Coffee and walnut layer cake

Two soft coffee sponges sandwiched and topped with coffee buttercream and walnut halves. A tearoom classic that grown-ups always reach for first.

Ingredients

• 10 g Instant coffee, dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water
• 225 g Butter, softened
• 225 g Caster sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 225 g Self-raising flour
• 5 g Baking powder
• 75 g Walnuts, chopped
• 6 g Instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling water
• 150 g Butter, softened
• 300 g Icing sugar
• 40 g Walnuts, halves, to decorate

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line two 20cm sandwich tins. Let both lots of coffee cool.
2. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then fold in the flour, baking powder, cake coffee and chopped walnuts.
3. Divide between the tins and bake until risen and springy and a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a rack.
4. Beat the icing butter until very soft, then beat in the icing sugar and icing coffee until smooth and fluffy.
5. Sandwich the sponges with half the buttercream, spread the rest on top and decorate with walnut halves.