Easiest dessert in the Universe.

Coffee Tipsy Cake

This is a recipe handed down from my Grandmother to my mother and now me!!! It brings back so many wonderful memories of parties as a child allowed to help with the food then peeking through the bannisters in our absurdly tall townhouse to watch the grown ups drink Mateus rosé wine and consume the three puddings that my mother would always make (one would be fruit salad which definitely alleviated any pudding guilt…).

My guests just got the one dessert but I did throw some mince pies and chocolates at them (quite literally as I tripped over the dog who was waiting patiently for her serving of the legendary Coffee Tipsy Cake)!

Enjoy xxx

Ingredients

2 plain sponges  or  2 packets of small sponge cakes or fingers (so much easier and excellent for snacking on whilst furiously cooking)

3 heaped tablespoons instant coffee or one large espresso maker of fresh coffee

4 tablespoons sugar

6 fluid oz. boiling water

1 tablespoon rum (or maybe two)

3 oz. butter

5 oz. icing sugar

½ pint double cream

Break up cakes roughly in a large bowl

Boil water, pour onto coffee & sugar & stir until dissolved

Add rum to above & pour over cake, turn mixture with metal spoon but don’t mix too much, it should stay ‘marbled’

Press cake into mixing bowl by placing a plate on top (within the bowl) & leaving a 2 lb. weight on top of plate & cake. Stick in freezer for an hour so easy to ice.

Beat the icing sugar & butter

Whip cream until firm enough to hold its shape

Once very cold, unmould cake onto a plate – optional (I left it in a big bowl but as it is so rich, it’s rather lovely to serve in individual small portions).

Using a palate knife dipped in hot water, spread the butter icing over the cake, then spread the whipped cream over the icing

V. rich, v. fattening, but v. tasty. (My mother’s entirely accurate words)!

Enjoy xxxx