Coffee and Walnut Cake - The Recipe

 

A classic coffee and walnut cake recipe with a buttery yet light sponge and a rich coffee flavoured icing...

I am not usually one to indulge in a coffee cake, I would rather have a chocolate fudge cake any day but whilst looking for something to bake yesterday I laid my eyes on this wonderful recipe in the Great British Bake Off cookery book. It just looked so damn tasty! And if I am honest it was one of the few recipes I actually had the ingredients for, lazy I know, anyway I wanted to share this with you as it is easy to follow and really quick to make.

For the sponge you will need -

175g unsalted soft butter

175g caster sugar

3 medium eggs

75g chopped walnuts

175g self raising flour

1/4 teaspoon of baking powder

1 tablespoon of instant coffee dissolved into 1 tablespoon of hot water

For the filling and topping you will need -

125g unsalted butter

300g icing sugar

3 tablespoons of instant coffee dissolved into 2 tablespoons of hot water

4 tablespoons of double cream

25g chopped walnuts for decoration

First start by pre-heating the oven to 180 C and line two eight inch cakes tins. Put the softened butter and sugar into a bowl and beat until light and creamy, gradually add in the eggs one at a time beating well after each one is added. Add the nuts, sifted flour and baking powder followed by the disolved coffee, carefully fold all ingrediants together until thoroughly combined. Divide the mixture between the two tins and spread evenly. Bake for 20-25mins until golden and the sponge springs back when lightly pressed. Once out of the oven run a round bladed knife around the egde of the cake to loosen and then turn out onto a wire cooling rack, leave cakes to cool completely.

To make the filling and topping heat the butter in a small non stick metal pan until it starts to bubble, sift the icing sugar into a large heatproof bowl and pour over the butter followed by the disolved coffee and cream, beat well using a large wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth, leave until thick enough to spead. You may need to chill the mixture in the fridge for ten minutes or so. Once almost set spread onto the bottom layer of the cake and then place the second sponge layer on top, put the rest of the mixture onto the top of the cake and spread using a spatula, run a knife around the top to create a swirled pattern and then decorate with the chopped walnuts.

The recipe says the cake should last four days so it is a  great one to prepare one or two days before having guests round, although it didn't even last a day in my house! Let me know if you try this!

Death By Chocolate

When it is drizzling outside and your all snuggled up in doors with the heating on, this is the perfect time to do a little bit of baking. After watching the latest series of the Great British Bake Off I felt so inspired I purchased the GBBO recipe book which is full of naughty treats, one of which is the 'Death by Chocolate' cake, I mean how could I resist with a name like that? So after roping in Luca and making a quick ingredient stop at tescos we got started...

'Death by Chocolate'
You will need an electric whisk. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line a 22cm cake tin.
Ingredients for the sponge:
300g dark chocolate
150g unslated butter, diced
5 medium free range eggs, at room tempurature
half a teaspoon of vanilla extract
100g caster sugar
Ingredients for the topping
200g dark chocolate
100ml double cream
Decorations (we used white and milk chocolate buttons)

Over a pan of simmering water place a heat proof bowl and melt your butter and chocolate together, once melted start to whisk the five eggs and the sugar in a large mixing bowl, this will take about five minutes, it will double in volume and go a very pale yellow, when you lift the whisk out it should form ribbons that are visible for five seconds. Next slowly pour your melted chocolate into the bowl with the beaten sugar and eggs, fold the chocolate in gently, take your time mixing the two, the chocolate can settle at the bottom of the bowl. Once combined place in your greased and lined cake tin and pop into the oven for around 35-45 minutes. Unlike a normal cake you don't stick a skewer into the centre to see if it is ready, the cake needs to come out before it is cooked all the way through as it continues cooking out of the oven, I left mine in for 45 minutes and found  it to be perfect but you may need to take it out a little earlier depending on your oven. The recipe also mentions the cake will rise a lot in the oven and then sink whilst cooling so no need to worry. When ready take out of the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool and sink. Once cool turn upside down as the flat side will be easier to ice. To make the icing, over a pan of simmering water place the chocolate and cream into a heatproof bowl and half melt. Then take off the heat and mix until thick and glossy. Now you can take the mixture and cover your cake then decorate. The topping will need to set so leave for a few hours before devouring if you can.

Would love to know if you try this!