Espresso Bundt Cake - National Library Week 2011 Day #1

Monday, April 11, 2011

Margaret's Espresso Bundt Cake (from Sarabeth Bakery's)
Espresso Bundt Cake for National Library Week 2011

Whooooo Hoo!! It's National Library Week!! This is my third year celebrating NLW on the blog. Every day, I’m highlighting a library thing, baking something and giving something away. Sound like a plan? Okay, here goes Day 1.

The Library Thing:
Dude, of course today’s library thing is your library. It’s a fantastic place where you get to grab stuff and bring it home. FREE. You just need to bring it back. How many other places let you do that? McDonald’s? Starbucks? Your cable company? Nope. The library gives you stuff free. Cool. Go. Visit. Check out stuff. Tell your friends. And treat our DVDs nicely please.

Espresso Bundt collage 2
Yes, there is the Librarian Action Figure. It's based on real-life librarian and author Nancy Pearl (you can hear her on NPR). And she's showing you this cake has coffee and instant espresso. It's caffeinated and good.

The Baking Thing:
A Bundt. What else would I make?! This is a DELICIOUS bundt. The crumb is awesome. It's from Sarabeth's Bakery: From my hands to yours - a lovely new cookbook by Sarabeth Levine. This is the first item I've made and it rocks. Can't wait to try some more recipes...and if you want to make some, keep reading for a chance!

Espresso Bundt collage 1
This has coffee and espresso in the batter and glaze. But it isn't overpowering...just a great cake that is perfect with, you guessed it, a cup of coffee or tea.

Margaret's Espresso Bundt Cake (from Sarabeth Bakery's)
Look at that lovely crumb!

Margaret's Espresso Bundt Cake (from Sarabeth Bakery's)
The Giveaway Thing:
Day #1: I'm giving away a brand new copy of Sarabeth's Bakery: From my hands to yours cookbook!
To enter, just leave a comment on this post. If your email isn’t associated with your Blogger account, please be sure to leave your email in the message.
Note: This giveaway is limited to United States mailing addresses.
Deadline: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at midnight, Pacific Daylight Time
Disclosure: This giveaway and shipping is paid for by me.
*** Updated: Contest is closed. Congrats to Ann (entry #95) ***
Recipe:
Espresso Bundt Cake
Adapted from: Margaret's Espresso Cake in Sarabeth's Bakery, From Hands to Yours (Sarabeth Levine)
Find it on Amazon or check to see if your library has it here!

Printable copy here

Cake:
1 cup hot strong coffee (I used one packet of Starbucks Via)
3 Tablespoons instant coffee or espresso (I used instant espresso)
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t kosher salt
2 sticks butter, chilled and cut into cubes
2 cups sugar (recipe calls for superfine sugar, but I didn't have any)
1 t vanilla extract
4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature

Glaze: (This is different from the cookbook. Check page 117 of the cookbook for Sarabeth's version. She heats the glaze and uses brewed coffee and espresso powder)
1 teaspoon instant espresso
1 Tablespoon boiling water
1 Tablespoon milk (I used soy milk because I had that on hand)
2 cups powdered sugar

Cake:
1. Prep bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix hot coffee and espresso powder to dissolve. Let cool.
3. Sift together dry ingredients (flour, powder, salt) in a bowl.
4. Beat butter in mixer with paddle attachment at high speed until smooth (1 minute or so). Gradually add in sugar. Add vanilla. Beat until light in color.
5. Add the eggs yolks one at a time, blending in each one before adding the next.
6. On low speed, alternate adding 1/3 of the flour mix and 1/2 of the coffee mix, starting and ending with the flour. Beat until combined, but don't overbeat.
7. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites to soft peaks.
8. Fold some of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then carefully fold the rest of the egg whites into the batter.
9. Pour batter into Bundt pan. Smooth out the top and place in the oven.
10. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, depending on your oven. A cake tester should come out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. Make sure the Bundt is cool before glazing it.

Glaze:
1. In a bowl, dissolve instant espresso in boiling water. Add milk. With a whisk, gradually add the powdered sugar. The consistency should be pourable...add some powdered sugar (to thicken) or milk (to thin) if necessary.
2. Pour over cooled Bundt cake. Let sit for a few minutes before cutting.
Pin It!

