A moist, fluffy coffee and walnut sponge topped with thick swirls of coffee buttercream and crunchy walnuts.
Ingredients
For the cake
175g walnuts, divided
175g softened unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
175g caster sugar
1 tbsp freshly brewed coffee, cooled
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
125g self-raising flour, sifted
For the buttercream
150g unsalted butter, softened
250g icing sugar, sifted
125g cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp freshly brewed coffee, cooled
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Butter two 20cm round sandwich tins and line with baking parchment.
Blitz 50g of the walnuts to a fine powder in a food processor. Separately chop 75g reserving the remaining 50g for garnish.
In a stand mixer (or in a bowl with a hand-held electric whisk), cream together the butter, sugar and coffee until very light and fluffy, about five minutes). Add the eggs, a little at a time, then the 50g ground walnuts. Gently fold in the flour and 50g of the chopped walnuts, being careful not to over-mix. Divide between the tins and bake for 20 minutes, or until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
To make the buttercream, in a stand mixer (or in a bowl with a hand-held electric whisk), beat the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the cream cheese, vanilla extract and coffee then beat again until smooth.
Use the buttercream to fill and cover the cake, then press the remaining chopped walnuts into the sides. Decorate the top with whole walnut halves and serve in thick slices.
Recipe by thelittleloaf at http://www.thelittleloaf.com/2016/10/10/coffee-walnut-cake/