Mocha Latte Cake with Chocolate Drops

Ingredients:
7 inch cake pan, 355 degrees

Coffee cake:

• 3 eggs, separate
• 90 grams sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 90 grams flour
• 30 grams butter
• 1 tbs instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tbs water

Coffee whipped cream:

• 2 tsp instant coffee melted in 1.5 tsp water
• 150 ml heavy cream
• 2 tbs powder sugar

Chocolate drop decoration:

• 1.5 - 2 squares of 60 - 70% chocolate (about 10 - 15 gram), melted

Preparation:
*Preheat the oven to 355ºF.
**Grease and flour a 7 inch pan

How to make chocolate drop decoration:

1. Microwave and melt chocolate for about 45- 50 seconds or longer.
2. Use a spoon and baking paper on a flat plate.
3. Scoop and drop a little amount of the melted chocolate onto the paper to make a drop shape and make 8 drops.
4. Put them in a freezer till you use them (by peeling them off the paper) to decorate the cake.

How to make coffee sponge cake:

1. Sift flour in a bowl.
2. Separate eggs and beat egg white to make meringue by adding a little salt first and sugar gradually (salt helps to form peaks). (Keep eggs chilled till right before making meringue to make it easier to form peaks)
3. Add egg yolk one by one well and vanilla extract. Beat at the lowest speed for about 3- 5 minutes to make a smooth sponge cake.
4. Add half the flour and coffee and mix well.
5. Add the rest of the flour and mix quickly with a spatula.
6. Pour batter evenly into the pan and bake at 355ºF for 23 - 25 minutes. When the edge of the cake and the center seem to be equally firm, it's ready. 
7. When the cake is cool, decorate it with the below coffee whipped cream and chocolate decorations.

Arigato - Thank you very much for your love and encouragement, Kuri-chan!

How to make coffee whipped cream:

• Dissolve coffee in water.
• Beat heavy cream until it starts to thicken a little bit.
• Add coffee into the cream and beat a little bit more before it forms soft peaks (careful not to beat too much).