Coffee and Walnut Cake

The lovely people at The Haven have asked me to be involved with this years #TheBigTeaCosy and of course I was more than honoured to help out. I thought I would develop a recipe for them and ask you lot to help and be involved. 

I started to think, what would be a good bake? How could I do such an important event proud? Should I go all show stopper and fancy? But then I got to thinking that actually, a cake made beautifully and with LOVE is the best that I (or anybody getting involved) could offer.

So please throw open your doors to friends and neighbours and enjoy a slice of cake, a cup of something and raise money (however big or small the amount) to help.

I think Cancer has touched most peoples lives in some way. We lost my amazing Mum-in-law to a very aggressive form. It devastated our whole family. Just writing this brings to the surface the sorrow that was felt now that such a wonderful giving lady isn't here with us any longer.

*For a darker cake use the instant coffee rather than the espresso 

So I give to you my Coffee and Walnut Cake. If you throw a tea party please post pics on my Facebook, Twitter or tag me on Instagram, especially if you bake my cake. I'll try and share all of them if I can xx

200g caster sugar

200g Stork butter or softened butter

4 large eggs, beaten

220g self-raising flour

100g finely chopped walnut pieces

25ml of espresso or 1 tbsp instant coffee mixed with 25mls of boiling water and leave to cool completely

Buttercream

200g stork buttery

500g icing sugar

25ml of expresso or1 tsp of instant coffee mixed with 25mls hot water leave to cool completely.

100g walnuts pieces to decorate

You will also need two 20cm (8 inch) sandwich tins, greased and lined with a disc of buttered baking parchment.

Preheat the oven to 170ºC

Beat together the Stork and sugar until light and creamy, in a small bowl whisk together the eggs, now slowly whisk them into the eggs and sugar, fold in the flour and walnut pieces, finally fold in the coffee.  

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake tins and spread level using a palette knife. Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until golden, well risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. 

Remove from the oven and carefully turn the cakes out of the tins, peel off the parchment and leave to cool on wire cooling racks. 

Whip together all the buttercream ingredients together until light and fluffy. 

Place one of the cooled cakes on a serving plate or cakestand right side up and spread with half the buttercream. Top with the second cake and cover with the remaining buttercream, decorate with the walnut halves to serve.