Cappuccino Loaf Cake

ingredients | serves 10 | time 1 hour 10 mins

175g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing • 5 tbsp single cream • 2 tbsp instant coffee • 100g golden caster sugar • 75g light brown muscovado sugar • 3 large eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 175g self-raising flour • ½ tsp fine salt • For the frosting: 150g mascarpone • 5 tbsp icing sugar • cocoa powder, for dusting

step 1

Preheat the oven to 170˚C, gas mark 3. Grease a 900g (2lb) loaf tin and line with baking parchment. Heat the cream and coffee in a microwave (or small pan) until warm, stir to dissolve the coffee and cool. In a separate bowl, mix 1 tsp of the coffee cream with the mascarpone for the frosting and chill until needed

step 2

In a large bowl, using electric beaters, cream the butter with the two sugars for 4 mins, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and the remaining coffee cream. Fold in the flour and salt until you have a smooth batter. Scrape into the tin; bake for 50 minutes, until a skewer in the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack.

step 3

Meanwhile, make the frosting. Sift the icing sugar over the chilled coffee mascarpone and whisk with electric beaters for 1-2 minutes, until silky; chill again until needed. Spread the frosting over the room temperature cake and dust lightly with cocoa powder just before serving.