Coffee and Irish Cream Layer Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

"Does the world need another food blog? No!". I read this somewhere when I was playing with idea about food blogging. It didn't sound encouraging. And then I thought: does the world need another cook book, another food magazine, another TV programme about food etc. This way of thinking would be so destructive. And even if all recipes are already discovered what about a joy of trying them or playing with them - more of this, less of that... I don't plan to be a second Nigella, but I have this passion inside me, this urge to share it with others. With real people. With you.
Because for me it is all about people who find their way to this place, who come back to their favourite recipe, who come back for more, who write me encouraging emails, who leave a comment. It is about meeting real people and sharing with them this joy. A joy of cooking and baking

I had so much joy baking this cake earlier this week. I rarely bake layer cakes, I consider them as cakes for special occasions. And there was a special occasion - my husband's birthday. He wanted "real" cake - not something with wholegrain flour and carrot inside;) And, as it was supposed to be an adult birthday cake, I thought about something infused with a little bit of alcohol. I had Baileys at hand so I made this coffee and Baileys infused cake with mascarpone frosting. It tasted a little bit like tiramisu with Baileys instead of amaretto. And it had a special ingredient too - my heart:)

Coffee and Irish Cream Layer Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cake 20 cm/ 8 inches in diameter, serves: 10-12

Sponge: *

3/4 cup plain flour (sifted)

1/4 cup potato starch or corn starch (sifted)

3/4 cup sugar (I used unrefined  golden caster sugar)

5 medium eggs (at room temperature, I used organic eggs)


Coffee soaking syrup:

3/4 cup very strong coffee

1/4 cup Baileys


Mascarpone frosting:

500 gram / approx. 17.6 oz mascarpone cheese

250 gram / approx. 8.82 oz whipping cream (I used organic fresh cream)

100 ml / approx. 0.4 cup Baileys

1/2 cup sugar (I used unrefined  golden caster sugar)

For decorating:

dark cocoa, toasted almond flakes


Preparation:

For sponge:

Preheat the oven to 170 C / 338 F degrees.

Line the inside bottom of spring pan with baking paper and clamp the pan's side ring around its base. Don't grease the sides of the pan.

Separate the eggs whites from yolks. Beat whites until stiff, at the end of the beating add the sugar gradually. Still beating add yolks - one at a time. Gently fold in the flours (be aware to preserve all the air you whisked in). Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 30 - 40 min. or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake just comes out clean. Remove from the oven and drop from about 60 cm/ 23 inches height onto a kitchen floor (covered with something soft e.g. blanket) - I know, I know - it sounds ridiculous but it prevents the sponge from collapsing. Put on the wire rack and cool completely, then run a thin knife around the inside edge of the pan and remove the sponge from the pan. Turn upside down and cut into 3 even layers with long serrated knife.

For coffee soaking syrup: 

Prepare very strong coffee, leave to cool than add Baileys and stir well.

For mascarpone frosting:

In a big bowl beat the mascarpone until fluffy and smooth. In a separate bowl whip the cream with sugar. Add the cream and Baileys into a mascarpone gently mixing together until combined. Don't overmix.

To assemble the cake:

Put the top layer on a cake stand or a plate. Spread about 1/3 of soaking syrup over it. Then spread about 1/3 of frosting and top with another layer. Repeat the process then top with last layer. Spread with the remaining syrup. Take a spatula and spread the rest of frosting over the cake. Smooth with wide knife. Decorate with dark cocoa and toasted almond flakes.Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

You can bake the sponge the night before and assemble the cake on the next day.

Enjoy!

* sponge recipe source: Moje Wypieki