Vietnamese Coffee Bundt Cake ~ #BundtBakers

This Vietnamese Coffee Bundt Cake is the coffee and cream cake of your dreams. Vanilla and coffee batter 

perfectly swirled, with an out of this world tender, moist, and flavorful crumb.

Ever since one of my daughters did a university-sponsored trip to Vietnam it has become one of the places I would like to visit one day, although it would be quite the trek from here. The food, culture, and sights all sound amazing and I would be able to drink lots of Vietnamese coffee. As the the theme this month for Bundt Bakers is Caffeinated Bundts, I thought it would be fun to make a Vietnamese Coffee Bundt Cake.

Vietnamese coffee is known for its dark, intense flavor and the distinct process used to make it. The Phin is a small drip filter used to make Vietnamese coffee.  It looks a little like a metal measuring cup with small handles on each side, has small holes in the bottom of that allow the coffee to drip through, and a filter that is inserted to weigh down the coffee grounds.  Condensed milk is added to a small glass, the Phin is placed on top, hot water is poured in, and the coffee drips into the glass. The drip process is quite slow - it can take 3 to 5 minutes - and only generates a small amount of coffee, but that is all you need as it is very strong.  The addition of condensed milk balances out any bitterness in the coffee, and it can be served hot, iced, or shaken. Vietnam is probably not the first place that you think of with regards to coffee, but it was introduced there in the 1800's and has grown to be the second highest producing coffee country in the world. 

I wanted my bundt cake to resemble the flavors found in a glass of Vietnamese coffee, so I made a vanilla batter that was sweetened with condensed milk, and then took abut a third of the batter and added some espresso powder that had been dissolved in a small amount of hot water.  I then dropped scoops of vanilla batter and coffee batter and swirled them together.

This is probably one of my favorite cakes I have baked. The condensed milk not only adds a lovely rich flavor, but it also adds moisture which produces a beautiful tender crumb. It also ensures that the outside of the bundt cake is a lovely golden brown color. The addition of the coffee swirl is a lovely contrast to the sweetness of the condensed milk.  Every bite was just so ono!  I can't wait to make this again, and next time I am using coffee made the Vietnamese way in a Phin.

Vietnamese Coffee Bundt Cake
Printer Friendly Recipe

Ingredients

• 285g (10 oz) unsalted butter
• 140g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 240g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 8g (2 teaspoons) baking powder.
• 1 x 396g (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 5ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
• 30g (2 tablespoons) espresso powder

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). 
2. Spray bundt pan generously with baking spray ; set aside.
3. Mix the 2 espresso powder with just enough hot water to dissolve it; set aside and allow to cool.
4. Cream together the butter and sugar at high speed in a stand mixture until it is fluffy and starting to look white, about 5 minutes. 
5. Add the condensed milk and mix until combined.
6. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well between each addition.
7. Sift in the flour and baking powder into the batter and mix until just combined.
8. Add the vanilla extract and mix for about 1 minute.
9. Remove ⅓ of the batter and place in a separate bowl, and add the cooled espresso mixture to it and stir until the coffee is fully mixed in.
10. Drop a scoop of vanilla batter into the bundt pan and top with a scoop of espresso batter, repeat alternating batters.
11. Continue to drop the scoops of batter on top of each other, do not stir.
12. Gently tap the pan a few times to level out the batter.
13. Bake for approximately 45–50minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
14. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan before transferring it to a wire rack to completely cool.

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.

Our theme for February is Caffeinated Bundts  - and who couldn't use a little caffeine pick me up these days? Mahalo nui loa to our host this month, Rebekah, from Making Miracles.

And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month ~

• 7 Up Bundtlets by Sweet Sensations
• Caramel Macchiato Mini Bundts by Magical Ingredients
• Coca-Cola Bundt Cake by Food Lust People Love
• Coffee and Baileys Individual Bundts by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Coffee Chocolate Bundt Cake by Making Miracles
• Dirty Chai Mini Bundts by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Espresso Chocolate Bundt Cake by Patyco Candybar
• Ginger & Lemon Green Tea Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze by Patty's Cake
• Marble Coffee Bundt by Sneha's Recipe
• Vietnamese Coffee Bundt Cake by All That's Left Are The Crumbs