I’m in
Sussex and it hasn’t stopped raining.
Sussex and it hasn’t stopped raining.
This hasn’t
prevented us from having a fine old time with yes, a fair amount of eating and
drinking with our friends!
prevented us from having a fine old time with yes, a fair amount of eating and
drinking with our friends!
English food
has improved out of all recognition and if anybody moans to you about British
cooking, don’t believe it. Even the smallest cafe offers the full range of
coffees from cappucino to latte to mocha, and then the range of cakes, buns and
biscuits is everything that you desire but perhaps your waistline doesn’t.
has improved out of all recognition and if anybody moans to you about British
cooking, don’t believe it. Even the smallest cafe offers the full range of
coffees from cappucino to latte to mocha, and then the range of cakes, buns and
biscuits is everything that you desire but perhaps your waistline doesn’t.
I have had
this post just lying in wait for a suitable moment and it seems that is now: Coffee
and Walnut, a real English classic, it looks impressive when all it is, is a sponge
cake with nifty decoration. Deciding how to decorate a cake is, for me, half
the fun. It helps to have an attractive plate or cake stand too. But it’s taste
that counts and I can guarantee that it’s authentically coffee-ish with just
the right amount of walnuts: it’s moist, easy to serve and goes down a treat
with a cup of tea.
Ingredients for Coffee & Walnut Cake
From BBC Good Food
Cuts into 8 slices
200g/8oz butter, softened
200g/8oz golden caster sugar – as
always, I used regular toz şeker or granulated sugar
always, I used regular toz şeker or granulated sugar
4 eggs
200g/8oz self-raising flour
50g/2oz chopped walnuts
1 tbsp coffee essence or some strong
instant coffee
instant coffee
For the Filling:
(to tell you the truth, I used jam otherwise
the calories mount up alarmingly)
200g/8oz icing sugar
85g/3oz butter, softened
2 tsp coffee essence
1 tbsp single cream of milk
For the Icing:
300g/10oz icing sugar
1 tsp coffee essence
9 walnut halves
Method
·
Preheat
oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/Gas 4.
Preheat
oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/Gas 4.
·
Grease
two deep 20cm sandwich cake tins. Line the bases with greaseproof paper.
Grease
two deep 20cm sandwich cake tins. Line the bases with greaseproof paper.
·
Beat
the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs a bit at a
time, sprinkling in a little of the flour to stop the mixture curdling. Sift
and fold in the remaining flour, then fold in the walnuts.
Beat
the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs a bit at a
time, sprinkling in a little of the flour to stop the mixture curdling. Sift
and fold in the remaining flour, then fold in the walnuts.
·
Mix
in the coffee essence with 1 tsp water and fold this in, then divide the
mixture equally between the prepared
cake tins and level the tops. Bake for 20-25 mins or until the cakes spring
back when lightly pressed in the centre with your finger. Leave the cakes in
the tins for 5 mins, then turn out on to a wire rack and leave until cold.
Mix
in the coffee essence with 1 tsp water and fold this in, then divide the
mixture equally between the prepared
cake tins and level the tops. Bake for 20-25 mins or until the cakes spring
back when lightly pressed in the centre with your finger. Leave the cakes in
the tins for 5 mins, then turn out on to a wire rack and leave until cold.
mixing in the coffee |
dividing the mixture between the two tins |
the two cooked cakes: note how they are coming away from the sides, a sure sign they are done |
cooling on the rack before filling or icing |
·
Make
the filling. Beat all the ingredients in a bowl with an electric mixer until
smooth and fluffy, then use to sandwich the two cakes together.
Make
the filling. Beat all the ingredients in a bowl with an electric mixer until
smooth and fluffy, then use to sandwich the two cakes together.
·
Make
the icing. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, then mix in the coffee essence and
2-3 tbsp of cold water to make a smooth icing. Pour the icing on to the top of
the cake and quickly spread it over the top and the sides, then arrange 8
walnut halves around the outside and 1 in the middle.
