Baking · serves 2

Coffee Walnut Cake

Bitter coffee against sweet buttercream. The most grown-up cake here.

60 min Some work Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups maida
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 170g soft butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  • Buttercream: 150g butter, 2 cups icing sugar, 1 tbsp coffee

Method

  1. Dissolve the coffee in the smallest possible amount of hot water. Extra liquid makes the crumb heavy.
  2. Cream butter and sugar pale, eggs one at a time, then the coffee.
  3. Fold in flour, baking powder and most of the walnuts.
  4. 180°C for 35 minutes.
  5. Buttercream: beat the butter alone for 5 minutes until almost white, then add icing sugar gradually, then coffee.
  6. Cool completely before frosting. Remaining walnuts on top.

Questions people ask about Coffee Walnut Cake

How long does Coffee Walnut Cake take?

About 60 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is a bit of work. A good part of that is unattended, so you can get on with something else once it is going.

What can I use instead of maida in Coffee Walnut Cake?

Use plain atta for a denser, nuttier result, or a 50/50 mix if you want to keep some lift.

Can I make Coffee Walnut Cake ahead of time?

You can prepare it a few hours ahead and reheat gently. It keeps two days in the fridge, though it is best on the day.

Is Coffee Walnut Cake vegetarian?

Yes, it is vegetarian. It is not vegan as written because it contains dairy; swap the dairy for a plant alternative and the rest of the method is unchanged.

Do I need an oven for Coffee Walnut Cake?

Yes, this one needs an oven. If you do not have one, look at the no-oven filter on the baking page: eleven of the bakes here are built for a cooker, a pan or the fridge.

What do you serve with Coffee Walnut Cake?

On its own, warm, with tea or coffee. Baking is chemistry, so scale it by weight rather than by eye: double every quantity, use a tin with roughly double the area, and expect to add ten minutes or so. Judge it by the skewer, not the clock.

Don't know what to cook? Let it decide →

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