What purpose does coffee serve in a chocolate cake recipe?
I have a recipe for a chocolate buttermilk cake. It's not constructed like most cakes, but it's always turned out OK. I've always wondered what does the coffee in the recipe do?
Is the coffee just there as an additional flavor? (The cake never tastes strongly of coffee.) Can I use a cheap instant coffee, or will a higher quality coffee make a difference? Does the acid in the coffee do something? Does the temperature of the coffee really matter?
Here's the recipe:
3 cups flour, 2 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil, 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 cups freshly brewed hot coffee, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Slowly combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Blend (on medium speed) in the oil and buttermilk. On low, mix in the eggs, one at a time. Add the hot coffee and vanilla and mix on low speed.
Divide into two 9 inch round cake pans and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes.
from Caprial's Desserts by Caprial Pence and Melissa Carey
Best Answer
it's probably there to add depth to the flavor, since chocolate and coffee complement each other so well. i've used the instant kind in similar recipes and it's just fine.
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Is coffee necessary for chocolate cake?
Coffee simply enhances the flavor of chocolate. In this cake, it deepens that rich, chocolatey flavor. If you are really opposed to using coffee, you can swap it out for water.What does coffee do for a cake?
it's just replacing water for added, complimentary flavour in your cake. it's like making a soup or stew with chicken or vegetable stock instead of just water. you can get the same effect with water and instant coffee/espresso added. coffee and chocolate are best friends.Why does coffee enhance the flavor of chocolate?
Coffee is often added to baked goods and desserts to intensify the chocolate flavor. In fact, a 2020 study found that coffee increases our sensitivity to sweet flavors and decreases our sensitivity to bitter ones, although it's not fully understood how coffee causes these changes in taste sensitivity.What happens when you add coffee to chocolate?
Think of coffee in this equation the same way you might think of a sprinkling of salt to your bakes. You're not adding salt to make the recipe salty, you're adding it to give the recipe balance and to amplify the flavors. In the same way, a bit of espresso bumps up the flavor of chocolate.Chocolate Coffee Cake | Food Channel L Recipes
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Answer 2
If you add coffee to a recipe with chocolate, the coffee will enhance the chocolate flavour and normally, you won't taste the coffee. I'm not that sure in your case, since it's a lot of coffee.
You surely can use instant espresso powder or something similar.
I don't think the temperature does anything (make sure it's not too hot, or you'll cook the eggs). I guess it's there to make sure you use fresh coffee (which has a better taste than old coffee).
Answer 3
coffee enhances the chocolate / cocoa for a more chocolatey cake. I don't think you should be able to taste the coffee though, the fact that you can taste the coffee suggests that either there's too much coffee or its too strong, to correct this you can try reducing the amount of coffee or try with instant coffee as I believe it's not as strong, I also don't think using instant coffee will make too much of a difference. Most recipes call for instant coffee. And if it's asking for hot coffee, then make sure that's what you use.
Personally I'd try using instant coffee instead of freshly brewed, first, and see how that tastes.
The cake won't be as chocolatey without the coffee, however should you wish to remove it, you can by simply substituting the same amount of hot water with the amount of coffee specified by the recipe.
Hope this helps.
Answer 4
it's just replacing water for added, complimentary flavour in your cake. it's like making a soup or stew with chicken or vegetable stock instead of just water. you can get the same effect with water and instant coffee/espresso added. coffee and chocolate are best friends.
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