My coffee and walnut cake

Prep time: 45 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves 8 Pictured previous page

Basically my mum’s, with the coffee dialled up quite a few notches.

INGREDIENTS For the sponge

– 2 tbsp instant coffee – 120g walnut halves – 225g butter, at room

temperature

– 225g soft light-brown

sugar

– 4 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

– 225g plain flour

– 3 tsp baking powder – milk, if needed

For the buttercream

– 90g unsalted butter, at

room temperature – 175g icing sugar, sifted – 2 tsp instant coffee

For the icing

– 2 tsp instant coffee – 40g butter, melted – 200g icing sugar, sifted

METHOD

For the sponge, mix the coffee with a tablespoon of boiling water, then leave to cool.

Toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan until they smell toasted. Roughly chop and set a quarter aside (for decoration).

Heat the oven to 170C / 160C fan/gas mark 3½. Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and line the bases.

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. With the mixer running, pour in the eggs very gradually. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when you need to. Sift the flour, baking powder and a quarter of a teaspoon of salt together, and gently fold in with a large metal spoon, adding the coffee and the walnuts as you go. The batter should fall, reluctantly, from a spoon; if it doesn’t, add a little milk to loosen it.

Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 25 minutes, or until well risen. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tins, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.

Beat the butter for the buttercream until soft and pale. Add the sugar and beat until smooth. Dissolve the coffee in a tablespoon of boiling water. Allow to cool then gradually add it to the buttercream, beating all the time.

For the icing, mix the coffee with two tablespoons of boiling water and leave to cool. Pour into a bowl with the butter and stir in the sugar. Keep stirring until you have a smooth mixture. Leave to get a bit firm before using.

Carefully remove the paper from the sponges. Put one – with the side that was exposed during baking on the bottom – on a cake stand or serving plate. Using a palette knife, spread the buttercream on top.

Put the other sponge – with the side that was exposed during baking uppermost – on top. Clean your palette knife and spread the coffee icing on top. It’s fine if it drips down the sides, but don’t use any more than you need. Leave to set a little then sprinkle the reserved walnuts round the perimeter of the cake, creating a ring 1-1.5cm deep.