A couple of weekends ago the theme for the Sunday Baking Club was Retro  Bakes.  The easy option would have been a Victoria Sponge, however I went for the second easiest option – Coffee and Walnut Cake! A favourite of my mums and mine when I was growing up.  I chose this recipe from Mary Berry’s Baking Bible

Ingredients

For the Cake

100g Soft Butter
100g Caster Sugar
2 Large Eggs
100g Self-raising Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
50g Chopped walnuts
1 tbsp. Coffee Essence (Or mix 2 tsp. of instant coffee with 1 tbsp. boiling water)

For the filling and topping

75g Butter, softened
225g Icing Sugar, sifted
2 tsp. Milk
2 tsp. Coffee Essence
8 Walnut Halves, to decorate

Method

• For the cake, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Grease and line the bases of two 18cm/7in diameter sandwich tins with baking parchment.
• Beat together all the cake ingredients in a large bowl with an electric hand whisk until well combined and smooth.
• Divide the mixture between the cake tins and gently spread out with a spatula.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
• Allow to stand for five minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool. Peel off the parchment paper.
• For the filling and topping, beat the butter and gradually add the icing sugar.
• When all the icing sugar is added, add the milk and coffee essence and beat until smooth.
• When the cakes have cooled, spread half the coffee icing on one cake and sandwich together with the other half.
• Ice the top of the cake with the remaining coffee icing and decorate with walnut pieces.

Enjoy with a cup of tea, or in the spirit of the Sunday Baking Club, something a little stronger!