We don’t do much baking but we’ve managed more than usual with all of these lockdowns. This old-fashioned coffee and walnut cake is a favourite of Jules’ and was really straightforward to make – even for us baking novices.
Coffee & Walnut Cake
- 100g softened butter
- 100g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 100g self-raising flour
- 1 level tsp baking powder
- 50g chopped walnuts
- 1 tbsp coffee extract (or 2 tsp instant coffee granules mixed with 1 tbsp hot water. Use a bit more in the cake mix than in the icing)
FOR THE ICING:
- 75g softened butter
- 225g sifted icing sugar
- 2 tsp milk
- 2 tsp coffee extract
- 8 walnut halves, to decorate
Heat the oven to 160C/Gas 4.
Grease two 18cm sandwich tins and line the base of each with baking paper.
Put all the cake ingredients into a bowl and beat until well blended and smooth.
Divide the cake mix between the sandwich tins and level the surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until well risen and the top springs back when pressed lightly with a finger. Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes, then turn out, peel off the paper and finish cooling on a wire rack.
To make the icing, beat the butter, sifted icing sugar, milk and coffee essence in a bowl until smooth.
When the cakes are completely cold sandwich them together with half the icing and use the rest for the top. Decorate with the walnuts.
(Original recipe from Mary Berry’s Baking Bible, BBC Books, 2009.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 
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