Mocha and Walnut Cake

The cut slice looks massive. I swear that slice was at least three portions. Okay, two.

So lets dive right in with one of my favourites. This is slightly adapted from a very lovely Nigella recipe. I want to *be* a domestic goddess. The 2 week old pile of clean yet unfolded washing on my dresser laughs at my hubris.

This cake is impressive. The kind of cake you bring around to someone’s for afternoon tea, when you want to make more of an effort than supermarket bakery brownies. It cuts into gratifyingly chunky slices, and it’s one of the most moist cakes I’ve ever made. A little tooth-achingly sweet, but what good cake isn’t?

I have been known to make this cake when I can’t figure out what to do with eggs which are about to go off. Or when there's leftover coffee in the pot.

Any excuse.

Ingredients for Cake:

• 50g walnuts
• 225g caster sugar
• 225g unsalted butter
• 200g plain flour
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1-2 tbsp cold strong coffee
• 4 large eggs

Ingredients for Icing

• 300g icing sugar
• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 15g cocoa
• 1 tbsp cold strong coffee
• Walnut halves, to decorate (if you have enough left-over. I didn't)

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.

Grind the walnuts and sugar together in a food processor until crumbly. Add in the butter, flour, baking powder, bicarb and eggs. Process to a smooth batter, and add in enough coffee to give it a smooth, dropping consistency.

Divide between two lined cake tins and bake for 25 minutes. It is moist, so allow to cool for 15 or so minutes in the tins before turning out onto a cooling rack and peeling off the parchment.

While they are cooling, whip up the simple buttercream icing:

Cream the butter, and sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Mix well to the desired consistency, and add in the coffee. Take about a third and use to sandwich the two halves of the cake together, and use the rest to ice the top whichever way suits you. 

Throw a few walnut halves or pieces on top and you’ve got yourself a magnificent cake.

You don't make friends with small slices.