A coffee and walnut sponge with espresso buttercream frosting. A bit reminiscent of Pakistan’s famous Bombay bakery cake 😋
If you’re a coffee lover like me, you’re in for a treat with this one.
This beloved British classic isn’t just any old cake – it’s a slice of nostalgia, a comforting hug on a plate that evokes memories of lazy Sunday afternoons and cosy chats over a cuppa.
The sponge is light and airy, yet wonderfully moist thanks to the addition of milk. And those walnuts? They’re not just there for show – they add a delightful crunch that keeps you coming back for more with every bite.
But what really sets this cake apart is the frosting. Oh, that heavenly coffee buttercream! It’s smooth, it’s creamy, and it’s bursting with the bold flavour of coffee-infused liquid. Slathered generously between layers and atop the cake, it’s the crowning glory that takes this dessert from delicious to downright decadent.
Coffee & Walnut Cake
Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy8
servings40
minutes30
minutes1
hour10
minutesIngredients
- Sponge
50gm walnut pieces
225gm caster sugar
225gm unsalted butter (softened)
200gm all-purpose flour
4 tsp instant coffee powder
2½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
4 large eggs
1-2 tbsp milk
- Frosting
350gm icing sugar
175gm unsalted butter (softened)
2½ tsp instant coffee powder (dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling water)
8-10 walnut halves (to decorate)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Butter two 20cm / 8″ round pans and line the base of each with baking paper.
- Sponge
- Put the walnut pieces and sugar into a food processor and blitz to a nutty powder (doesn’t need to be super-fine).
- In a medium bowl mix the dry ingredients (flour, walnut powder, coffee powder, baking powder, and baking soda).
- In a separate large bowl, using an electric beater/mixer cream the butter and sugar together until the colour lightens and becomes slightly fluffy.
- Spoon in ¼ of the dry ingredients and 1 egg. Beat for a few seconds until combined. Continue alternating between dry ingredients and eggs beating between every addition. The batter should be smooth.
- Add the milk and stir with a spatula. The addition of milk will loosen the cake mixture: a soft, dropping consistency. Add more milk if you need to.
- Divide the mixture between the 2 pans and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the sponge has risen and feels springy to the touch.
- Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, before turning them out onto the rack and peeling off the baking paper.
- Buttercream Frosting
- Pulse the icing sugar in the food processor until it is lump free.
- In a stand mixer (or using an electric beater), beat the butter and icing sugar together until smooth.
- Dissolve the instant coffee powder in 1 tbsp boiling water and add it while still hot to the butter mixture and beat well.
- Place 1 (cooled) sponge upside down on your cake stand or serving plate.
- Spread with about half the icing, then place on it the second sponge, right side up (i.e. so the 2 flat sides of the sponges meet in the middle) and cover the top with the remaining icing in a swirly pattern.
- Gently press the walnut halves into the top of the icing all around the edge of the circle about 1cm apart.
Notes
- This recipe was adapted from Nigella Lawson.
