This easy Coffee Walnut Cake is made in a traybake tin using a normal butter sponge cake recipe. Rich coffee and chopped walnuts lend a sophisticated flavour to this traditional British dessert. Then it is topped with a coffee flavoured icing and decorated with more chopped walnuts, making this the perfect sweet for your morning break.
3level tablespoons of instant coffee powderThis gives the cake a strong coffee taste. Use 2 tablespoons for a milder coffee flavour.
200gbutter softened
200gsoft light brown sugar
4medium eggs
200gself raising flour
½teaspoonsvanilla extract
50gwalnuts roughly chopped
For the Coffee Icing Topping
150gicing sugar sieved
1tablespooninstant Coffee Powder
1tablespoon+ more pre boiled Hot water
50gramswalnuts roughly chopped
Instructions
Make the cake
Preheat the oven to 180deg conventional or 160deg fan assisted. Grease and line the base of a shallow 29cm x 19 cm oblong tin or similar. At least 2cm/1inch deep.
Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the eggs one at a time. Adding a little flour in between each one. This will help prevent too much curdling.
Mix until well combined.
Add the remaining flour, instant coffee powder, chopped walnuts and vanilla extract. Mix together until well combined.
Pour the cake mixture evenly into the prepared tin. Bake for 20-25 mins or until baked. Testing the centre of the cake, in different areas, with a skewer until it comes out clean.
Leave in the tin to cool for about 10 mins, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Or you can leave it in the tin to cool completely before adding the coffee icing.
Make the Coffee Icing Topping
Mix the icing sugar and instant coffee powder together. Beginning with 1 tablespoon of preboiled hot water. Start to mix the icing sugar and coffee powder until you have a thick spreading consistency. Adding more water as needed.
When your cake has cooled completely, spread the coffee icing evenly over your cake.
Before the icing sets. Decorate with a scattering of walnuts.
Notes
This cake will keep in an airtight container for a couple of days.
Reduce the amount of coffee powder for a milder flavour.
Decorate with the chopped walnuts before the coffee icing sets.
If you are sensitive to caffeine, use decaffeinated coffee/espresso powder