Ginger coffee sponge cake

GINGER COFFEE SPONGE CAKE

225 grams of self raising flour

4 brown or white eggs

1/4 lemon or orange zested 

1 tsp vanilla extract (I used grated ginger so skipped vanilla extract) 

225 grams of softened butter/unsalted butter

225 grams of caster sugar /jaggery powder 

2 tbsp milk to splash

2 tbsp crushed almonds 

1/2 tsp baking powder (optional) 

Spices

A pinch cinnamon powder 

A pinch of clove powder 

A pinch of crushed elachi /green cardamom 

2 tsp coffee powder 

An inch of ginger grated 

For the filling (I have skipped this also) 

You can fill the slices with jam, cream or lemon curd before serving 

Icing sugar can be used for dusting 

Method

*Set the temperature of oven to 180 C, use butter or ghee for greasing the cake tin, dust it with a little flour, (I have done that) use a sieve to do it, or you can line the base with baking parchment paper. 

*Beat the butter and sugar or jaggery until its pale and fluffy or use an electric whisk( I used the whisk) 

* Break the eggs, all the four and whisk well, make sure you scrape the sides of the mixing bowl after each addition of ingredients. 

*Sieve the flour and baking powder. Add cinnamon, clove, elachi, coffee powder, grated ginger, flour and mix in. Further whisk until just combined. 

*Sprinkle crushed almonds on top of the batter and the cake is ready to bake. 

*Bake it for 25 to 30 minutes and do the skewer test, when you insert a skewer through the baked cake it should come clean. 

*After 10 minutes remove the cake, leave it in the wire rack, let it reach room temperature for you to do any filling. 

* The tin I am using is quite large so I baked the quantity in one go. 

*The cake will remain fresh for 3 days, I am sure nothing will be left, as my container is already half consumed, a few pieces are left! 

Happy baking!