Coffee and Walnut Cake

As a Latter Day Saint, I ascribe to a health law called the Word of Wisdom. This means that I do not drink tea or coffee, or alcohol. This is not a problem for me and never has been. I do enjoy a nice cup of herbal tea once in a while, but generally speaking I have never been a lover of hot drinks. Regardless to what other people may think or believe, if this is what my God wants me to do, then I do it, no questions asked. I spose it is one of the things that makes us a peculiar and a wonderful people!

I do enjoy the coffee flavour in other things though . . . back in Canada there is a really tasty candy bar called Coffee Crisp, and it is quite . . . quite good. I kinda miss them over here and a bag of the bite sized ones is on my list of must buy's when I go home this next summer.

I love coffee flavoured cakes and biscuits as well.

Especially if it is combined with the flavour and crunch of toasted walnuts.

This is quite a common and a popular teatime treat over here in the UK. A deliciously moist cake covered in a tasty buttercream icing and flavoured with coffee essence and walnuts.

I have gone one step further though, as I am wont to do . . . and added a deliciously creamy topping of a French Creme au Beurre. Moreishly good.

Scrummy even. Do be sure to give this a try. You can use Camp Chickory flavouring if you like.

*Coffee and Walnut Cake*

Serves 8

A deliciously moist sandwich cake filled with a lucious buttercream icing and topped with a coffee Creme Au Beurre

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Butter and base line two 7 inch sandwich tins. Set aside.

Place the butter, margarine and sugar in a bowl. Sift the flour and baking powder together and add to the bowl along with the eggs. Whisk the ingredients together, beating them for about 2 minutes with an electric whisk, stopping halfway through to scrap down the sides, ensuring that all the ingredients are combined thoroughly. Quickly whisk in the coffee essense.

Divide the batter between the two baking tins. Smooth the surface and then bake for about 25 minutes, or until the sponges are well risen and the top spring back when lightly touched.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes in the tins before turning them out onto wire racks to finish cooling.

For the buttercream, beat the butter until smooth. Gradually beat in the icing sugar, vanilla and milk until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Sandwich the two cake layers together with this.

Make theCreme au Beurre as follows. Dissolve the sugar in the water a small saucepan without boiling. Once the sugar is dissolved bring the syrup to the boil and cook steadily until it reaches the soft ball stage (120C/240*F) on a candy thermometer.

Whisk the egg yolks until foamy with an electric whisk and then gradually pour the syrup over them in a thin and steady stream, whisking the whole time. Continue to whisk for about 5 minutes, until the mixure cools and forms a thick mousse. In another bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Gradually beat in the egg yolk mixture along with the coffee essence, beating to give a light, glossy icing. spread this thickly over top of the cake. Sprinkle with the chopped toasted walnuts immediately.

Allow to set before cutting into wedges to serve. Delicious!