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! Please record these recipes somewhere, in a notebook, handwritten preferably, with your personal notes on the side. Too many of you write to me that family recipes have been lost - how wonderful would it be to leave this culinary legacy to your kids?
But 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. This is an incredibly rich cake, and will take a little bit of effort to make, but it will be sooooo worth it!
Mokkataart
7 eggs, room temperature
8 yolks, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the buttercream*
2 sticks butter, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons coffee syrup**
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Chocolate sprinkles or nougatine
Chocolate coffee beans (optional)
Whip the eggs and the yolks with the sugar and the vanilla for a good ten minutes at high speed, or until the mixture is light yellow, has tripled in size and falls in a thick ribbon off the whip. Sift the cake flour and fold it through the mixture, making sure you don't lose much of the air you've beaten into it. Butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans, and carefully divide the mixture between the two pans. Place on the middle shelf in an oven that's preheated to 350F. Bake for twenty five 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 syrup and the vanilla for a good five minutes at high speed, you want that butter fluffy! Slowly pour in the heavy cream while you continue to whip: the buttercream will increase in volume and become a little lighter. 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 cakes have fully cooled, cut off the top so you have two equally high pieces. Spread a thick layer of mocca cream on the top of one half, and place the other half on top. Spread cream on the side of the cake, and roll it through the nougatine or the chocolate sprinkles. Pipe the rest on top and decorate with chocolate coffee beans, malt balls or chocolate curls. Refrigerate.
Pour yourself a hot cup of coffee, or something else, and enjoy this in the company of good friends!
** Reduce a strong cup of coffee with two heaping tablespoons of sugar until you have two tablespoons of syrup left. You can also add instant coffee granules to this, if you wish for a stronger coffee taste.
Looks yummy! I noticed that you specify a 9x9 pan, but your picture shows a different size. What size did you use?
ReplyDeleteHi Momof2, the pan is a 9x9, but after the cake cools, you cut it in half and place one half on top of the other. So not in half horizontally, but so that both pieces are now a rectangle.
DeleteMokkataart is my husband's favourite cake.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your recipes and pictures as they are very helpful. My husband is from Gouda and lives in Canada for the last 10 years. We do get to Netherlands every couple of years and enjoy the Boerenkaas!
Last Christmas I made your Gevuulde koek and Gevuulde speculaas.
Nicole -- your website always makes me want to recreate your delicious creations :) Congratulations on the 1,000 likes, and keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteGuus
My husband Jos and I just returned from Lisse as we were visiting familiy to celebrate his mother's 90th birthday and our 3oth wedding anniversary. It was great enjoying the Dutch food again and I just love the combination of Indonesian spices... When I went searching for a recipe for stroopwafels, I came across your wonderful site! Thank you for encouraging me to create some of my husband's favorite dishes from Holland.
ReplyDeleteDebbie Randsdorp
Oh wat een fantastische website! super! Groetjes uit zuidspanje :)
ReplyDeleteik kwam deze site tegen op zoek naar slagroomtaart recepten omdat mijn zoontje binnekort 1 jaar oud wordt en ik natuurlijk wel een slagroomtaart moet hebben! ik ga eens op mn gemak alles doorlezen, wat een werk zeg! bedankt!
I am so so excited to find this blog and all these recipes. I was born in Holland and immigrated to Canada at the age of 5 where I lived until I was 26. Now I live in WA. All the recipes are familiar and remind me of my mom. Thank you
ReplyDeleteNicole! I found your page! I didn't count the oeeeh's and aaaaah's going over your recipe's and I don't think I stopped yet :) Many of the meals go through my mind on a daily basis: *wonder if they sell that ingredient overhere? or wish I knew how to make vla or roomboter* I've been in the US for 8 years and Dutch food is something I can really yearn for. Thanks so much for all this work! Feeling warm, fuzzy and grateful you put this all together .... just for me to enjoy! ♥ Diana - WA ♥
ReplyDeleteWith that much of eggs and no leavening, I wonder if the cake would taste egg-y.
ReplyDeletePlease advice. Thanks.
My name is Menaka btw
DeleteAch wat ben ik blij om je site gevonden te hebben. Ik zelf ben een Indo en vind 't mieters om al deze recepten te zien. Hartelijk dank!
ReplyDeleteHi there :). You wrote that 7 eggs and 8 yolks. Does the 7 eggs needed are eggs with yolks or just egg whites?
ReplyDeleteHi! That would be seven whole eggs (yolk and white) and 8 yolks only. Hope that helps!
DeleteSorry my name is Jeffrey
DeleteThanks! will try it now!! :)
DeleteI have a question about making the cake ahead of time. Do I refrigerated until ready to use it?
ReplyDeleteTHANKYOU!!! I have been looking for this recipe my mother used to make for years! No coffee cake I have tasted since I was a child compares to this one. I am going to make this today!
ReplyDeleteThank for your recipes! I grew up in a Dutch bakery in Canada. My Dad and Opa worked together when they immigrated. I am trying to replicate the tastes of my childhood.
ReplyDeleteCan you list the dry ingredients in weight ?
Thanks,
Karin
Gretha Langendoen, From Kinderdyk The Netherlands(53 yr ago :)
ReplyDeleteIn Canada we don't use butter sticks. How much is that in weight or cups????? thanks for a great recipe. My favorate!
Hello Gretha! A stick of butter is 114 grams. Enjoy the cake!
DeleteThe topping turned out perfect! However, the cake was baked perfectly but ended up too dense and very dry. Would not recommend the cake without doing it differently next time.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, my Dad, who is a retired Dutch baker says that any egg cake has to be beaten for a long time to pump lots of air into the mix! The colour should become light yellow. Also, the last time we baked together, he set the oven at 300 degrees and watched the cakes bake. When they just started to show colour on the top, he took them out! This made for a very airy cake! I have always found gebak cake a tiny bit dry, but no worries, the icing certainly makes up for it! Hope this helps :-)
DeleteAlso, I am Karin! Thanks again for such an excellent site :-)
DeleteHello! Is this cake ever served with sliced almonds on the sides? My mother is Dutch and loves mocha cake, she used to get one at a Dutch bakery that has since closed, but there were almonds on the sides. I'm trying to replicate it for her. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThat could very well be the case, as each baker has their own approach. It would certainly be tasty, so feel free to make it your own!
Delete