Coffee cake is one of the most popular homemade cake recipes to whip up due to its rich unique flavour but it is also incredibly easy to bake.
As the UK heads further into the autumn season, many will be guzzling down more hot drinks which will pair perfectly with a slice of this easy homemade coffee cake.
Nancy Birtwhistle, the star baker famed for clinching the title on The Great British Bake Off, has spilt the beans on crafting an exceptional coffee cake that’s a bit of a doddle.
On her website, Nancy divulged: “This cake is utterly delicious, very easy to make and suits walnuts as well as pecan nuts. The light, not-too-sweet Swiss meringue buttercream takes this gorgeous cake to another level.”
You’re just 10 minutes away from prepping this delightful cake, another 10 for whipping up the icing, and a mere 18 to 20 minutes of bake time before you can serve up a slice of heaven.
Ingredients
For the cake
125g self-raising flour
125g caster sugar
125g margarine or butter, room temperature
40g finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Two eggs and one egg yolk, whites will be used for the buttercream
One tablespoon of instant coffee granules dissolved in boiling water
One teaspoon of vanilla extract
Eight pecan or walnut halves, for decorating
Icing sugar, for decorating
For the buttercream icing
One egg white
125g butter, at room temperature
70g light brown sugar or caster sugar
One and a half tablespoons of instant coffee, dissolved in boiling water
Method
Kick things off by creaming together the soft margarine or butter with the caster sugar until it looks lush and fluffy.
Then crack in the eggs and one extra yolk one at a time, ensuring each is thoroughly mixed in before introducing the next.
Gently fold in the flour until seamlessly smooth and then toss in the chopped nuts, a splash of vanilla extract, and coffee granules for the kick.
Ease the mixture into two tins and pop them into the oven. Let them bake at 175C (fan) for about 18 to 20 minutes until they’ve risen nicely and are ready to impress.
Nancy recommends a nifty trick for those who are dealing with an ancient oven: wrap the top of your cake in tin foil to get an evenly cooked surface. She explained: “For an even bake and flat top to your cake wrap a foil strip around the outside to diffuse the heat during baking.”
After the cakes are fully baked, turn them out onto cooling trays and let them sit until they’re completely chilled.
Start by bringing a pan filled one-third with water to a boil, then lower it to a simmer, pop a heatproof bowl on top and toss in the egg whites and sugar.
Give the egg-sugar mix a good stir until the sugar is totally gone, leaving you with a smooth blend.
Whip it off the heat and keep whisking until the icing is at room temperature, not feeling hot or cold to the touch.
In a different bowl, work the butter and sugar together until it’s creamy and hefty.
Then carefully mix in the cooled eggy concoction one big spoonful after another, making sure it’s all blended well between each addition. When you’ve mixed it all together seamlessly, then stir the coffee-water mix into the icing.
This dreamy icing is what you’ll use to fill your cake and doll it up. Pop six little dabs on the upper layer of the cake before securing them with eight whole walnuts or pecans.
Nancy offers her finishing tips: “I tend to put the eight blobs on the top sponge first then use all of the remainder of the cream to sandwich the two cakes together.”
