Little Coffee Cup Chocolate-Chip Cakes with Vanilla Cream Froth
The Original Cup Cake
Little Coffee Cup Chocolate-Chip Cakes with Vanilla Cream Froth
Forgive me if I have a little rant, but I am not a cupcake baker……..I make fairy cakes, butterfly cakes, buns and little cakes, but not cupcakes! I know, I know……I need to move with the times, but the thing is this, I am a little worried that our very long tradition of British baking is about to be swept out to sea by a deluge of cupcakes, whoopie pies, muffins (NOT the correct yeast ones either!) and cake pops……NOW, I know there will be lots of my lovely “blogger” friends who make and blog all of the above American style cakes and bakes, and that’s JUST fine, really! In fact I have visited their blogs and have salivated and drooled over them…..and in the case of cake pops, I have admired their patience and skill when making them…….but, I just don’t bake them myself, I can admire them from afar and if I am lucky, I get to taste them, but I am going to stick to my old-fashioned fairy cakes, just call me an old British Bun Baker! So, if you are all still speaking to me, can I introduce my CUPCAKES! This recipe is based on the VERY old, and British version, of baking cakes in small tea cups…….the ORIGINAL cupcake.
Little Coffee Cup Chocolate-Chip Cakes with Vanilla Cream Froth
At this stage of the post, there may be some of my American friends who are saying “hold on a minute, the cupcake in an American invention”, and, they will be correct when it comes to the modern interpretation of a cupcake…….by that I mean the little cakes (or not so little as is often the case) that have icing a mile high swirled or piped over the top of them, in different flavours and with fruit, sprinkles and other highly decorative edible decorations adorning them. BUT, the original cupcake came from much humbler beginnings; a thrifty housewife or “downstairs” cook who finding themselves with an excess of cake mixture at the end of the baking day, would pop the extra batter in a china tea-cup and bake it…..a cupcake would probably have been some excess fruit cake mixture, which was then baked in a couple of tea cups……the poor culinary cousin of the “Queen Cake”, which, was also baked individually and boasted plump currants, rose-water and almonds and was to be found in the more affluent of households during the 19th century. Whatever the reason for baking cakes in cups, and there may be more practical reasons, such as not having a large cake tin, or not having enough ingredients to make a large cake, the fact remains, that there are TWO types of cupcake, and it’s the 19th century British version that I have baked today, albeit a VERY luxurious one, with coffee, chocolate, vanilla and cream!
Little Coffee Cup Chocolate-Chip Cakes with Vanilla Cream Froth
These cakes are so easy to make and yet the results are frivolous, fun and fabulously frothy! They can be baked in a conventional oven or for a more “pudding-like” texture, they can be microwaved. I used a traditional 4,4,4,2 Victoria sponge cake recipe (that’s 4 ounces of sugar, butter, flour and 2 eggs) and then added a coffee paste and some chocolate chips, before finishing the cakes off with some vanilla cream froth! You serve them at the table IN their cups, with a saucer and a teaspoon, and you can either eat the cake OUT of the cup, or gently turn it out, as I have done in the photos……for an added element of trickery, DON’T tell your guests that they are cakes, and then watch them try to “DRINK” their cups of “coffee”……wicked, but worth it for the camera! The cakes you see in the photos were microwaved, but prior to making these ones, I baked some in tea cups, in a conventional oven, and I have to say that the baked ones were a little better, insofar as they were lighter and fluffier; the microwaved ones are lovely, but more of a steamed pudding in texture.
Little Coffee Cup Chocolate-Chip Cakes with Vanilla Cream Froth
I am also feeling a little smug here, as these coffee cup cakes fit rather nicely into TWO current blogging challenges.….We Should Cocoa, which is being hosted by the lovely Lucy over at The Kitchen Maid blog this month on behalf of my lovely friend Choclette, and the ingredient is COFFEE; and, this recipe fits in rather well with Alphabakes, which is jointly hosted by the lovely Caroline and my FAB friend Ros, and it is Ros who is hosting it this month over at The More Than Occasional Baker blog…..and the letter for June, is “V”…..Ros, after all of your amazing Tea Time Treats Entries, I made these JUST for you! xxx So, that’s it for today…..I HOPE all of my friends who regularly make cupcakes, whoopie pies and the like, are STILL talking to me………I DO love what you bake, and I am a regular admirer of your cakes and bakes…….it’s just that, as I said before, I am a Boring old British Bun Baker!! See you all later, Karen.