Make
the icing. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, then mix in the coffee essence and
2-3 tbsp of cold water to make a smooth icing. Pour the icing on to the top of
the cake and quickly spread it over the top and the sides, then arrange 8
walnut halves around the outside and 1 in the middle.
be careful when adding the water: the icing mustn’t be too runny |
·
Leave
to set before serving.
Leave
to set before serving.
Coffee and Walnut Cake |
Afiyet olsun!
this looks so good. i love british food. i remember when it was hard to find anything but meat and a few lonely vegetables at the big restaurants. hope you are having lots of fun!
Yes, we are thanks! Despite the rain which is always present! When were you last over here? The food transformation is incredible.
Where about in Sussex are you? We've just left Wadhurst for Bodrum.
Hi BtoB! I don't know Wadhurst – we were in Horsham which we really loved. But you know what? I miss Turkey! x
I`ve been reading your blog for some while now, but never left a message. I`m in Sussex, too. I do like the look of that coffee and walnut cake. So mouth watering!!
Hi Sarina! How nice of you to leave a comment! I love receiving them – thank you very much and come back soon! Will you try this recipe?
Claudia,is SR flour available in Turkey? I've asked my in-laws but they don't seem to understand what I mean; usually I make up my own but SR would be easier. Also have you seen fresh cream or are those little long life packs all that's available? I've seen fresh milk in the supermarkets but not cream. Our trees have produced a glut of walnuts so it's nice to have recipes using them, I see you have quite a few.
Hello Jane! First of all, thank you so much for coming by my blog. I love comments. Re the cream: unfortunately the little packets of cream are all we have so we manage. There is kaymak/buffalo cream but not really the same thing. I suppose that is clotted cream. I always make my own SR flour with BP – but kekun is apparently the same thing, available from migros but I can't say how it is. I should really give it a go. I will let you know! Thank you!
Thank you Claudia
I've used kaymak. I've tried to find fresh, even in our pazar they only seem to have UHT. Is this what they mean, in recipes, when they say heavy cream?
I don't think we do good cream here – at least not the range that exists in the UK! As I said, all we have are the little packets and yes, kaymak! Turkish cuisine doesn't really use it, you see.
Thanks Claudia
This cake looks good and I think that you decorated it beautifully and you don't need a nice cake plate to add any beauty. 🙂
About the cafe's in the UK I asked once in a cafe for a cup of coffee and she asked do I want a black coffee or white coffee? Well being dumb I asked what is a white coffee??? Well everyone around siting there at the tables turned and looked at me and she said it means with milk…I explained that I had never heard of that term as we just say regular coffee….but with Starbucks they have an array of new coffee term words.
Anyways….it sure looks yummy your cake with a cup of coffee….black for me. 🙂
Thanks again for posting your pics and sharing your recipes with the step by step method. E
My dear E, I so value your comments, you know that. This business with different coffees is a bit confusing, I do agree. For me, the best coffees are in Australia – everywhere a very high standard. I don't like Starbucks – imagine, we have them here in Istanbul!
I hope you will try this typically English cake!!
Oh thank you for this wonderful cake!! coffee and walnut is my absolute favorite – it is quintessentially English – at it's best!
thanks for sharing 🙂
Mary x
I need to follow your lovely blog more to see what kind of cakes YOU make!!
I'm in the North of England and it hasn't stopped raining here for days – a good opportunity to bake cakes! Coffee and walnut is one of my all time favourites – just a great flavour combination. Enjoy your stay in Sussex – one of my favourite areas.
http://missbbobochic.blogspot.co.uk/
It's flooding where you are, isn't it??
Lovely coffee&walnut cake Claduia! Are you still in the UK ? I would love to meet you some day, hope soon – I am in istanbul in mid Feb ; )
xx Ozlem
Hi Özlem! sorry I am a bit late in replying but it's been hectic and we were travelling yesterday. Now back in Istanbul. Let's try for Feb then! Will you be giving another class? I was so sorry to miss the last one.