So I asked my boyfriend what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday. He described a foolproof coffee cake recipe that basically goes like this: Throw all dry ingredients into a bowl that comes with a lid, close and shake. Add wet ingredients, shake again, bake for an hour, voilà. I said, “Of course I can make this for you”. His reply: “But you wouldn’t be able to eat it!” Hah.
The original recipe called for four eggs, and I didn’t think I could substitute that many with egg replacer, so I did some research and cross-reference and realized that it was not only possible but perfectly easy to bake a coffee cake without any egg at all, e.g. by using soy yogurt instead. Since the recipe called for lots of baking powder, I decided that the eggs were used for binding rather than leavening, and that it was okay to sub with soy yogurt.
As it turned out, I was right, and the cake was delicious. I covered it with a simple chocolate glaze, since I thought that all those nuts and choc chips plus a buttercream frosting (or filling) would be a bit too much, and the result was a just moist enough coffee cake with a very nutty flavour and a lovely hint of coffee (so it should actually be “coffee coffee cake”).
Ingredients:
300 g (2 1/2 cups) flour
300 g (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
150 g (maybe around 2 cups) finely ground nuts
(I used hazelnuts, but feel free to experiment)
1 packet (maybe 1 T) baking powder
100 g (1/2 cup or more) dark chocolate chips
(you can even use chocolate sprinkles)
1 cup coffee
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup plain soy yogurt
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 180° C (350-360° F). In a big bowl with a lid, mix together all the dry ingredients. Close lid and shake well. Add wet ingredients and shake again. Pour the batter (which should be creamy but not too liquid) into an oiled baking pan, scraping the sides with a spatula. I used a regular loaf pan; you can see the result in the pictures. Bake for an hour, then remove the pan from the oven, run a sharp knife along the edges, between the pan and cake, turn the pan upside down on a cutting board or something, and cover with a wet dish towel (like my granny used to do). When the cake has cooled, it should be easy to remove the pan and decorate the cake as your fancy strikes you.
March 10, 2010 at 6:20 pm
Wow, that reminds me of these Dr. Oetker cakes wrapped in plastic. I had a creepy addiction to them. I’ll try this very soon!
P.S. Your cup measurements are not correct, 1 cup flour is 120 g and 1 cup sugar is 200 g and 150 g ground nuts is probably around 2 cups.
March 11, 2010 at 7:50 am
Thanks for correcting my measurements – I’ll never use an online converter again! Fixed them in the recipe!
ETA: I think I remember those cakes now. Wasn’t there one with marzipan in the dough? Yum.
March 11, 2010 at 10:49 am
Yes, most online converters totally suck. The never convert into real grams but rather into ml or something. Try the one at gourmet sleuth, it’s really exact and has a huge database.
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/cooking-conversions/cooking-conversions-calculator.aspx
Yes, the come in marzipan flavour, but also lemon and chocolate chips. I’m, so thankful for your recipe.
March 11, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Thanks for the link, it’s already bookmarked! :)
April 18, 2010 at 2:42 pm
i adore the shape and flavors this cake! do you mind posting the chocolate glaze recipe? i must make this ASAP. : ) thank you.
April 18, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Actually, I used a storebought vegan glaze that just needs to be microwaved (or heated in a bain-marie). It’s one of those cocoa-sugar-and-some-vegetable-fat glazes. I guess you could also melt some dark chocolate and add a teeny amount of soymilk or creamer and some coconut oil (and get a glaze that tastes a lot better). ;)