Mokkataart

Oh, how we love a party! Any good old reason to crank up the coffee machine, bring out the coffee mugs, the creamer and sugar and a couple of pretty plates to serve pastries on, will do. Good weather, bad weather, the soccer team won, the soccer team lost, start of the summer holiday, the end of the summer holiday, and any valid reason inbetween. Sometimes because we're sad, other times because we're happy. We just love to get together, drink coffee, eat cake and have a gezellige time.

And today we're celebrating over a thousand likes on the site! I've been thrilled to read everybody's messages. Some are a little sad, because the recipes remind the readers of their childhood, their grandparents, and the times they miss. Others happy, as long lost favorites have been re-found. Several of you emailed me privately to ask for a specific dish, and even others were excited to know some family favorites could be made easily at home, and even taste better!

So today, we celebrate! With a creamy, sweet mocca cake no less. Easily one of the most favorite choices of the cake-loving Dutch, a mocca cake combines the pleasant flavors of sweet sugar, slightly bitter caffeine and the lightness of the sponge cake.

If you haven't yet, leave a comment so you enter in the "Recipes From My Dutch Kitchen" cookbook raffle. You have until May 20th!

Mokkataart
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cake flour
1/4 cup corn starch

For the buttercream*
2 sticks butter, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
6 tablespoons strong coffee
1 tablespoon vanilla

Chocolate sprinkles or nougatine
Chocolate coffee beans (optional)

Whip the eggs with the sugar for a good ten minutes, or until the mixture is light yellow and falls in a thick ribbon off the whip. Sift the cake flour and corn starch together and fold them through the mixture. Butter and flour a 9x9 cake pan, and carefully pour the mixture in the pan. Place on the middle shelf in an oven that's preheated to 320F. Bake for twenty minutes or until done. If a toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready.

Let the cake cool for ten minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan, and let it cool further on a cookie rack.

In the meantime, cream the 2 sticks of butter with the powdered sugar, the coffee and the vanilla. If the mixture curdles, slowly melt a quarter of the mixture and return it to the bowl: give it a good whipping and the buttercream will come together. Taste. Add more powdered sugar or coffee, depending on how sweet or strong you want the cream.

When the cake has fully cooled, cut it in half lengthwise (vertically), so that you end up with two rectangular pieces. Spread a thick layer of mocca cream on the top of one half, and place the other half on top. Spread cream on all four sides of the cake, and roll it through the nougatine or the chocolate sprinkles. Pipe the rest on top and decorate with chocolate coffee beans or chocolate curls. Refrigerate.

Pour yourself a hot cup of coffee, or something else, and enjoy this in the company of good friends!

* If you prefer a lighter version,substitute the butter with whipping cream. Adding the sugar and coffee will give you a lighter mocca option.