119 comments:

Sara said... [Reply to comment]

Love that librarian action figure! This cake looks super tasty! :)

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

This looks amazing...I will be sure to make this in a couple of days. This week I bake every day for the office, since our engineers are out of town at our industry's big convention (National Association of Broadcasters). Why should they have all the fun, just because they're in Vegas, right? So we've made our own tradition - I bake every day, and we do a potluck at some point in the week. Usually about 3 out of 5 days are Bundt cakes of some kind so this is perfect. Thanks!

Divya Kudua said... [Reply to comment]

There you are with another Bundt..looks gorgeous!!

Sarah said... [Reply to comment]

Am I seriously the first person to comment on this amazing bundt cake?! Coffee flavoured cake is always right up my street and there's nothing better than the beautiful perfection of a bundt. It looks scrumptious and I can't wait to try it!

Amy said... [Reply to comment]

Happy National Library Week!

Carmen said... [Reply to comment]

this cake looks AMAZING!

Kristi said... [Reply to comment]

Happy National Library Week! What better way to celebrate it than with a Bundt cake? :)

Sarah said... [Reply to comment]

I love bundts and I love my library!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

You're the queen of bundts, Mary! Enjoy library week, thank you for sharing this recipe :)

looloolooweez said... [Reply to comment]

Oooh, that looks so yummy! Our library doesn't have this book yet. Hm, I guess if I win the book I'll have to donate it when I'm finished w/ it!

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

Yay for NLW! I love my local library and go there weekly if not more. I'm moving back to the States soon and can't wait to check out my library there. I heard it's recently had a makeover.

I LOVE LIBRARIES AMD I LOVE COFFEE BUNDT CAKES!

Elsie said... [Reply to comment]

Wow, you have the best giveaways! I love my library - we have this fantastic system where I request books online and they send them to wait for me at the library branch nearest to me!

Jan said... [Reply to comment]

I have been eying that book for awhile! I love Sarabeth's and try to visit it when I go to NYC. That espresso bundt looks great :)

isabel said... [Reply to comment]

I love library week and I would love to win that book! :)

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

This post makes me excited for this year's bundt cake week!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

The cake looks awesome. Soon as my oven is fixed, I am going to whip that baby up.

Bridget said... [Reply to comment]

This bundt looks wonderful! I have an itching to bake sometime this week and this may just be what I try.

I'd also love to win that book!

anna said... [Reply to comment]

Love that Nancy Pearl!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

As an aspiring librarian (going to UNC in the fall!), an amateur baker, and an avid fan of free stuff, I'm looking forward to a week full of all my favorite things!

Camille Sullivan said... [Reply to comment]

Thinking I must make the bundt today! Delicious.

Laura said... [Reply to comment]

We love our library and my family checks out two milk crates worth of books a week! This looks like a great cookbook!

Andrea said... [Reply to comment]

That looks delicious! It has me thinking about what to bake for the next Month of Bundts.Happy National Library Week!

Meredith said... [Reply to comment]

Oooh, I want to go home & bake that right now!

cmf said... [Reply to comment]

This cake looks delicious. I love Nancy Pearl's NPR book reviews but the list of books that I don't have time to read, alas, grows ever longer. Happy NLW to all. I love my local library and interlibrary loan is a gift from the gods!

Courtney said... [Reply to comment]

That looks amazing! I just made one of your cookie recipes yesterday and there are only crumbs left between my husband and I. azbankette@hotmail.com

justJENN said... [Reply to comment]

I want some.

Sarah said... [Reply to comment]

Awesome post! The pictures and the cake look amazing. I'm also quite smitten with the librarian action figure:) Happy National Library Week!

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said... [Reply to comment]

When I saw this post, I thought it looked familiar and then I realized that Susan at From Beyond My Kitchen Window did a post in February! Here's her link

http://frombeyondmykitchenwindow.blogspot.com/2011/02/sweetespresso-cake-from-sarabeth.html

Along with Kary from My Farmhouse Kitchen and myself, we all did a post at the same time. We recently did a second post for Spring.

The three of us all received this book for Christmas! We all love it!

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

Yum! What goes better together than libraries and food! And Nancy Pearl to boot!

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

What goes better together than libraries and food? And Nancy Pearl to boot! Library heaven...Happy National Library Week!

