White Chocolate Espresso Cake

I'm not one for sweeping statements, but this may well be the best coffee cake I've ever had. So make it- now. Oh, and don't forget to make a batch of this gorgeous ice cream (it's a marriage made in heaven).

Recipe from Pastry Affair

White Chocolate Espresso Cake

Ingredients:

For the Cake

85g (6tbsp) unsalted butter

280g (1 ¼ cups) granulated sugar

3 eggs

120g (½ cup) sour cream or yogurt

75g (1/3 cup) vegetable oil

1tsp vanilla extract

300g (2 2/3 cups) cake flour

2tsp espresso powder

2tsp baking powder

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

¾ tsp salt

2tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

240ml (1 cup) cold or lukewarm espresso

For the frosting

115g (½ cup) unsalted butter

85g white chocolate, melted and cooled

1tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

250g (2 cups) icing sugar

To decorate

coffee beans

1 tbsp cocoa powder

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/mark 4 and butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans or three 5 or 6 inch pans.

2. Sift together the flour, espresso powder, baking powder and salt and set aside.

3. Lightly whisk together the sour cream, vegetable oil and vanilla extract and set aside.

4. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. Mix in the wet ingredients and once combined, gradually incorporate the dry ingredients. Add the espresso and mix well to combine.

5. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes away clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cook for 10 minutes before removing from the pans to cool completely.

6. For the frosting, beat the butter until smooth, then add the chocolate, vanilla extract and salt. Sift in the sugar and beat until smooth, adding a dash of milk or more sugar as required.

7. To assemble, sandwich the cake layers together with the frosting. Spread a thin layer of the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, then sprinkle with coffee beans and cocoa powder.