Coffee and Walnut Cake

When it comes to baking something a little outside my comfort zone – I’m gonna be honest, I kind of freak out a little.

I think with baking, it can be super easy to stick with your strengths and signature bakes, baking is a science – and there’s nothing worse than getting in a flurry of flour and icing sugar, only to find out your batch of almond slices have gone flatter than Elle Macpherson’s abs.

But sometimes it’s good to push your boundaries and live life on the edge a little bit! This is exactly why I’ll be showing you how to bake a scrummy Coffee and Walnut cake. 

Now you might be thinking – “But Frankie, why is that so daring? It sounds so simple and delicious!” 

Well, be that as it may, my Achilles’ heel in baking is that – I find it pretty hard to create things which I have no desire to eat; now I know that sounds a little selfish, and I really want to enjoy Coffee and Walnut cake and Banana Bread, but I'm a classic kinda gal and find it hard to stray from the perfect Madeira sponge - but no more! I'm pushing the boundaries and exploring new ventures in the form of delicious baked treats.

So, enough chatting, I’m gonna get on with this recipe now – so read on, get your apron out and enjoy.

Ingredients

Base

• 4oz soft butter or baking spread
• 4oz caster sugar
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 4oz self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2oz chopped walnuts
• 1 tbsp coffee essence

Frosting

• 3oz butter, 
• 8oz icing sugar
• 2 tsp milk
• 2 tsp coffee essence
• 8 walnut halves

Method

My favourite recipes are always those which are the most simple – and this coffee and walnut cake is no exception.

So the first things you’re gonna do, is preheat your oven on 180° and grease/line a loaf tin.

Next up you’re going throw ALL the base ingredients into a bowl and mix until you got guns to rival Arnold Schwarzenegger circa 1975 (or until the ingredients are combined into a smooth batter...whichever comes first!)

 Now you’re going to drop the batter into your greases cake tins and pop them in the oven for around 20-25 minutes, check they’ve cooked all the way through by sticking a knife in it – if it comes out clean you’re good to go!

Leave to stand for 5 mins and while it’s cooling on a wire rack – you can get started on the frosting!

Okay so beat the butter and gradually add the icing sugar, once that’s combined add in the milk and coffee and whisk until smooth.

Once that’s done, and your cake base is cooled, transfer your cake over to a plate and load your frosting into an icing bag, (no need for a nozzle, we're gonna go abstract!) Now you're going to spread your icing from the bag in a zig-zag fashion; due to the consistency of the frosting it's going to ooze down the sides of the cake, that's exactly what you want!

The finishing touch is walnut halves delicately placed along the centre of your cake, and would ya believe it? You're done!

So well done you! You made it! Now you can enjoy your scrummy cake with a big glass o’ milk or beverage of choice – I hope you’ve enjoyed this recipe and despite me not even liking it, I’ve already devoured 2 slabs! Whodda thunk it.

See you next time, au reviour!  x