How about a little cream with your coffee? A simple, what I call " anyday" cake is drenched with coffee flavor and topped with fluffy buttercream and dark chocolate shavings - a simple little jewel snack cake.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy using a hand mixer. Add the egg and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture alternating with the milk, beginnning and ending wih the flour. Add the vanilla and espresso powder and mix well.
Pour the batter into one 8-inch square or round greased and floured cake pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack and remove the cake from the pan and cooling completely before frosting.
For the frosting, dissolve 1 tablespoon espresso powder in the hot cofeee or water, allow to cool. Beat the butter and confectioners sugar together until light and fluffy, adding in the espresso mixture a little bit at time and continue beating until light and fluffy. Frost the cake.
Garnish the cake with chocolate shavings made by softening chocloate bar in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds, then using a vegetable peeler along the longest edge to create the shavings.
This cake is based on a basic 1-2-3 yellow cake recipe, so it is easy to prepare. Add unsweetened cocoa powder, about 1 tablespoon, along with the espresso if you would like to make a mocha cake or leave out the espresso powder for a simple yellow cake.
To soften butter, remove from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to using.
Make sure to use an extra large egg.
I use an electric hand mixer for the cake and the frosting, no need for a stand mixer.
Look for instant espresso in most large markets or use instant dried coffee.