A recipe for a delicious and moist coffee and walnut cake by our friend Stefan Moody.
Ingredients for the sponge mix (2 x 20cm tin)- 150ml cool down espresso coffee
- 4 medium-sized free range eggs
- 200g organic self-raising flour
- 200g unsalted cultured butter
- 200g godlen caster sugar
- 100g finely ground walnuts
- 100g roughly chopped walnuts
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1tsp vanilla extract
For the buttercream
- 75g unsalted butter
- 1tbsp milk
- 2tbsp espresso (leftover from sponge mix)
- 125g icing sugar
Icing
- 250g sifted icing sugar
- espresso coffee
Preheat oven to 170C. Grease 2 x 20cm round cake tins and line with baking parchment.
Beat the butter and caster sugar together. Gradually whisk in the eggs. (Add tbsp flour 1/2 way through to help stop the mix split). Mix in the flour in a couple of loads.
Add baking powder, pinch of salt and all walnuts. Mix in 50ml espresso coffee, 1tsp vanilla extract to loosen the mix.
Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 25 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch. Remove the cakes from the tins and leave to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
For the filling:
Beat by hand 75g soft un-salted butter, 1tbsp milk and 2tbsp espresso with 125g sifted icing sugar (golden icing sugar is good).
Add 2tbspn espresso and another 125g sifted icing sugar. Beat till smooth and into fridge till firm enough to spread but not solid! Slice the top off one sponge (munch this immediately with any extra filling or icing), fill and other sponge on top.
For the icing:
250g sifted icing sugar with just enough espresso to make it pour-able.
NOTE: even 1tsp too much can make it too runny so go slowly.
Pour over the cake and allow to dribble down the sides. Decorate with walnut halves. Leave for the icing to firm up.
DON'T store in the fridge as this ruins the sponge.
If the cake last for more than 24 hours you're not eating enough cake! :-)