Little Coffee Cup Chocolate-Chip Cakes with Vanilla Cream Froth
Little Coffee Cup Chocolate-Chip Cakes with Vanilla Cream Froth
Print recipe
| Serves | 6 to 8 depending on cup size |
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Cook time | 15 minutes |
| Total time | 20 minutes |
| Allergy | Egg, Wheat |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Dessert |
| Misc | Pre-preparable, Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Formal Party, Thanksgiving, Valentines day |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 110g caster sugar (4 ounces)
- 110g softened butter or margarine (4 ounces)
- 110g self raising flour (4 ounces)
- 25 to 50g icing sugar (1 ounce to 2 ounces)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 150ml whipping cream
- 75g milk chocolate chips (3 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules (mixed with 2 tablespoons boiling water to make a smooth runny paste)
- 2 medium free-range eggs (beaten)
- cocoa powder (to sprinkle)
Note
Delightful little chocolate chip coffee cakes, baked and served in coffee or tea cups for a fun tea time treat! These cakes are baked in the cups, but you can also use the microwave to cook them in under 10 minutes, although the texture becomes more like a pudding, than a baked cake.
To microwave, prepare the coffee or tea cups in the same way, making sure there is NO gilding on the cups, and then cook the cakes on 50% power for 5 minutes; then cook on 100% high for 3 to 4 minutes, checking after 2 minutes as not to overcook them. Decorate as oven baked cakes.
Directions
| Step 1 | If using a conventional oven, pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Liberally butter/grease 6 to 8 oven proof coffee or tea cups, NOT bone china, but earthenware, glass or pyrex. I used cake release spray to grease my cups. Cut out a small circle of baking/greaseproof paper to fit in the bottom of the cups. |
| Step 2 | In a large bowl, add the softened butter/margarine, caster sugar, SR flour, beaten eggs and the coffee paste. With a hand held mixer beat the ingredients for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. At this stage if the mixture is a little stuff, add some milk to loosen it a little. Add the chocolate chips and stir through well. |
| Step 3 | Spoon the mixture into the prepared coffee/tea cups and fill to three quarters. Place on an oven tray and place in the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cakes. |
| Step 4 | Allow the cakes to cool in the cup, and then gently remove them by sliding a butter knife around the edge of the cake and turning the cup upside down. Sit the cakes on a cooling rack whilst you wash the cups on soapy water, rinse them and then dry them, before placing the cakes back into the cups. |
| Step 5 | Whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla essence together, until the cream holds its shape, but is not too stiff - use 25g to 50g of icing sugar depending on sweetness level required. |
| Step 6 | When the cakes are completely cold, pipe or spoon the whipped cream on to them all in the cups, and then sprinkle with cocoa powder. |
| Step 7 | Serve the cakes in matching saucers with a teaspoon to eat them with! |
Little Coffee Cup Chocolate-Chip Cakes with Vanilla Cream Froth
Little Coffee Cup Chocolate-Chip Cakes with Vanilla Cream Froth
In the early 19th century, there were several different names for cupcake, “fairy cake” and “1234 cakes or quarter cakes”
Janice says
Ha ha! you sound like my SIL who has a ‘thing’ about cupcakes being fairy cakes. Like all the best inventions, we made cupcakes first and then exported them to the ‘New World’ where they made them their own. So here they come back to us along with coca cola, McDonalds and supersizing.
Your cakes in cups are delightful and would be a lot of fun to try.
Karen says
Your SIL sounds like my kinda gal Janice! 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by and yes, these are fun to make and so easy too…..Karen
jennifer says
“New World” gal here! Your cupcakes look incredible, can’t wait to try them out.
Karen says
Thanks “new world gal”! Do let me know if you make them……Karen
Chris says
I enjoyed reading your post very much and it makes sense to me! Lovely pictures!
Karen says
Thanks very much Chris! I did enjoy my photo shoot with these cakes, too, although you may notice there were only FOUR left to use for the photos! Karen
Mary says
Hi Karen! Well, this Yank isn’t put off at all! LOL!!! I love to learn something new everyday and I LOVED reading the history of the “original cupcake.” What wicked fun to serve these and watch people try to drink them! I can’t wait to pull this one off on my three pushy sisters! LOL!!!
