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Espresso
Brownies |
| This medium-sized cake can be made in a large, flat cake pan (like a brownie cake), but may cook more evenly in a tube pan, also known as a bundt pan or funnel cake pan. If you have a one-piece bundt pan with a decorative shape, grease it well and flour it lightly. When the cake has had a chance to cool a bit, you should be able to unmold it by inverting over a wire cooling rack. The glossy chocolate glaze can be drizzled over the top and allowed to drip down the sides of the decorative surface of the cake. |
Cheese Layer 8 oz cream cheese, softened ¼ cup butter, softened ½ cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 2 tbls all-purpose flour 2 tbls finely ground coffee beans, espresso, or instant coffee granules |
Chocolate Layer 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup butter/shortening 1 cup cocoa powder 2 cups granulated sugar 4 eggs |
Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a large funnel pan or 13” x 9” baking pan. Cheese Layer: Soften the cream cheese and blend using electric mixer. Add the sugar, flour, and coffee and blend until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Set aside. |
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Chocolate Layer Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; add nuts. Melt the shortening (part or all butter) in a small saucepan; stir in cocoa and sugar; add eggs one at a time. Add dry ingredients, mixing until smooth. |
Pour half of the chocolate mixture in the baking pan. Spread the cheese layer over top. Drop the remaining chocolate batter by dollops over the cheese layer. Swirl a knife through the layers to marble, then rap the pan on the counter to settle the batter. Bake for 50-60 minutes if using a bundt pan, or 30 – 35 minutes if using a 9x13” pan; cool slightly before glazing. |
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Chocolate Glaze 2 tbls butter 2 tbls cocoa powder ¼ cup light cream or evaporated skim milk 2 cups icing sugar |
Melt butter on low heat and stir in cocoa. Add cream or milk and blend; gradually stir in icing sugar. On medium heat, stir until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat and beat with a wooden spoon until the glaze thickens sightly, 3-5 minutes. Pour over slightly cooled cake and spread quickly. Form a smooth glaze. |
| For the bundt pan cake, drizzle the glaze over the top and edges. Decorate with home-made chocolate covered coffee beans. |
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For chocolate decorations, melt a small amount of white chocolate over a hot water bath and add a tiny amount of food coloring. Paint the inside of candy molds with the colored chocolate using a small brush, then add coffee beans to the mold. Fill completely with melted milk chocolate; rap the mold on the counter firmly to settle the chocolate, then chill. Unmold the chocolates and decorate the top of the bundt. |
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