Easy Coffee and Walnut Cake Recipe

At a local cafe, which does amazing baked goods, I’ve had some very good coffee and walnut cake, but some can be a bit too rich. A bit much. Hence this easy coffee and walnut cake recipe that isn’t overly strong. Despite having a sweet tooth, I often find that I’m trying to tone down the sweetness of many cake recipes. Including the typical classic coffee cake recipe.

Cupcakes are a particular case in point, as the icing to cake ratio is often far too high for my tastes. Happily, my mother-in-law had already nailed (and made) the best coffee and walnut cake recipe – the photo is of one she made. She uses unsalted butter; I use baking margarine, so take your pick. We both use self-raising flour, so there’s no need to add baking powder to achieve a light, fluffy sponge.

Why is this the best coffee and walnut cake recipe in the UK? It’s nice, and light, and oh-so-right. There’s no chopped walnuts in it, just walnut halves on the top and some ground ones in the cake mix. This makes it ideal for young kids, as they can easily pick the pieces out of the icing if they wish. It may even be the best coffee and walnut cake recipe in the world…

This walnut and coffee cake serves 6 – 8

Easy coffee and walnut cake recipe ingredients

Cake

• Butter (at room temperature) or baking margarine, 150g, cubed
• Granulated or caster sugar, 150g
• Self-raising flour, 150g
• Eggs, 3
• Instant coffee granules, 1 tbsp, made up with 1 tbsp boiling water
• Walnuts, 1 tbsp, ground (in a pestle & mortar)
• Salt, a pinch

Coffee and walnut cake icing

• Icing sugar, 300g
• Butter, 150g
• Coffee powder/granules, 1 tsp, made up with 1 tsp boiling water
• Walnut halves, about 12-15, to decorate

Equipment

• Cake tins
• Food processor
• Metal skewer
• Wire rack
• Silicone spatula or palette knife

How to make the best Coffee and Walnut cake recipe

• Grease two 20cm sandwich tins. Add all the baking ingredients to your food processor, and process for about 15 – 20 seconds until smooth.
• Divide the cake mixture between each prepared cake tin. Bake in the oven, pre-heated to 160C fan, for about 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into each comes out clean.
• After about 5 minutes, remove the cakes from their tins, and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
• In a clean food processor or food mixer, beat together the icing sugar, butter and coffee until well mixed and smooth.
• Using a palette knife or spatula, spread no more than half of the icing over one cake. Lay the second cake on that, then top with the rest of the icing. Decorate with the walnut halves, as you wish.

Serve with tea or coffee, for elevenses or afternoon tea.

Related recipes:

• Classic vanilla sponge recipe
• Ultimate chocolate fudge cake
• Baked Bailey’s cheesecake
• Orange & poppy seed cake
• Cherry cake