Coffee and Walnut Cake

This month the Cake Slice Bakers group had four cakes to choose from - a Coconut Rum Cake, a hazelnut torte, gingerbread and this recipe - the Coffee and Walnut Cake. I confess I chose the simplest sounding one and the one that had readily available ingredients.

This turned out nicely and it was a breeze to make. The cake is very light in texture with a strong coffee flavor. It is a great breakfast cake.

Again, like the recipe from last month, this required baking in a springform pan (although I am sure it could be done in regular cake pans). So, this is the second time I have made a cake in a springform pan that was not a cheesecake!

Coffee and Walnut Cake
(from World Class Cakes by Roger Pizey, Race Point Publishing, 2013)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup walnut halves
• 3/4 (1 1/2 sticks) butter,softened
• 1 c. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp. instant coffee powder mixed to a paste with water
• 1 1/3 c. self-rising flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

For the Filling and topping:

• 1 tbsp. boiling water
• 1 tbsp. instant coffee granules
• 1 c. mascarpone cheese, softened
• 1/3 c. confectioner's sugar, sifted
• 3/4 c. heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F., and grease and line an 8 inch springform pan with parchment paper.
2. Toast walnuts in oven on a baking sheet for 6 minutes.
3. Cool walnuts slightly and set aside nine most perfect halves to be used as decoration and chop the rest. (*I had purchased chopped walnuts so I omitted this step)
4. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the coffee paste.
5. Slowly add the combined flour and baking powder mixture. Fold in the chopped nuts.
6. Pour into the pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. 
7. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes, before turning out onto wire cooling rack. Carefully remove the parchment paper.
8. To make the filling, make a paste with boiling hot water and instant coffee.
9. Combine the softened mascarpone cheese with the powdered sugar. Add the heavy cream then the coffee paste and beat until mixed. This step can either be done with a mixer or by hand.
10. When the cake has completely cooled, slice it in half horizontally. 
11. Spread 1/3 of the filling on the bottom layer of the cake. Add the top layer and spread the remaining filling on top and along the sides. 
12. If using the whole walnut halves, place them around the perimeter of the cake.
13. The cake can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Check out what the other bakers created this month!

An InLinkz Link-up

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy