Easter Cake Bake Event - Multigrain Coffee Cake with Chocolate Buttercream style Frosting

Probably now my facebook friends know about the Cake Bake Event at my office for which I donated a cake. The funds raised through selling the cake was given to charity. I was very happy baking this cake for such a good cause! The cake was very simple one - coffee cake - but as it was also announced that the best decorated cake will win a prize, I wanted to make it a bit more special with a frosting and some garnishings!

I was very happy that day for many reasons - 1. Mine was the only layered cake there   2. The cake was sold out - not a single piece left over    3. I got feedback from colleagues who came to my desk to say the cake tasted SO good... :) which was very encouraging...

Excuse me for the photos taken at my workdesk... I had literally no time for taking photos at home! Nevertheless I didnt want to miss capturing this cake after all the hard work... R helped me a lot in doing this.. he managed the dinner part the evening before and I had time to frost the cake and decorate it.

I wish I had a chance to take a photo of a slice! Never mind.. I can bake one again!!!

The frosting I used is a chocolate buttercream frosting but without the butter...!! I used ready-to-use Betty Crocker's chocolate buttercream frosting - made life a lot easier and guess what - it is a lot better than using actual butter as this is made with vegetable oil...

Since it was a cake bake event for Easter, I used mini chocolate easter eggs to decorate.

Here is how I made it

Ingredients:

Pillsbury 5 grain chapati flour - 1 cup

Wholegrain pastry flour - 1 cup

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Eggs - 2

Instant Coffee - 3 tsps (adjust based on your preference - I like strong flavors)

Dark brown sugar - 2 cups

Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup

70% less saturated fat butter - 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Prepare cake pans - I used two 9 inch round pans. Butter/oil the sides and line the base with parchment paper.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C
3. Mix the coffee granules in hot water and let it cool.
4. Mix the flours, baking powder and keep aside.
5. Beat the eggs, sugar, butter and oil well.
6. Add Coffee and beat.
7. Once well beaten, mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder)
8. Divide the mixture into the 2 pans equally and bake them for about 30 mins or until the skewer comes out clean.
9. Let them cool completely before proceeding.

Decorating:

1. I applied Ina Garten's method to spread the icing AND making sure the plate remains clean when you finish the icing. Spread strips of parchment paper along the edges of the serving plate before you place the first cake on the plate.
2. Put the even side of the first cake down and spread some frosting on the top.
3. Cover it with the top side of the second cake (so that the even side faces up).
4. Now that you have the regular smooth side, spread the frosting nicely over the top, and then cover the sides.
5. Smoothen the frosting.
6. Finish the other decorations and then pull the parchment paper outwards - Leaves the sides of the plate neat and clean...

 

I enjoyed every bit of making this cake.. It tasted so good - I know it because I had baked a small loaf too using the same batter... Above all, we felt great that this cake was baked for a noble cause.