Have a wonderful week!
Karen says
Hi Mary! I feel so bad, I have been meaning to “visit” you and your blog for ages……forgive me! BUT, I will pop by later to see what you have been up to! Many thanks for your kind words and I am pleased we are still friends….hehehehe!! Let me know if you DO pull this piece of trickery off with your three “pushy sisters” and don’t forget your camera too! 🙂 🙂 Karen
Julie says
Julie from Waco here. I loved reading the history of these cakes and can’t wait to try them. Sounds like a fun activity to do with my 10-year-old daughter and the cakes look scrumptious.
Karen says
Hi Julie! I hope your holiday/vacation was good…..lovely to see you here, and I’m pleased that these cakes have inspired you enough to maybe make them with your daughter…..let me know if you do make them, and if you need any help with conversions etc! Karen
Charmie Fisher says
Adorable!!!!!
Karen says
THANKS Charmie and thanks for stopping by too! 🙂 FT
Lucy says
Don’t tell anyone, but I think this is my favourite of all the #weshouldcocoa entries so far! So clever and so very YOU!
Karen says
Sssshhh…Mum’s the word Lucy and many thanks for your kind words…..I like the fact that they are very “me” too! 🙂 Karen
Workinglondonmummy says
What a lovely and very delicious idea!
Karen says
Thanks Nazima! I bet your little girl would LOVE making and eating these! 🙂
Misky says
Karen, I’d like to make these but I’d appreciate your thoughts on ingredient changes. My husband is diabetic, and in order to lower the GI number on these I’d like to omit the chocolate chips and substitute Half Spoon for the sugar. Do you foresee any problems in doing so? I’ve made Nigella’s old fashioned choc cake using Half Spoon, and it turned out quite well (volume is always an issue when making cakes with Half Spoon but that’s life). Let me know what you think, Karen. Thanks!
Karen says
I see NO problems at all in substituting the sugar for half sugar, and these will be JUST as delicious without the chocolate chips too….I would also omit the icing sugar from the whipped cream topping, it will not keep the peaks as long as the Chantilly cream topping, but with the vanilla, it will be just as good. I would say that this recipe will work very well with half sugar, which, I have used in baking before. Let me know how they turn out that way, and I will add notes to the post for other bakers who need to cater for diabetics. Karen 🙂
Denise says
Have seen these cakes in cups a long time ago but didn’t have the history attached – I do so love the history. Nothing wrong with being an English Baker I say! Not in the least boring.
Karen says
Many thanks Denise! Cakes baked in cups have quite a long history, and I wasn’t able to post all of it on my blog, but given the interest these cakes have had, O will be posting another recipe for cakes made in cups, but a more historical one next time! Karen
Jenny @ BAKE says
these are absolutely beautiful! I agree with you, I’m not really one for american style cupcakes, give me a vanilla fairycake dripping with unset water icing anyday!
Karen says
Thanks Jenny, I am also a lover of the simple water icing too….I also love it made with lemon juice for a tangy icing! Karen
Jen Price says
The cream on top of those cakes is making me really hungry! They look absolutely delicious 🙂
Karen says
Thanks Jen, it is a slightly sweetened vanilla whipping cream, using cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract!
shuhan says
loved reading about this, that little venture into the history and roots of british baking! to be honest, I’m much more intrigued and inspired by traditional british puds and cakes instead of new fangled cupcakes and macaroons (I hate macaroons actually). please keep doing what you do, the cakes look gorgeous x
Karen says
Thanks Shuhan, I am really pleased that you enjoyed reading about the history and origins of this simple cake. LOVELY to see you here and I am also pleased that British Puds and Cakes interest you…..Karen 🙂
Dominic says
I have almost exactly this post sitting in my blog waiting to be posted! I could not agree more about the Americanisation of our sweet foods and cakes… this is a BRILLIANT post and I love your coffee cup cakes… genius!
Karen says
Great minds rant a like Dom! Hehehehe! Thanks for your LOVELY comments and I can’t wait to see your post too….British Bakers Unite! 🙂 Karen
Laura@howtocookgoodfood says
I love not only your cakes but the beautiful topping and the coffee cups themselves. I tend to make more Fairy cakes than cupcakes and my children love them rather simple with just a thin layer of ready to roll icing. Plus I don’t have an icing bag!
