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

Upto 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.

Pair this with a buttercream of your choice, I used Swiss Meringue Buttercream adding 1-2 tsp of coffee powder to the vanilla, you can do this with any buttercream. To add a creamier flavour also add 1-2 tsp milk powder