Irish Coffee Cake

Name: Irish Coffee Cake
Total time: 75 min
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 175ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing the tins; 2 large eggs, beaten; 175ml buttermilk; 170ml strong brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature; 350g plain flour; 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 tsp baking powder; 125g caster sugar; 125g light brown soft sugar; Salt, a pinch; 250g double cream; 250g mascarpone cheese; 225g icing sugar, sifted; 1 tbsp cocoa powder; 90ml Irish cream liqueur; Chocolate shavings or chocolate-coated coffee beans, for decoration (optional)

Recipe GLPR209696d99a692d

Irish

Dessert

75 min

Oven

SNAP eligible

A luxurious two-layer sponge cake infused with strong brewed coffee, topped with a silky mascarpone cream frosting enriched with cocoa powder and Irish cream liqueur. The moist, tender cake pairs beautifully with the smooth, decadent frosting for an elegant dessert inspired by traditional Irish coffee flavors.

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Ingredients

175ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing the tins

2 large eggs, beaten

175ml buttermilk

170ml strong brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature

350g plain flour

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp baking powder

125g caster sugar

125g light brown soft sugar

Salt, a pinch

250g double cream

250g mascarpone cheese

225g icing sugar, sifted

1 tbsp cocoa powder

90ml Irish cream liqueur

Chocolate shavings or chocolate-coated coffee beans, for decoration (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-assisted or gas mark 6). Lightly oil two deep 20cm round cake tins and line the bottoms with baking parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, beaten eggs, buttermilk, and cooled brewed coffee until well combined.
In a large bowl, sift together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, and baking powder. Add the caster sugar and light brown sugar, breaking up any lumps. Stir in a pinch of salt.
Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, whisking gently until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake tins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes.
Invert the cakes onto a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely to room temperature.
While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. Using a stand mixer or electric whisk, beat together the double cream, mascarpone cheese, sifted icing sugar, cocoa powder, and Irish cream liqueur until the mixture is thick, creamy, and holds stiff peaks.
Place a small dollop of frosting in the center of your cake plate or cake stand. Set one cooled cake layer on top, flat side up.
Spread half of the remaining frosting evenly over the top of the first cake layer. Carefully place the second cake layer on top, flat side facing upward.
Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, using a palette knife to create decorative swirls. If desired, garnish with chocolate shavings or chocolate-coated coffee beans.
Refrigerate the cake until serving. The cake will keep chilled for up to three days.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.25

This is a straightforward cake with ingredients you'll find at any Charlotte grocer—no specialty stops needed. The 75-minute claim is honest: thirty minutes for a two-layer cake with simple mixing, plus forty-five in the oven. The real cost driver is the Irish cream liqueur and mascarpone cream topping, which will run you $25-30 total, landing the per-slice cost around $4-5 depending on yield. The cake itself is fussy in the best way—it rewards attention to the coffee-cocoa layers and cream assembly—but it doesn't demand constant hands-on time and keeps well covered for two days, making it a weekend project rather than a weeknight scramble.