Coffee and Walnut Cake

I made this last year for a friend's birthday. But instead of a whole cake, I made it into cupcakes and used butter cream in green, red and plain to make an Italian flag!
This cake is very light and delicious. You can hardly taste the coffee, well I can't and I hate coffee.


Coffee and Walnut Cake
source: Nigella Lawson

For the cake:

• 50 grams walnut pieces
• 225 grams caster sugar
• 225 grams soft unsalted butter (plus some for greasing)
• 200 grams plain flour
• 4 teaspoons instant espresso powder  (I used 4 tsp of nescafe)
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 4 large eggs
• 1 - 2 tablespoons milk

For the icing:

• 350 grams icing sugar
• 175 grams soft unsalted butter
• 2 ½ teaspoons instant espresso powder (dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water)

Method:

Nigella used a food processor, read here

But I used a hand mixer.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time. Mix well.

Next add in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and coffee.

Mix well.

Add in milk.

Crush the walnuts using a food processor or chop very finely.

Add the walnuts to the batter and mix evenly.

I spooned the batter into paper cupcakes, or you could

pour batter into  two greased and lined with paper, 20 cm (8 in) tins.

Bake at 180C for about 30 min or the cake is springy to touch.

Cool and iced as you like.

Happy Baking!