How to make quick and easy chocolate coffee cakes. Baked in only 8 minutes and topped with a chocolate coffee glaze for the ultimate get-up-and-go treat.
Add Coffee to Chocolate Cake
We love a plain and simple chocolate cake. Normally served in French restaurants as a classic dessert, a gooey lava cake is popular - or, in France, known as a moelleux au chocolat.
Served with a dollop of ice cream or in a puddle of crรจme anglaise, a thinner French version of custard, it's the dessert my youngest daughter has gone for on menus for years. No wonder - it's a crowd pleaser and simply delicious!
These chocolate coffee cakes are similar to fondant lavas but without the extra gooey middle. What's more, like the lava cakes with a little coffee added to bring out the chocolate, I've increased the dosage in these.
How Much Coffee in Chocolate Cake?
These are for coffee fans as you can certainly taste it.
The coffee powder added to the chocolate cake actually intensifies the flavour of the dark chocolate. Normally we don't taste it that much, but coffee enthusiasts amongst you surely will detect it in these.
However, that's not all - the espresso coffee in this chocolate glaze makes the coffee just leap out plus intensifies the chocolate flavour even further. And for those who prefer to skip the caffeine, simply swap it out for decaffeinated coffee.
So, if you prefer yours with a stronger coffee flavour, add the glaze - otherwise leave it out. For 6 individual fondant cakes, I use one teaspoon of powdered coffee without overpowering the quality of the chocolate.
Chocolate Cakes with Reduced Sugar
We've gradually reduced the sugar in our family recipes, inspired by the bittersweet flavours of the famous pรขtisseries in Paris. And with the added bonus of fatigue-fighting magnesium, these cakes are the perfect indulgence without the guilt.
What we love about this recipe, is that it's also easier on the butter than in most fondant cakes. They're fudgy and dense: a perfectly rewarding teatime treat.
More Chocolate Cake!
Looking for something more structured for a special occasion? Try this layered chocolate cake with ganache which takes much more time and also lasts a few days.
Chocolate Coffee Cakes and Glaze
These chocolate and coffee cakes are adapted from part of a recipe by top pastry chef, Jonathan Blot, featured in the 4th issue of Fou de Patisserie magazine. I lightened it up with less butter and an additional egg white, making it the perfect quick teatime bake.
Although optional, the chocolate and coffee (mocha) glaze is an extra quick topping that just gives you that extra cafรฉ boost until dinner.
Chocolate Coffee Cakes
Ingredients
- 100 g (3ยฝoz/ยพ cup) good quality chocolate 64% cocoa solids
- 50 g (2oz/ 3 tbsp) butter unsalted
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- 2 medium eggs organic
- 1 egg white
- 50 g (2oz/ ยผ cup) caster sugar or coconut flower sugar
- 30 g (2 tbsp) plain flour (all-purpose) (or ground hazelnuts for a gluten free version)
Chocolate Coffee Glaze
- 40 g (1ยฝoz/ 2ยฝ tbsp) bittersweet chocolate
- 20 ml (2 tbsp) espresso coffee (or use decaffeinated)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200ยฐC/180ยฐfan/400ยฐF (Gas mark 6). Measure out the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. Add the coffee powder and stir until just melted.Alternatively melt them together in the microwave 1m30 at 500W.
- Take off the heat then add the sugar and beat in the eggs and white just until mixed together. Add the flour (or hazelnut flour) in one go until completely mixed. Place the moulds on a baking tray then spoon into non-stick muffin tins (makes either 5 large or 6 medium cakes). If using regular muffin moulds, butter them lightly before filling with the mix.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on the cakes' size. As a guide, bake 8 minutes for 6 cakes or 10 minutes for 5 cakes.
Chocolate Coffee Glaze
- Meanwhile, make a small cup of espresso coffee (ideally directly into a small measuring cup). Melt the chocolate with the coffee gently in a saucepan or melt in the microwave for 20 seconds. Spread over each cake.
Notes
Leftover egg yolk?ย
To use the egg yolk, make a strawberry clafoutis (or use other berries or fruit) ยThis post was first published January 29, 2015 but is currently being updated.
cristina
OMG, Jill! These little fondant cakelets are chocolate decadence goodness!! ๐
On another note, I just wanted to thank you so much for stopping by TC and your sweet encouragement on my post about my mac nightmares. Very much appreciated!! ๐
Jean-Pierre D
I made them! They are great, especially in that they're not sweet, packed with chocolate and the coffee .... yum! Quick too - this is a keeper. Thanks Jill - think I can freeze them?
Jill
Pleased as punch you made them, Jean-Pierre. Of course you can freeze them - in fact, they'll be even better after maturing too... Thanks for popping by!
Monique Bellinger
Hi Jill,
Wow, I can make these GF as there is so little flour - funny, but I just bought some Plaistowe chocolate to make myself something delicious to make up for not being able to eat apple cream turnovers anymore lol. Now I have an awesome recipe to make with it. Many thanks.
Jill
Great pleasure and thrilled to hear you can eat them as part of your gluten-free diet, Monique. They'd be gluten free entirely if you used cornflour/cornstarch in place of the flour.
Haven't heard of Plaistowe chocolate - is this a special treat in Australia? See that they have a factory in Margaret River (have family there so must ask them to bring some, so hope you're reading cousins ๐ )
Liz
We were definitely on the same wavelength! My family would be thrilled with your wee fondant cakes. I'd be happy to pull out my scale to make these decadent gems ๐
Jill
Liz has taken up the Scottish accent! Did you hear that? AWESOME!
Merci x