Coffee and walnut cake
The sweet fluffiness of the classic coffee and walnut is great for teatime – taking one bite will make you feel like you’re floating on cloud nine.
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoon instant coffee
- 100 grams walnut halves
- 225 grams butter, at room temperature
- 225 grams soft, light-brown sugar
- 4 eggs, beaten together
- 225 grams plain flour
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Milk, optional
For the icing
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee
- 165 grams butter, at room temperature
- 425 grams icing sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoon double cream
Method:
1. Mix the coffee with one tablespoon of boiling water, and then leave to cool.
2. Meanwhile, toast the walnut in a dry pan until they smell toasted and nutty, then set a quarter of them aside and roughly chop the remainder.
3. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and grease and line two can tins.
4. Beat the butter and sugar together until really light and fluffy.
5. With the mixer still running, pour in the egg mix very gradually, scraping down the sides of the mixer as necessary. Once mixed in, sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, and gently fold in with a large metal spoon, adding the coffee and chopped walnuts as you go.
6. The batter should fall from a spoon; if not, add a little milk to loosen it. Divide mixture between the two tins, and bake for about 25 minutes until well risen. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tins, and then put on a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Once the cakes have cooled, make the icing. Mix two tablespoons of coffee with one tablespoon on boiling water and let cool.
8. Beat the butter until soft, then sift in the sugar and salt and add the cooled coffee and cream. Stir together until evenly combined.
9. Top one cake with a little less than half the icing, spreading it more thickly in a ring around the edge, and then place the other cake on top. Spoon the remaining icing on the top, and arrange the walnuts in a pleasing pattern.