Traditional coffee and walnut cake

There’s no need to settle for anything less than the best when it comes to a traditional coffee and walnut cake! This dish has long been a crowd favourite thanks to its delicious flavours and lighter taste. While the layer cake might look extravagant, it’s not difficult to whip it up – with the hardest part simply finding the right consistency for both the icing and the cake base. Have fun decorating the top of the cake with icing and walnuts and serve it up to a crowd of hungry guests. Yum!

Ingredients

• 50g walnut pieces
• 225g caster sugar
• 225g soft unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 200g plain flour
• 4 tsp instant espresso powder
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
  Icing
• 350g icing sugar
• 175g soft unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• Walnut halves, to decorate

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line base of 2 x 20cm tins with baking paper. Add walnut pieces and sugar to bowl of food processor. Process until texture is a fine powder. Add butter, flour, espresso powder, baking powder, bicarb and eggs. Process to combine or until mixture is a smooth batter. Pour milk down funnel while motor is still running to loosen the cake mixture until it’s a soft, dropping consistency.
2. Divide mixture between 2 tins. Bake for 25 minutes, or until sponge has risen and springs back when touched. Cool cakes in tins on wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack. Peel off baking paper.
3. Meanwhile, for icing, pulse icing sugar in food processor until lump free. Add butter. Process until smooth. Dissolve instant espresso powder in 1 tablespoon boiling water. While still hot, add to processor. Pulse to blend into buttercream.
4. Place 1 sponge upside down on serving plate. Spread half the icing over top. Place on top second sponge to sandwich cream in centre. Cover top with remaining icing. Press walnut halves into top of icing. Serve.