This week, with all of the gingerbread and holiday baking, I thought it would be nice to make a simple cake to pair with coffee. Many folks have friends and family staying at their house this season and a coffee cake is something that whips up quickly and is perfect to have on hand. It works as a simple breakfast, and is delightful with an afternoon cup of tea. This particular recipe is a coffee-chocolate swirl, although I thought the coffee flavor could be heightened. The crumb is nice and moist, but be careful, there's a small window between perfect and overdone. To get the recipe, read more.

Mocha-Cappuccino Marbled Coffee Cake
From Coffee Cakes: Simple, Sweet and Savory by Lou Seibert Pappas

12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp instant coffee powder dissolved in 2 Tbsp hot water
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted

1. Preheat over to 350F.
2. Butter and flour a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and mix in the vanilla and dissolved coffee until blended.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to blend.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream in 2 increments, beating until thick and smooth.
7. Spoon one-third of the batter into a small bowl and stir in the chocolate.
8. Spoon 4 heaping tablespoons of the coffee batter into the pan, spacing them apart, then spoon some chocolate batter by the tablespoon into the spaces. Repeat until all the batter is used.
9. With a knife, swirl through the mixture once to marble the batters. [Note: I felt once was not enough and would do it at least 2 times depending on how deep you are able to swirl the batter.]
10. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
11. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then unmold right side up on a wire rack and let cool completely.
12. Cut into slices to serve.

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