Coffee and Cocoa Crumb Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The weather today has been iffy and colder than I had hoped. At the last minute, I scrapped plans for an ice cream crunch cake and decided to make this mocha snack cake for dessert instead. While the cake lacks sophistication and is quite plain looking, it is really really good. It has a depth of flavor and crumb that will appeal to those who like the less-sweet European-style desserts, and when it is served warm, it will make your socks go up and down. At the insistence of the Silver Fox, I served it with an intensely flavored vanilla bean ice cream. That, of course, made my plan to toss the original cake seem a bit vapid, but then we aim to please around here, so warm mocha and ice cream was the order of the day. I do hope you'll try this recipe. I know you will enjoy the cake. It is hard to beat easy and delicious and this cake is both. Here is how it is made.


Coffee and Cocoa Crumb Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Starbucks

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
Cooking spray
1-1/2 teaspoons water

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch round pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
2) Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through salt) in a mixing bowl, and cut in margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Reserve 1/2 cup flour mixture for topping, and set aside.
3) Combine remaining flour mixture, baking powder, and baking soda; add milk, vanilla, and egg. Beat at medium speed of a mixer until blended. Spoon batter into an 8-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Combine reserved 1/2 cup flour mixture and water; stir with a fork. Sprinkle crumb mixture over batter. Bake for 30 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool on a wire rack. Best served warm. Yield: 8 servings.

                    

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