Sandra :) said... [Reply to comment]

(Please don't enter me in the giveaway - I'm in Canada)

What a fantastic looking cake - I need to find some instant espresso powder and try this recipe - yum!

Fathima said... [Reply to comment]

that bundt looks perfect!

Judy said... [Reply to comment]

Nothing better than libraries, espresso, bundt cake, and a good cookbook. Happy National Library Week to you, too!

morgan said... [Reply to comment]

this looks amazing!

Alice said... [Reply to comment]

Awesome!! National Library Week, come on! Bring on the baked goods. Which reminds me, I'd better fire up the oven for my local librarians here in New Hampshire.

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

I want this book so badly!

Joanne's Place said... [Reply to comment]

Espresso and cake, wow! Doesn't get much better, I can't wait to try it.
The library is one of our favorite places, my children grew up knowing all the "lovely library ladies", yes that is what they called them.
This looks like a great book if the cover is any indication ;)

Megan said... [Reply to comment]

What a beautiful bundt! Thanks for sharing the recipe :) I am very excited to hear about Sarabeth's new cookbook!

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

My son has questioned coffee cakes and the fact that they don't taste like coffee. This bundt is just the thing he's been craving! Thank You for sharing the recipe...I'm going to try it out NOW and it should be ready to eat when the school bus pulls up.
I'm always looking for new recipes and often check out cookbooks from the library...it is sadly an underused resource. I'll have to put in a purchase request for "Sarabeth's Bakery: From my hands to yours" next time I'm there.

(justanothergemini@yahoo.com)

Esi said... [Reply to comment]

I always look forward to the return of the librarian action figure. Happy Library week!

Robin said... [Reply to comment]

Yummy!

dulce de leche said... [Reply to comment]

Absolutely PERFECT!!!!

Sandra Dee said... [Reply to comment]

YUMYUMYUM!

I'm going to have to add this to the "to bake" list for after Passover!!

SARNELL18 at GMAIL dot COM

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

thanks for sharing this lovely recipe! I bet the flavor is awesome and refreshing in a coffee sort of way.

Vera said... [Reply to comment]

I love trying out new bundts and this one sounds perfect to bring in for the teachers at work. After teaching for 18 years at the same school, I decided to become the library teacher this year. The library had not been used for the past few years (since they cut the librarian position) so it was exciting to get it back up and running. Weekends and nights you can find me baking or checking out what's new on tastespotting and foodgawker. Keep up the great blog! p.s. You will appreciate this...my niece turned 5 this weekend and was sooo excited because she got to go the the library to get her OWN library card!! Too cute! :)
vnhromadka@netzero.net
Thanks!

Ria Mathew said... [Reply to comment]

Ooooh! I am so making this tomorrow! Cannot resist!

I shall be back to give you the verdict :D

Bourbonnatrix said... [Reply to comment]

this recipe sounds awesome! i'm bookmarking it for a future book club meeting or something :)

cadie said... [Reply to comment]

That cake looks A-mazing. I'm definitely going to be making it in the near future! nomnomnom! and I totally laughed when I saw the librarian action figure. yay for national library week!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

It is a treat to look at your blog every day....thank you.

jhdevereaux@comcast.net

SkyeTwelve said... [Reply to comment]

I am a first grade teacher and I absolutely adore libraries and the hard-working librarians that keep them up and running. Kudos to you on your fabulous work!

Maria said... [Reply to comment]

Another fabulous bundt recipe!

cakeflower said... [Reply to comment]

I'm making this for the next PTC meeting!!! Thanks. :)

Jessica said... [Reply to comment]

Hi! I just found this blog a few weeks ago (via The Kitchn) but this is my first time commenting. I'm so excited because I love baking, too, and I'm a UCLA MLIS ('11) student! I can't wait to try your bundt recipes!

erinhoulihan said... [Reply to comment]

at first I thought it was "i like big bundts" month....I was briefly disoriented. love the blog-love my library!

Julie said... [Reply to comment]

I can't wait to try this recipe! MMMmmmm!!
julieendo@gmail.com

Lori @ Girl Meets Oven said... [Reply to comment]

This coffee cake looks incredible! I agree with you about the library thing.

Trisha said... [Reply to comment]

The cake looks yummy ... I can't believe the number of bundt cakes you've baked so far ... have you maintained a count of how many types of bundt cakes you've baked so far?

