This is not a hit you in the face strong coffee and walnut cake, the coffee offsets the sweetness and the buttery sweetness keeps mellow. If you do not make cakes very often or not at all, this one is easy and anyone can do it. The cake looks complicated but that is the beauty because it really is easy to make
Tip: Do not be worried if the two sponge layers look thin, they are meant to be like this because the coffee and walnut cake gets it height from the layers of icing, so it all looks right in the end.
This coffee and walnut cake is all about old-fashioned, homespun charm, so don’t worry if it looks a bit messy, it is meant to look home baked not bought in Sainsbury’s.
Coffee and Walnut Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- Butter for pans
- ½ cup (60 grams) walnut pieces
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (245 grams) sugar
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 ⅔ cups (230 grams) flour
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk at room temperature, more as needed
- 1 tablespoon (3 grams) instant coffee dissolved in 1 tbl boiling water
Icing
- 2 ½ cups (300 grams) sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (3 grams) instant coffee dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water
- ¼ cup walnut halves, for decoration
Method
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Butter two 8-inch cake pans, and line base of each with greaseproof paper.
- In a food processor, combine 1/2 cup walnut pieces and sugar. Process to a fine powder. Add butter, flour, baking powder, salt and eggs. Process to a smooth batter.
- Add 2 tablespoons milk to coffee mixture and pour this down feed tube with motor running. Mixture should be just soft enough to drop from a spoon; if not, add more milk.
- Divide cake batter between two pans.
- Bake until risen and springy to touch, about 25 minutes.
- Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and place on rack. Remove greaseproof paper and allow to cool completely.
- You may want to level them if they domed in the oven.
Icing
- Place sugar and salt in food processor and pulse until lump-free.
- Add butter and process until smooth.
- Add coffee mixture down feed tube and pulse until well blended.
- Place one cake upside down on a plate or cake stand and spread about half the icing onto it.
- Place second cake right side up on icing, and cover top and sides in a swirly pattern.
- Place a walnut half in center of cake, and gently press remaining halves into top of cake, around the edge.
Tip: If you want to fully cover the sides of the coffee and walnut cake with icing, make a double batch and you should have plenty.
If you want more coffee drinks recipes and deserts recipes please take a look at our coffee recipes page page. I am sure you will find some great things to try. Enjoy!