This pumpkin coffee cake is moist and flavourful, gorgeously spiced with warm pumpkin pie spices and enriched by espresso powder and a delicious frosting. It is very easy to make it, just one bowl and a hand-held mixer. This is where cake meets pie. Although coffee cakes usually have a heavy crumb topping, this one is different. It has a smooth Mascarpone espresso frosting, to compliment perfectly that first morning coffee. Or any other coffee, for that matter.
Ingredients
For the cake
200 grams pumpkin puree
100 grams vanilla yoghurt
100 ml whole milk
150 ml oil
1 medium egg
150 grams sugar
250 grams plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
For the frosting
100 grams Mascarpone cheese
50 grams icing sugar
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons espresso powder
100 ml double cream
Preparation
Sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, espresso and the spices twice and set it aside. Put the pumpkin puree, egg and sugar in a large bowl and start mixing on low speed until the batter comes together. Add the oil and the dry ingredients; increase the speed and beat for about a minute. Finally, pour in the milk and yoghurt and beat for another minute, to blend everything together. Grease and flour a baking pan (23x30 cm; 9x11"), pour in the batter and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180˚C (350˚F) for 30-35 minutes. Start checking with a toothpick around 30 minutes, to make the cake doesn't overbake. When the cake is done, remove it from the oven, and let it cool down in the pan for about 20 minutes, then carefully remove it to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. Cream together the Mascarpone cheese with the icing sugar, espresso powder and cocoa powder. When the frosting is smooth and well blended, beat the double cream (in another bowl) until stiff peaks form, then gently fold it in the Mascarpone. Put the frosting in the fridge for about 15 minutes, then frost the top of the completely cool cake. For extra flavour, you can dust the cake with a tiny bit of cocoa powder before serving. Yields 16 servings.
