“Small mocha cakes are always plural in my book… I don’t know many people who can eat just one!” says Terry Pomerantz, as he pours the mocha cake batter into the baking pans.
The origins of Mocha Cakes
Mocha (also Mokka or Moka), is the name French people used to have for coffee. It refers to Arabica coffee, which was originally only harvested south of Arabia. It was then exported to Europe via the Mocha port, in Yemen, from which it takes its name.
Around 1857, a Parisian pastry chef named Guignard, decided to make a sponge cake with an icing made from butter, egg yolks, sugar, hazelnut powder and coffee essence.
Small Mocha Cake Recipe
Terry Pomerantz offers 2 recipes for small mocha cakes. Here is the first:
Ingredients
Cake
- ½ cup of non-salted butter
- 1 cup of sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 egg whites
- 2 cups of flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- ½ cup of milk
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
Icing
- 1 cup of non-salted butter
- 2 egg yolks
- 4 cups of powdered sugar
- ½ cup of strong coffee
Topping
- Grated coconut
- Maraschino cherries
Preparation
The Mocha Cake
- Soften the butter slowly
- Place in a large bowl
- With a wooden spoon, mix the butter until smooth
- Beat egg yolks
- Add sugar and egg yolks to the butter
- Beat egg whites and add to the mixture
- In a separate bowl, mix flour and baking powder
- In another separate bowl, mix milk and vanilla
- Add flour/baking powder mixture and milk/vanilla mixture to the butter, sugar, egg yolk and egg white mixture.
- Mix everything for around 2 minutes
- Grease a rectangular 9” x 13 “ cake pan with butter
- Pour batter into the pan
- Cook in the oven for 30 minutes at 350o F
- Allow cake to cool and cut into small squares.
Mocha Cream
- Prepare a strong coffee and allow it to cool
- Soften the butter slowly
- Place butter in a bowl
- With a wooden spoon, mix butter until smooth
- Add egg yolks and powdered sugar by alternating with coffee
- Beat mixture until smooth and creamy
The finale: Making the Mocha Cake
- Ice each cake square individually
- Once each piece is covered with icing, decorate with grated coconut and a cherry.
Shortbread Mocha Cake Recipe
Here is the second mocha cake recipe offered by Terry. It is a shortbread cookie mocha cake recipe.
Ingrédients
- 48 shortbread cookies
- 7 drops of coffee extract
- ½ liter of strong coffee
- 125g of white sugar
- 200 g of butter
- 3 egg yolks
Preparing the cream
- Mix butter and sugar until texture is light and frothy
- Add egg yolks one by one
- Add coffee extract
- Mix until easy to spread
Preparing the Cake
- Dip each cookie in warm coffee
- Place a layer of soaked cookies at the bottom of a square cake pan
- Spread a layer of icing (cream) over the cookies
- Repeat the steps above with the rest of the ingredients
- Finish with one layer of icing, without forgetting the sides of the cake.
Whenever the time comes for a wonderful family gathering or holiday meal, one thing is for sure: mocha cakes squares won’t remain on the table for very long.
“I have an unbelievably sweet tooth, and I know I’m not the only one… it’s an epidemic! Protect yourself and bake more Christmas mocha cakes rather than less, even in the summer!” recommends Terry Pomerantz.
Terry Pomerantz, passionate about good food, shares with you his gastronomic favorites, tips and recipes, turning every meal into a memorable experience. Explore his culinary universe and discover the delights he suggests to tantalize your taste buds.