"Irish Coffee" Cake

------------------------------------CAKE------------------------------------ 4 oz Butter, at room temperature

4 oz Granulated sugar

2 Eggs

4 oz Self-raising flour

2 T Coffee essence**

-----------------------------IRISH COFFEE SYRUP----------------------------- 150 ml Strong black coffee

4 oz Sugar (for coffee syrup)

4 T Irish whiskey

-----------------------------------ICING----------------------------------- 150 ml Heavy whipping cream

Confectioners`sugar to taste 1 T Whiskey, or to taste

Chopped nuts* *Or grated chocolate. **This is a concentrated, liquid coffee easily found in Ireland, but probably not in the States. I would dissolve 2 T of a good instant coffee (Taster`s Choice or something similar) in an equivalent amount of water, and use that. -- Grease and flour an 8-inch cake pan (preferably a springform cheesecake pan). Preheat oven to 350F. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, adding a little flour and beating well after each addition. Stir in the coffee essence, and mix thoroughly. Turn the mixture into the prepared pan, and bake for 35-40 minutes until springy to the touch. Turn out and cool on a wire rack. . To make the Irish coffee syrup, put the coffee and sugar into a small pan and bring up to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Then boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add the whiskey. . Wash and dry the pan the cake was baked in, and return the cooled cake to it: then pour the hot coffee syrup all over it. Leave in a cool place for several hours, then turn out. Whip the cream until it`s thick, sweeten slightly with confectioners` sugar, and add whiskey to taste. Spread the cake with the whipped cream and chill for an hour before sprinkling with chopped nuts or grated chocolate. -----