I do have a soft spot for that canned whippy cream too:))x
Karen says
Thanks Laura…….These were fun to make and very tasty too, so a result! I also like squirty cream, the posh stuff with added vanilla, although this cream was a home-made Chantilly. Karen
Laura loves cakes says
What lovely little cakes in a cup!!! I’d love to try one of these…and I applaud your resolve to fight off the invasion!! I like the odd cupcake or two but I’ve not gone completely over to the dark side! 🙂
Karen says
Hehehehe! GLAD to hear it Laura, the dark side is a place to avoid, unless you have packed a fairy cake or two! 🙂
Neesie says
LOL…I loved your rant Karen. You go girl!
I’m with you all the way ;D
Karen says
Thanks Neesie – I KNEW you would appreciate my wee rant…..Karen 🙂
Michelle says
I’ve just left a comment for a short story writer about his dark side and the fact that the world’s probably a safer place because he’s holed up, writing. Never thought I’d have to say a similar thing to you! When I first saw your photos, I did think they were drinks and it would be amazing if I had the skills to pull it off and trick someone. Sadly, my nine year old has told me that she loves my baking because ‘Even though it always goes wrong, it always tastes better than anything from the shops.’ Think I’ll have to leave the wicked trickery to you!
Karen says
Thanks Michelle….and you MAY just pull the trickery off if you didn’t let anyone know what you were making….maybe! LOVELY that your daughter LOVES your baking, makes it all worth while……:-) Karen
bakingaddict says
Karen I am ABSOLUTELY still talking to you! 🙂 Thank you soooo much for making these for me – I LOVE them!! I’m definitely one of those people with a LOT of American baking on my blog but I love British baking too and these original cupcakes are genius!! I’ll have to make them myself after I get myself some decent tea cups 🙂 Thanks for entering these to AlphaBakes and I hope we are still friends! Guess what I’ve just posted on my blog? Cupcakes ! Yes American style cupcakes 😉
Karen says
SO pleased you are still talking to me, and as I said, I DO love eating and viewing other’s cupcakes!! I am also VERY envious of your super American bake-ware too…..I am now going to pop over to see your American style cupcakes! 🙂 🙂
Jean says
Hi Karen,
I don’t know how I missed this post until now but I LOVE THOSE CUPCAKES. Must say I didn’t realise the cakes originated in England but now feel very proud……yet another English export to envelope the whole world with its marvellousness (not sure that’s a real word but it sounds right for this !!) I worked out that they must have originally been made in cups (you don’t need A-levels for that!) but always assumed they were an American invention.
Personally I love cupcakes but I don’t make them too often and don’t often go anywhere where they are sold…….really must get out more…….but I have to say there is some really bad icing out there. Of those I have bought and eaten, it often looks nice but the flavour is horrid ~ as per Michelle above, home-made is always best, even if the icing doesn’t always “stand up” to inspection !!
Karen says
Hi Jean! I am behind with my blog visits and comments too….so please don’t worry about missing this post! I agree re. home-made cakes V commercial cakes; for me, it is style over substance in the main when it comes to commercial cakes, all sickly icing and NO light fluffy cakes beneath the horridness! Yes, it is amazing what exports GB has sent all over the world – over the years and centuries; such a small nation and yet such a large and varied footprint! I am pleased you enjoyed this post and lovely to see you here as always! Karen
Fahad Khan (@PharaohKhan) says
Ah,Karen,for one,you have given such a beautiful,almost divine face lift to your blog!It has been a bit since I visited,I had made your Spiced Red Lentil & Carrot Soup with Frazzled Onions the last time,you might remember.Gorgeous website!
So,I visited,and saw the picture of these cakes in that animated slideshow on the homepage,and I knew I wanted to learn this recipe!Look incredibly delicious,and so simple!I love how everything goes in one bowl and is beaten together.I have a little question though: Why are the cakes removed from the cups?I mean,we have to put them back in,right?
Thank you lots!:-)
P.S. “I HOPE all of my friends who regularly make cupcakes, whoopie pies and the like, are STILL talking to me” This made me laugh,LOL!
ashleigh says
fab idea they look great
Fiona Matters says
Such a good idea! I love the idea of giving people “coffee” and seeing what they do with it!