Easy Coffee Cake

Coffee cakes are still popular and over Easter instead of a chocolate cake, coffee is a good alternative. Will keep for 2/3 days in an airtight tin and then once iced in the fridge but bring back to room temperature before eating. Enjoy!

by Judy Barden Next month’s recipe: 'Moroccan stuffed chicken breasts''

Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm loosebottomed cake tin with baking paper. For the cake mix, put the walnuts, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and plain flour in a mixing bowl and mix well with a metal spoon or balloon whisk.

Make a well in the centre and add the vegetable oil, espresso and beaten eggs, then mix thoroughly until you have a smooth batter.

Spoon the mix into the lined cake tin and bake for about 60 minutes, or until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Cover the top loosely with foil after 40 minutes if it’s getting too brown. Once cooked, take out of the oven and put on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Carefully remove from the cake tin and leave to cool completely on the rack.

While the cake is cooling, make the icing. Find a large heatproof mixing bowl that sits snugly on top of a medium saucepan to make a double boiler. Fill the pan halfway up with boiling water, making sure it doesn’t touch the bowl. Bring the water back to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

Put the egg and caster sugar in the mixing bowl and sit on top of the pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and egg

Ingredients

225ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing

100g walnuts, roughly chopped, plus extra to decorate

225g light brown soft sugar

 1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

225g plain flour

 2 tbsp instant espresso, dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling water

 4 medium free-range eggs, beaten

For the icing

 1 medium free-range egg

100g caster sugar

125g unsalted butter, softened

25g full-fat cream cheese

 1 tsp coffee extract (I like Camp)

 1 tsp instant espresso, dissolved in 1 tsp boiling water

120g icing sugar until thick and pale in colour –about 5 minutes. The beaters should leave a trail of mixture when lifted. l Bespoke carpentry l Bespoke fitted and free standing furniture l Designed with 3d software l Professionally sprayed to your colour choice l Prepared and assembled in workshop l Minimal home disturbance

Whisk in the softened butter a little at a time, then add the cream cheese, coffee extract and liquid espresso. Sift in the icing sugar, then whisk it in at a lower speed until smooth. Cool and chill the icing for 2 hours, so it firms up.

Once the sponge has cooled, cut it in half through the centre, using a serrated knife. Spread a third of the icing on the bottom half of the sponge. Sandwich with the top half, then spread the rest of the icing all over the cake. Decorate with the extra chopped walnuts.

Specialising

l Storage solutions l Wardrobes l Entertainment units l Under stairs storage l Studies l Kitchens l Bespoke carpentry a call and we’ll be happy to help.

Trustworthy and reliable with over 25 years’ experience in the building industry.

All works covered by liability insurance.

Free estimates and advice.

Telephone: 01702 307556

Mobile: 07984 490817

Website: www.thehandyman5.co.uk l Alcove units l Bespoke carpentry l Bespoke fitted and free standing furniture l Bespoke fitted and free standing furniture l Understairs storage l And many more l Bespoke carpentry l Designed with 3d software l Designed with 3d software carpentry and free furniture

3d software sprayed to choice assembled in disturbance

Specialising

l Professionally sprayed to your colour choice l Professionally sprayed to your colour choice l Prepared and assembled in workshop

– your_space1@outlook.com yourspace_designed_for_you_ltd l Minimal home disturbance l Bespoke fitted and free standing furniture l Designed with 3d software l Prepared and assembled in workshop l Professionally sprayed to your colour choice l Minimal home disturbance l Bespoke carpentry l Bespoke fitted and free standing furniture l Designed with 3d software l Professionally sprayed to your colour choice l Prepared and assembled in workshop l Prepared and assembled in workshop l Minimal home disturbance l Storage solutions l Wardrobes l Minimal home disturbance l Storage solutions l Storage solutions l Wardrobes l Wardrobes l Storage solutions

Specialising

l Wardrobes l Entertainment units l Under stairs storage l Studies l Entertainment units l Entertainment units l Entertainment units l Under stairs storage l Under stairs storage l Under stairs storage l Studies l Studies l Storage solutions l Wardrobes l Entertainment units l Studies l Kitchens l Kitchens l Kitchens l Alcove units l Alcove units l Alcove units l Understairs storage l Understairs storage l Understairs storage l And many more

Specialising In

l Under stairs storage l Studies l Kitchens l Alcove units l Kitchens l Alcove units l Understairs storage l And many more your_space1@outlook.com yourspace_designed_for_you_ltd l And many more l And many more 07946176203  address – your_space1@outlook.com yourspace_designed_for_you_ltd l Understairs storage l And many more