COFFEE AND WALNUT CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

For the cake:

• 2 tbsp Instant coffee
• 2 tbsp Boiling water
• 350 g Butter or baking spread unsalted, softened
• 350 g Golden caster sugar or regular caster sugar
• 6 Eggs large
• 1 tsp Coffee extract optional
• 350 g Self raising flour
• 125 g Walnuts chopped

For the buttercream:

• 2 tbsp Instant coffee
• 2 tbsp Boiling water
• 225 g Butter unsalted, softened
• 450 g Icing sugar
• 1 tsp Coffee extract optional

For decoration:

• 75 g Walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For the cake, mix the instant coffee and boiling water together, set aside to cool fully.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4, and grease and line two 8″ cake tins (that are at least 2″ deep).
3. Make the sponge by mixing the butter (or baking spread) and golden caster sugar together in a mixing bowl until fluffy (around 3 minutes), ideally using an electric mixer.
4. Add the eggs and whisk until fully incorporated.
5. Add the coffee mixture, the coffee extract if using and the self raising flour. Whisk or fold them in gently.
6. Add the chopped walnuts and fold them in.
7. Divide the mixture between the tins, use scales for accuracy if you like.
8. Bake them for 35-40 minutes or until a thin skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave them to fully cool either in the tins or remove from the tin and place on cooling racks.
9. For the buttercream, mix the instant coffee and boiling water together, set aside to cool fully.
10. Make the buttercream by mixing together the softened butter, coffee extract if using, coffee and water mixture and icing sugar until smooth. You can do this by hand, but an electric whisk or stand mixer with paddle attachment will provide the best results. If the buttercream is too stiff, you can add a little milk.
11. Put one of the sponges on your plate or cake stand and pipe or spread some of the buttercream onto it.
12. Add the other sponge on top and pipe or spread the remaining buttercream on top.
13. Decorate with the walnuts, I put whole ones around the edge and chopped in the center, but you can decorate however you would like to.
14. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in a cool place for 3 days.

Notes:

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.