Shannon Riley said... [Reply to comment]

Wow! This Looks great! :D

Susan M. said... [Reply to comment]

You had me at coffee!! LOVE ALL SWEETS THAT HAVE COFFEE! I was actually on foodgawker looking for a coffee dessert to make for the adults at my little daughter's birthday party this week. I will make this cake for them and let you know how it goes over. I wish I could instantly poof this cake into existence just for myself right now, never mind that it's past midnight and time for bed! Yum, yum, yummy!!

Tazeen said... [Reply to comment]

I can't wait to try this recipe on the weekend!

Or maybe I should make it tomorrow...? The espresso might help keep me awake long enough to study for my exams...perhaps I'm just looking for a reason to bake ;)

Berryberrypieeee@gmail.com

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

You always have the best looking bundts around! Kelly

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

Espresso? Bundt cake? Library week? Be still my heart! I want a piece of this badly, right now. We're headed to the library this week for my toddler's playtime and more chapter books for my bookaholic daughter. I love my library!

Mary said... [Reply to comment]

You can have too many cookbooks and I don't have any books with recipes for bundts in them. Plus a bundt with coffee in it? DELICIOUS!

Cindy said... [Reply to comment]

I do love bundts, especially my 2 half size bundt pans. One to keep, one to freezer or share. I also love cookbooks and have read great reviews about Sara Beth.

Nina said... [Reply to comment]

Coffee and bundts? LOVING IT!

Shari said... [Reply to comment]

I could really use a baking book. I have none.

veronica said... [Reply to comment]

Happy Library Week! I'd love to celebrate with coffee and bundts!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

I've never made a bundt cake, but would love to start!

emonster said... [Reply to comment]

i'm fairly new to your blog -- and i love it! this looks so yummy. i think this may be on the agenda for this weekend!

Elizabeth said... [Reply to comment]

Going to the library tomorrow for storytime!

http://agirlinherkitchen.blogspot.com

Elizabelle[at]comcast[dot]net

karen said... [Reply to comment]

Thanks for the giveaway! Happy Library Week!
karenreichmann@hotmail.com

Maureen said... [Reply to comment]

As a retired Kindergarten teacher.....I love librarians! Love cookbooks too!
Thanks for a great blog and wonderful give a way!

Sara said... [Reply to comment]

That bundt is two of my favorite things, cake and coffee!! Bring it on. The cookbook looks to die for as well! Thanks Food Librarian!

JoeyfromSC said... [Reply to comment]

Totally craving cake now! haha-LOVE the recipes and pics!(Loving the librarian action figure lol)

Thank you for the chance to win!! the book looks great!!

ajoebloe(at)gmail(dot)com

Laurie K. said... [Reply to comment]

Oh wow this looks absolutely delish! I will be adding this to my ever growing list of things I MUST make.

ragebrokenheart@gmail.com is my email.

Kelly said... [Reply to comment]

I would love to win this!

vanillasugarblog said... [Reply to comment]

don't you love those Via's? So fun to bake and create with.
this is a GOOD giveaway; been eyeing that cookbook for a while now.

Carly said... [Reply to comment]

Love the recipe(:

crazycarly46(at)gmail(dot)com

Memória said... [Reply to comment]

This cake looks fantastic. I love LIBRARY WEEK!!

sharonjo said... [Reply to comment]

I'm signed up to bring a brunch treat to church on Easter, and I think this bundt cake would be perfect. Thanks for sharing--and for the very nice giveaway.

And yes, libraries are wonderful (and often underappreciated) places.

sharonjo at gwtc dot net

Anna said... [Reply to comment]

the cake looks so scrumptious. cant wait to make it. thanks for the giveway!!!

thumpitythud@gmail.com

Bec said... [Reply to comment]

Yum . . . I'm so going to make this bundt. My daughter got her first library card a few weeks ago and was so excited. We moved to a new town and our first outings have been to get books and to go to story time. Hooray for libraries and librarians :)

S said... [Reply to comment]

The cake looks delicious! Can't wait to try this recipe.

Tiffany said... [Reply to comment]

That bundt sure looks good. I also have a librarian action figure doll.

