What could be more disappointing than a coffee cake that barely tastes like coffee? Maybe a chocolate cake that doesn’t taste anything like chocolate, but that’s by the by.
Seriously though, it’s always disheartening to follow a seemingly fool-proof coffee cake recipe to the letter, only to come out disappointed. Cake that’s too heavy, too light or too dry is bad enough, but coffee cake that doesn’t actually taste like coffee…well, it’s not really coffee cake.
As for the good news – there are various options available for adding a little more ‘oomph’ to your next coffee cake recipe with a much more prominent coffee flavor. Experiment with any of the following and you can at least rule out the risk of your next cake not being coffee-ey enough:
No, coffee cake does not taste like coffee. There is no coffee or caffeine in this cake despite its name. This streusel cake tastes like a lightly sweetened cake and oftentimes has spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
Add Coffee to Your Cream and Icing
Another way to add zing to a coffee cake recipe is to put more coffee in the cream, the icing and pretty much everything else. Again, you can do so in the form of super-strong liquid coffee if preferred, or go the dry way. You could also simply ignore the measurements in your preferred recipe and increase the amount of coffee you pack into these accompaniments and garnishes, just as long as you make adjustments elsewhere to ensure the right consistency, moisture level and so on.
Replace Some of the Liquid with Actual Coffee
If the recipe you’re following calls for a measure of water, replace some of with a slug of extra-strong fresh-brewed coffee. If you’re baking something with milk in it, replace a measure of the milk with a robust coffee-milk infusion. Basically, it’s a case of not looking at coffee exclusively as a dry ingredient – try adding it to your cake mix in its liquid form. And don’t be afraid to keep it nice and punchy, as the rest of the ingredients will dilute the flavor significantly.
A Coffee Cake (That Tastes of Coffee)
FAQ
Why does my coffee cake not taste like coffee?
Does putting coffee in cake make it taste like coffee?
Why is it called coffee cake if it doesn’t have coffee?
Does coffee in cake have caffeine?