Coffee and Walnut Cake Recipe

Is there anything that goes much better with a cup of coffee than a slice of fluffy coffee and walnut cake? Enjoy making this recipe for a classic coffee and walnut cake that is topped and filled with delicious buttercream icing infused with espresso. It’s simple to make, and doesn’t require too many ingredients that you don’t have knocking around in the pantry or kitchen cupboard. Get the kettle on and let’s get stuck in to making this delicious coffee and walnut cake. It’s a perfect self isolation activity to keep you occupied while indoors.

Coffee and Walnut Cake: Ingredients

Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need to make a coffee and walnut cake:

For the coffee and walnut cake sponge

• 50g walnut halves
• 225g caster sugar
• 225g soft unsalted butter (as well as a little extra for greasing cake tins)
• 200g plain flour
• 2 shots espresso (L’Or Ristretto capsules work well, but go with your taste)
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tbsp milk

For the buttercream icing

• 350g icing sugar
• 175g unsalted butter (leave it out at room temperature)
• 1 shot espresso
• walnut halves (to decorate)

Coffee and Walnut Cake: Method

Follow these simple steps to make the coffee and walnut cake:

• Preheat the oven for the cakes to 180°C/160°C fan oven/gas mark 4.
• Grease two 20cm sandwich tins with some unsalted butter, and then line each of them with greaseproof paper.
• Either grab a food processor and blitz together the walnuts and sugar, or by hand mix to produce a nutty powder that’s fine.
• To the mix, add in the butter, flour, espresso shot, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and eggs. Blend together to create a smooth and creamy batter.
• Add in the milk slowly – it will help to loosen the cake batter. Once you’ve finished adding the ingredients, it should have a soft and runny consistency.
• Split the mixture evenly between the two lined sandwich tins. Bake for 25 minutes. When finished baking, the sponge should have risen, and will be springy when pressed.
• Allow the cakes to cool off on a wire rack for around 30 minutes. Once cool, turn them over and peel off the greaseproof paper.
• It’s now time to work on creating the buttercream – add the icing sugar into a bowl and add the butter. Blend or use a food processor to create a smooth buttercream icing.
• Once the consistency’s there, add in the espresso shot for flavour and mix.
• Spread half of the buttercream icing onto the top of one of the sponges. Place this sponge on top of the other sponge, so that both flat sides meet and the cake remains even.
• Cover the top of the cake with the remaining buttercream icing, and ensure to whirl the top. Then, arrange the walnut halves on top of the icing all around the cake.
• Cut a slice and enjoy! The cake is best enjoyed within two days.

Enjoyed this recipe? Take a look at the recipe for my classic Victoria sponge cake.

That’s my coffee and walnut cake recipe. Let me know if you give it a try – I’d love to see how yours looks!