coffee

The biggest and most important ingredient here is coffee. I used Nescafe Azera Americano, well the Aldi/lidl alternative Alcafe Americano Barista. These are fine powder and have a lovely smooth taste. If you use an intense/bitter coffee the balance of the recipe will be altered. So my coffee amounts are appropriate to this strength, you may need to make a half batch of Cupcakes to determine the amount needed for your strength of coffee.

Ingredients

3 x 8"Tins

• 345g Plain Flour
• 345g Unsalted Butter
• 180g Light Brown Sugar
• 180g White Sugar
• 1 ½ tsp Vanilla
• ¾ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
• 6 Medium Eggs
• 4 tsp Milk
• Up to 3 tsp Coffee Powder

Method

Pre-heat the oven and grease and line 3 X 8” baking tins, 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3/325F.

• Begin by warming the milk slightly and adding the coffee to it, then leave this to cool and start with the other ingredients.
• Place your butter and sugars into your mixer and whip up using the paddle attachment, on high for 2 mins scraping down halfway through. The mix is now full of air and light in colour.
• Now add your eggs, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, vanilla and milky coffee to the mix.
• Pop a tea towel over the mixer to stop splash back and incorporate on the lowest setting for 20 seconds, remove the tea towel, scrape down, especially the bottom and re-whip on low for 30 secs. (any longer will ruin the sponges).
• Pour the mix into the tins evenly. Ensure the batter is level, to produce a flat top.
• Bake for 25-27 minutes.