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Mokkapalat
Chocolate coffee squares
Finnish chocolate-coffee squares with mocha icing and sprinkles
Mokkapalat ('mocha pieces') are what Finnish parents bake on the big oven tray for a child's birthday, a school bake sale or a summer cottage weekend: soft chocolate sponge squares with a thin, glossy coffee-cocoa icing and a shower of coloured sprinkles. The coffee is gentle and only deepens the chocolate, so children love them, and you can use decaf. They are moist enough to keep three days in a tin and freeze well. Icing the cake while it is hot is the classic mistake; it soaks in and goes dull, so wait until it is just warm. Chef's tip: add the icing liquid a spoonful at a time; it should spread like thick paint and set with a shine.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the cake
- 3 eggs
- 9 oz caster sugar
- 5 ½ oz buttermelted
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup strong coffeecooled, decaf if you like
- 11 ½ oz plain flour
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the icing
- 10 ½ oz icing sugar
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 oz buttermelted
- 4 tbsp strong coffeehot
To finish
- 2 tbsp coloured sugar sprinkles
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Line a 30 × 40 cm baking tray with paper.
Step 2: Whisk 3 eggs and 9 oz caster sugar for 4–5 minutes, until light and foamy.
5 minStep 3: Whisk in 5 ½ oz butter, ¾ cup milk, ½ cup strong coffee and 2 tsp vanilla extract.
Step 4: Sift in 11 ½ oz plain flour, 3 tbsp cocoa powder and 2 tsp baking powder and whisk briefly until smooth.
Step 5: Pour onto the tray and spread evenly. Bake for 15–18 minutes, until the cake springs back when pressed and a skewer comes out clean.
17 minStep 6: Cool for 15 minutes, until just warm.
15 minStep 7: Mix 10 ½ oz icing sugar, 2 tbsp cocoa powder and 1 oz butter, then add 4 tbsp strong coffee a spoonful at a time to make a thick, glossy icing.
Step 8: Spread the icing over the cake and scatter 2 tbsp coloured sugar sprinkles over at once, before it sets. Leave 30 minutes, then cut into 24 squares.
30 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mokkapalat take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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