Coffee sponge

In case you’ve missed the advertisements plastered everywhere, it’s Mothers Day this Sunday. Mum, mom, whaea, madre, mor, moeder, mutter, maan. However you say it, Sunday is a day to celebrate and thank our mums.
Being a mum is the single most hardest job I’ve ever had. And I don’t mean the sleepless nights, the poop, and the fact that someone is talking at you 24/7. They have their moments, they’re manageable. It’s when you no longer have just your problems to worry about, but you take on their problems too – because what kid should have anything to worry about. It’s when your heart breaks to see them sad or lonely, or when they don’t have the skills to articulate their frustrations. It’s when you would do literally anything to magic their troubles away. My husband and I are currently navigating our way through a tough patch with our little man. It’s breaking my heart. I wish I had a magic wand.
But, we’re lucky because there’s help out there, we will be OK. He will be OK. Kid, you’ll move mountains.

This sponge is one of my mums favourites, in fact it’s her recipe. She’s pretty great, btw. It’s quite old school; two coffee flavoured sponges sandwiched together with a mock cream (see notes.) Finished off with a coffee icing and chopped walnuts, it’s a coffee lovers dream!

I hope wherever in the world you are, you celebrate the mum in your life.

Coffee sponge (via the best mum in the world)

Ingredients
4 eggs
1c sugar
1 tablespoon coffee essence
¾c flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
cornflour
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon butter
1c walnuts, roughly chopped (for the topping)

Method
Preheat your oven to 180°C and grease and line two 20cm cake tins
Place the flour in a measuring cup, add the baking powder and then fill the remainder of the cup with cornflour (roughly 3 dessertspoons). Sift into a small bowl and set aside
In a stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar and coffee essence until light and creamy (about 6-8 mins)
Add the flour and beat until well combined
In a small pot, bring the milk and butter to the boil then add to the mixture and mix well
Pour into the prepared tins and bake for 20 mins
Leave in the tins for 5 mins before turning out and leaving to cool completely

Mock cream (via Edmonds Cookery Book)

Ingredients
100g butter, softened
1c icing sugar
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla essence

Method
Beat all indgredients together until light and fluffy, scraping down the side of the bowl when necessary

Coffee icing

Ingredients
1c icing sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
coffee essence, to taste (I added a tablespoon, it depends on how strong you like it)
boiling water

Method
In a small bowl, mix everything together, adding boiling water to achieve the required consistency

Assembly
Sandwich the sponges together with the mock cream. Ice with coffee icing and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Store in an airtight tin, best eaten within two days.

Notes

• Essentially just buttercream, mock cream was popular during the second world war when dairy products were rationed.

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