Get ready to dive into a flavour explosion with my Coffee and Walnut Cake! I’ve whipped up a delightful mix of rich coffee, nutty walnuts, and layers of soft, moist coffee cake. Each bite is generously coated in a coffee-flavored buttercream that takes this cake to a whole new level of yum. It’s like a cozy coffee shop experience, but right at home – and better (so I’m told). So, whether I’m celebrating a special occasion or just treating myself, this cake is my go-to for a slice of deliciousness.
Ingredients
- 50g walnut pieces
- 4 tsps instant coffee powder
- 4 large eggs
- 225g caster sugar
- 225g soft unsalted butter (you’ll need a little bit more for greasing the tins)
- 200g plain flour
- 2.5 tsps baking powder
- half a tsp teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 or 2 tbsp milk
Coffee Buttercream Ingredients
- 350g icing sugar
- 175g soft unsalted butter
- 2.5 tsps instant coffee powder mixed in 1 tbsp boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas Mark 4)
- Prepare two 20cm (8-inch) cake sandwich tins by greasing the bottom and sides, and then lining the bottoms with a circle of baking paper.
- Blitz the walnuts and sugar until you have a fine nutty powder. Pop them in the bowl you’ll be using to mix together your batter.
- Add the butter, flour, 4 teaspoons of coffee powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and eggs. Mix in a counter top mixer until it forms a smooth batter.
- Gradually add the milk with the mixer running until you have a soft, dropping consistency. Add more milk if needed if the mixture is a bit too thick.
- Divide the batter between the two tins and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until the sponges rise and bounce back when touched. It’s important that the oven isn’t too hot, otherwise the cakes will resemble large Yorkshire puddings – which isn’t what we’re aiming for in this instance.
- Let the cakes cool in the tins for about 10 minutes, then remove them from the tins and peel off the parchment.
- Once the sponges are cool, it’s buttercream time. Sift that icing sugar and beat it into the butter until it’s all smooth. Then stir in the hot coffee. It’s easier to use a mixer to combine, but if you don’t have one, a hand whisk or a wooden spoon works.
- Place one cake upside down on your fancy cake stand. Slather about half of the icing on it. Plop the second cake right side up on the first, and slap on the remaining icing in a laid-back, swirly pattern. It doesn’t have to be neat, it’s homemade after all!
- Stick walnut halves into the icing around the edge of the cake to decorate. Dig in and enjoy.
Notes
For the coffee powder, NESCAFÉ AZERA Americano (the tins with the orange lid), as I felt the powdered coffee was fine enough to be mixed into the batter.