Honey Bunny said... [Reply to comment]

Looks wonderful! Great site by the way! YUM

The Rx quilter said... [Reply to comment]

Yummy once again...I stumbled on your blog from Blue is Bleu and glad I did...thanks for the recipe and chance to win! Lisa in Texas

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

That cake looks awesome. I would love the book.
christysapp at hotmail dot com

Dianna said... [Reply to comment]

I love baking - can't wait to try the Espresso Bundt Cake :)

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

I'm so glad the librarian action figure is back - she's my favorite!! :)

Catie said... [Reply to comment]

Looks like it's time to dust off the bundt pan!

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

Wow! That bundt cake! wow! It looks delicious!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

can never have too many baking books!

kosherfoodies [at] gmail [dot] com

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Yay espresso bundt! I think this will be the thing to get me to finally stop being scared of my bundt pan...
Yay giveaway! :D

willitellu [at] gmail [dot] com

Ann said... [Reply to comment]

Wow, coffee and bundt cake is such an awesome combo. Delicious!!! thanks for hosting the giveaway!

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

gorgeous bundt! and the cookbook sounds awesome :)

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Looks like a great book... Love your recipes!
berkeleyjo (at) yahoo.com

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Hi Mary ~
Nancy Pearl ROCKS! Don't forget the action figure's incredible "shushing action"!
I found you through justJENN's rants & raves, and I love reading your blog - your photographs of the foods you bake/prepare are absolutely beautiful, by the way!
HAPPY NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK!

PAX, Lola (in Las Vegas)

mikamakesmischief[AT]gmail[DOT]com

Mikki said... [Reply to comment]

ooh looks great! love the shape of the bundt!

jpetroroy said... [Reply to comment]

Looks delicious. I'd love to have this.

jpetroroy at gmail dot com

Jill said... [Reply to comment]

Your bundts always amaze me...

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

Mmmmmmmm! Please enter me in the giveaway, and thank you!

Kitchen Runway said... [Reply to comment]

Love the last picture - how you positioned the hands on the book around the cake! Too cute!

eatgood4life.blogspot.com said... [Reply to comment]

I need to buy some espresso powder so that I can bake some goodies. I need to try to incorporate this marbalous ingredients at once :-)

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Love your blog!
Jennifer Buch
Youth Services Librarian
Ida Rupp Public Library
buchje@oplin.org

Mary said... [Reply to comment]

I love cake.

Aubrey Dunnuck said... [Reply to comment]

Yum, espresso! I just inherited a bundt pan from my Grandmother but haven't had the chance to use it. This recipe might be just the thing! auzy.rose @ gmail.com

DPLK said... [Reply to comment]

Oh yum, this book is on my Amazon wish list. If only I didn't have so many other wonderful bakery cookbooks still left to bake through! There seems to be a huge wave of bakery cookbooks hitting the shelves lately.

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

Again this looks delish!

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said... [Reply to comment]

I currently have Flour check out from my library and am anxious to see Sarabeth's Bakery Book too. I love bundt cakes since I'm really don't care for rich, thick frostings. This one sounds delicious!

Love your Librarian figure :)

ELW said... [Reply to comment]

I love your Nancy Pearl action figure. I have mine on my desk at work and she always makes me smile.

LizG said... [Reply to comment]

Lovely!

Hennifer said... [Reply to comment]

You are right, that crumb is beautiful! I don't do coffee in any form but I do love the bundt.

thanks again for all your fabulous food and library week giveaway!

Renee said... [Reply to comment]

I would love to win the cookbook. I will make these as muffins, so as to not have to use 2 whole sticks of butter. I know it all adds up the same but using THAT much butter in one recipe is hard for me to do.

Welcome to our crazy blessed life said... [Reply to comment]

Love that you started off with a bundt! :) And glad to see your librarian figure back in action. I actually just got home from the library myself!

catharine said... [Reply to comment]

Ooo, coffee flavor!

catharine.ellie [at] gmail.com

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

yay for libraries. looks delicious!

pajamachef (at) gmail.com

jeannette said... [Reply to comment]

This bundt looks heveanly! Can't go wrong with a crumb like that!

Jpinnick86 (at) gmail (dot) com

maria said... [Reply to comment]

I'm going to make this for Easter Brunch! Yum

cookingmama925 (at) gmail (dot) com

Jeanne said... [Reply to comment]

I certainly adore bundt cakes - I have several bundt pans and they're always popular cakes!
jburton1114 at gmail

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