Coffee and Walnut Cake, a Classic British Cake for Afternoon Tea

Coffee and Walnut cake is truly a British classic, and one of my all-time favorite cakes. It is often found on dessert menus and afternoon tea trays in the UK. Make it in your own kitchen and bring a little taste of Britain to your home.

If you’ve been to the UK, hopefully you’ve tasted a coffee and walnut cake. There’s just something about these two flavors together that is so unique. It creates a flavor all its own, and it’s simply sublime.

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Coffee and Walnut Cake for Afternoon Tea

Whenever I get the chance, I order coffee and walnut cake when I’m in the UK, because it’s one of the things I miss most about living there. A famous British chef apparently claimed he would choose coffee and walnut cake as his last meal. Now that’s saying something! And of course it’s a cake Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood would judge in the GBBO tent. 

Many of you saw my Instagram story on my dad’s 84th birthday, and asked about his cake. I promised I’d post the recipe soon, so here it is–and here Dad is with his cake.

I attempted to do my research on the origin of this cake, but strangely, could find nothing. So sadly, there’s no credit to the original creator of this marvelous concoction, but I, for one, salute you (whoever you were!)

Are you a coffee-lover? How about making the original and authentic tiramisù recipe from Treviso!?

The Difference Between a British Coffee Cake and an American “Coffee Cake”

If you were to order or ask for a “coffee cake” in Britain, you’d probably be served a slice of this coffee and walnut cake, or a coffee-flavored cake. Whereas, in the US, you’d be served a cake which could have fruit in it, a streusel through it, or a crumble topping, but most likely, the only coffee involved would be the one you’d be drinking. (Click the following photo for the recipe.)

Baking a Coffee and Walnut Cake in Your Kitchen

There’s no reason you can’t taste this cake for yourself, even if you’ve never stepped foot on British soil. I’m here to bring you these wonderful recipes in a format where you can make them yourself (in the US without a scale, although I will continue to BEG you to buy one!) Your results will be so much better when it comes to baking.

Why not bake one and have your own afternoon tea? Many people think afternoon tea has to consist of finger sandwiches, scones and desserts, however, a cup of tea and slice of cake can fit the bill, too!

Although I credit BBC Food for this recipe, you should know that this cake is simply a twist on a Victoria sponge cake: added coffee and walnuts, and a coffee flavored buttercream, instead of a jam (and cream) filling.

NB: I don’t know if the quantity is off for the buttercream on the BBC recipe because I felt I needed a lot more to fill the cake and decorate the top (the rosettes do use a lot of icing.) Adjust the quantity to your liking. I also used real coffee and coffee powder for a stronger coffee flavor in the cake.

Coffee and Walnut Cake

slightly adapted from a BBC Food recipe        serves 8 to 12

INGREDIENTS

For the cake

• 225g (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature (if using unsalted, add 1/4 tsp salt)
• 225g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 4 eggs, preferably organic, free range
• 30ml (2 Tbsp) strong espresso coffee
• 1/2 tsp espresso powder (I used a little mortar and pestle to make it super fine)
• 225g (2 cups) self-raising flour
• 50g (1/3 cup) finely chopped walnuts

For the buttercream

• 145g (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• pinch of salt
• 500g (4 1/2 cups) confectioner’s/powdered sugar
• about 75ml (about 4 Tbsp) strong espresso coffee

• 8 to 12 walnut halves for the top of the cake (pick the best ones)

Grease or spray 2, 8″ cake pans. Line the bottom with parchment paper, grease, and dust the entire pans with flour.

Make the Cakes

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C)

Using a stand mixer, hand mixer or by hand, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add an egg to the butter and sugar mixture and blend thoroughly.

Add about a quarter of the flour and mix until cleared. Repeat with the remaining eggs and flour until the eggs and flour are used.

The cake mixture will be light and creamy.

Add the chopped nuts. Stir the espresso powder into the liquid espresso, then add to the mixture.

Blend well, then divide the cake mixture into the prepared 8″ cake tins.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cake will be a lovely golden brown color.

Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully remove and place on cooling racks (remove the paper.)

Make the Buttercream

Blend all the ingredients for the buttercream together until you have a smooth and creamy frosting. 

Decorate the Cake

If the cakes aren’t flat on top, cut them so that they are level (I like to use this super inexpensive tool.) Then either spread or pipe just under half of the frosting on one layer of the cake (the cut side.)

Place the second layer on top. Be sure to put the cut side down (so both cut sides are facing each other in the middle.) Spread the frosting on the top. This is a very rustic cake, so don’t worry if you don’t get it to look perfect.

Next, pipe rosettes on top of the cake (or you can place dollops of frosting) for 8, 10 or 12 walnut halves to sit on, depending on how many slices you want to have.

Lastly, add a walnut half to each rosette.

That’s it! You’ve just made a classic British coffee and walnut cake!

You can dig in, or put it in the fridge for a while which will set the buttercream and make slicing and serving a bit less messy.

Enjoy with a hot cup of tea or coffee; it goes perfectly with both!

 

An American “coffee cake”~ Quick Rhubarb Cake

Coffee cupcakes from a UK blogger ~ Coffee Cupcakes

 

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