Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Mocha Torte

This is a recipe that's been in my family forever. I clearly remember eating it as a young child. Mom made it often and I remember requesting as a birthday cake on a few occasions.

The cake came from Grandmommy, my mom and Sixty-five's mom, though whether she got it from a friend or invented it, I have no idea. Apparently Grandmommy made it often too.

It is so, so easy, fantastically delicious and people always think it must be more complicated than it really is.

I made it this afternoon for an after school snack for the kids. It was a hit.

Mocha Torte

5 eggs, separated and beaten
1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3 tbsp. very strong coffee*
2 tbsp. water

Bring eggs to room temperature. Beat whites until thick. Add 1/4 c. of sugar, gradually. Set aside.

Beat yolks well. Add water and coffee. Beat. Add remaining 3/4 c. sugar by degrees and beat more.

Fold in flour and baking powder, mixed together. Then fold in egg whites.

Bake in 2 ungreased 9" pans about 30-40 minutes and 350 degrees. Top with whipped cream sweetened with powdered sugar and strong coffee*.

* make by adding about 5 tbsp. of boiling water to about 3 tbsp. instant coffee.

2 comments:

sixty-five said...

I believe it came originally from an old cookbook (still there, at Fish House, bound in red oilcloth by Tante) called "Mrs Lemke's". It was definitely part of the Brooklyn/Northville repertoire and I made it for Aunt Lucy quite a few times in recent years. The original recipe called for "coffee essence". Wonder what that was? Mom used to make it for the History and Art Club (and for us, of course).

sixty-five said...

I believe it came originally from an old cookbook (still there, at Fish House, bound in red oilcloth by Tante) called "Mrs Lemke's". It was definitely part of the Brooklyn/Northville repertoire and I made it for Aunt Lucy quite a few times in recent years. The original recipe called for "coffee essence". Wonder what that was? Mom used to make it for the History and Art Club (and for us, of course).