Coffee Walnut Cake
As far as I am concerned, it can be “coffee-any-time-of-the-day”. I certainly have more cups of coffee than I can safely disclose; you never know if the doctor is reading this recipe! Let’s just admit to two :))
This cake is new in my repertoire but will surely become a classic in our household. The Coffee Walnut Cake is interesting, airy and has a beautiful crumb. I was drawn to try it out because it uses walnuts and makes it more attractive than the usual almond and hazelnut additions… the coffee aroma gives this cake depth and cozy hugging notes: a beautiful hearty welcome to Autumn.
It’s absolutely delicious with a cup of coffee… of course!
Bon appétit!
Coffee Walnut Cake
adapted from Tuscany. Phaidon publishers.
Serves 10
Ingredients
1 ½ cups self-rising flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup shelled walnuts, finely chopped
½ cup butter at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, yolks and whites separated
½ cup freshly brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature
½ cup shelled walnuts, coarsely chopped
a pinch of salt
Powdered sugar for decoration
Directions
Prep and scale all the ingredients.
You will need a bundt cake pan, two big bowls, a whisk, a silicone spatula, a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and a wire rack.
Heat the oven to 350F (180C).
Butter and flour the cake pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift the flour and baking powder. Add the finely chopped walnuts. Lightly mix and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and pinch of salt until fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time and continue beating until the mixture is homogenous and all the ingredients are well combined.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold in half of the flour mixture. Mix in the coffee then add the remaining half of the flour mixture and fold gently. Do not over mix the batter.
In a big bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Carefully add the whipped egg whites to the cake mixture.
Sprinkle the cake pan with the coarsely chopped walnuts, pour the cake batter on top and bake for 50 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Let it cool for 15 minutes. Reverse the cake on a wire rack and let it cool completely.
Decorate with powdered sugar.
