A tea time classic. Coffee and Walnut Cake

'Coffee and Walnut cake'

This is a real teatime classic.
A cake my Mum used to make lots when I was a child and charmingly I would turn my nose up at it because I didn't like coffee. I had no problem with picking the walnuts off the top and eating them whilst nobody was looking though!

It is a delicious cake with a very subtle flavour and perfect with a cup of tea or coffee!

I use exactly the same recipe she has always followed, I haven't changed a thing. It is a simple 'all in one' sponge method and really doesn't require much effort, but always pleases!

It was a favourite of my grandparents and sadly, they both passed away recently, so making this cake always makes me think of them.

Ingredients:

6oz Self raising flour
6oz stork baking margarine or soft unsalted butter
6oz caster sugar
3 medium free range eggs
1 level tsp baking powder

100ml hot water with 4 tsp instant coffee powder

8oz icing sugar
3oz soft unsalted butter/margarine.
100g walnut halves or pieces to decorate. I say 100g because that is how many you get in a small bag. But you don't need to use that many. I would say half a bag is plenty.


Method:

• Pre heat oven to 160c (fan)

• Line two sandwich tins with greaseproof paper. Or *cheat buy pre cut out circle. Pound land have now introduced them to their Twickenham branch. £1 very well spent!

• Boil the kettle. Fill a measuring jug with 100ml hot water. Add 4 tsp instant coffee and stir. Leave this to cool whilst you mix your sponge.

• This is yet another all in one sponge. 'Minimal effort' all the way. So finding a large roomy mixing bowl. Weigh the flour and sieve into the bowl. Weigh out the sugar and butter and add to bowl. Break in the eggs and the tsp of baking powder and mix.

• Then pour in approx half (or 2 tbsp) of the coffee mix. (you will need the rest for the icing)

• Mix well it will only alter the colour slightly (see below) and then equally divide the mix into the two sandwich tins. Bake in oven for 20 mins.

Whilst the cake is in the oven prepare the icing:

Measure out the icing sugar and (soft) butter and mix slowly together in a bowl together with a tbsp remaining coffee (keep the rest just in case you want to make the flavour stronger) 

Put the bowl of butter icing in the fridge to firm up. 

*please note - if you ended up using more of the coffee, the liquid will make the buttercream more runny. So add a little extra icing sugar to compensate.

Once sponge is cool. Sandwich the two cakes together with the butter icing. 

Save half to spread on the top of the cake then decorate how you choose with walnuts. 

I like to also dust the top with cocoa powder. 

Put the kettle on and enjoy! :-)