Coffee and Walnut Cake

This delicious Coffee and Walnut Cake has two soft and fluffy sponge layers, flavoured with coffee and studded with crunchy walnuts! It's paired with a smooth and creamy coffee buttercream and finished with a simple walnut decoration. This homely and comforting recipe is an all-time classic and couldn't be easier to make! Enjoy a slice of the gorgeous cake with a hot cup of tea (or coffee!).

4.89 from 9 votes

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 35

Total Time 1 5

Course Dessert

Cuisine Baking

Servings

Ingredients

For the coffee and walnuts cakes:

300 g Margarine or unsalted butter if using margarine use it cold straight from the fridge. If using butter, make sure it's at room temperature
300 g Golden caster sugar or white caster sugar
3 large Eggs or 4 medium eggs, at room temperature
300 g Self-raising flour
2 tbsp Instant espresso powder or instant coffee granules
100 g Walnuts roughly chopped

For the coffee buttercream:

250 g Salted butter soft at room temperature
500 g Icing sugar
2 tbsp Instant espresso powder or instant coffee granules

For the decoration:

10 Walnut halves

Instructions

Start by making the coffee and walnut cakes

First dissolve the coffee in 3 tablespoons boiling water. Stir to combine and then place in the fridge to cool.
Preheat oven to 180°C fan / 200°C conventional. Lightly grease two 20cm round cake tins with butter and line the base with greaseproof paper.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the margarine and golden caster sugar until light and fluffy.
300 g Margarine or unsalted butter, 300 g Golden caster sugar
Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
3 large Eggs
Gently fold in the flour until the cake mixture is smooth.
300 g Self-raising flour
Add the cooled coffee and chopped walnuts. Fold until mixed through.
2 tbsp Instant espresso powder or instant coffee granules, 100 g Walnuts
Divide the mixture evenly between the cake tins. Bake for 30-35 minutes until risen, golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Leave to cool for 15 minutes in the baking tin, before turning out onto a wire rack and cooling completely.

Make the coffee buttercream

First dissolve the coffee in 2 tablespoons boiling water. Stir to combine and then place in the fridge to cool.
2 tbsp Instant espresso powder or instant coffee granules
Beat the butter until really soft, smooth and fluffy.
250 g Salted butter
Sift in the icing sugar and beat until smooth and combined.
500 g Icing sugar
Add the cooled coffee and use a spatula to fold the coffee buttercream together until combined.

Assemble the cake

Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand or plate. If the cake is domed on top, use a sharp knife to level it off so it's flat.
Spread half of the coffee buttercream on top into an even layer.
Place the second coffee cake on top and lightly press down to sandwich the sponge layers together.
Spread the remaining buttercream on top. Finish by placing the walnut halves around the outside edge. Slice and enjoy!
10 Walnut halves

Notes

Store you coffee and walnut cake in a baking tin at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Keyword Coffee, coffee buttercream, coffee cake, Walnuts

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