Nigella's coffee and walnut layer cake

 When I first tasted this cake, I couldn't believe how amazingly delicious it was, even though it was gluten-free. W00t!

 The reason why this is so good is because there is 50grams of walnuts in it - which end up being ground up and acting a bit like flour while helping the cake stay moist. Also, the delightful coffee and walnut flavour combination manages to overcome any nasty gluten-free aftertaste that is so common in g-free cakes.

 

YUM! That's all I can say.

Here is the recipe:
From Nigella Kitchen.
For the sponge:
50g walnut pieces
225g caster sugar
225g unsalted butter, plus some for greasing
200g plain flour
4tsps instant espresso powder
2 1/2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 eggs
1-2 tbsp milk

For the Buttercream Frosting
350g icing sugar
175g soft unsalted butter
2 1/2tsp instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1 x 15 mls tablespoon boiling water
25g walnut halves to decorate

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade/gas mark 4. Butter 2 sandwich tins (20cm) and line the bases with baking paper.

• Put the walnut pieces and  sugar into a food processor and blitz to a fine nutty powder. Add the 225g butter, flour, 4 teaspoons espresso powder, baking powder, bicarb and eggs and process to a smooth batter. Add the milk, pouring it down the funnel with the motor still running, or just pulsing, to loosen the cake mixture:it should be a soft dropping consistency, so add more milk if you need to (If you are making this by hand, bash the nuts to a rubbery powder with a rolling pin and mix with the dry ingredients; then cream the butter and sugar together, and beat in some dry ingredients and eggs alternately and, finally the milk).    

• Divide the mixture between the cake tins, and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the sponge has risen and feels springy to the touch.

• Cool the cakes in their tins on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, before turning them out onto the rack and peeling off the baking paper.

• When the sponges are cool, you can make the buttercream, pulse the icing sugar in the food processor until it is lump free, then add the butter and process to make a smooth icing.

• Dissolve the instant espresso powder in 1 tablespoon boiling water and add it while still hot to the processor, pulsing to blend into the buttercream.

• (If you are doing this by hand sieve the icing sugar and beat it into the butter with a wooden spoon. Then beat in the hot coffee liquid.)

• Place 1 sponge upside down on your serving plate. Spread with about half the icing, then place it on the second sponge, right side up (ie so the 2 flat sides of the sponge meet in the middle) and cover the top with the remaining icing in a ramshackle swirly pattern. This cake is all about old-fashioned, rustic charm, so don't worry unduly: however the frosting goes on is fine. Similarly, don't fret about some buttercream oozing out around the middle: that's what makes it look so inviting.

•  Gently press the walnut halves into the top of the icing all around the edge of the circle about 1cm apart.

Notes from me:
1) I made the butter cream in a Kenwood mixer, creaming the butter before adding the sugar etc.
2) We only have one 20cm tin, so I had to bake one cake at a time. It turned out really good.
3) This cake has quite a bit of coffee flavour in it (which I LOVE) but if you don't like it that strong or are seving kids too Nigella suggests you "replace the 4 teaspoons of instant espresso powder with 2 teaspoons of instant coffee granules dissolved in a tablespoonful of boiling water." - That's why I love Nigella Lawson's cookbooks so much, she helps the reader to realise that her recipes are flexible and about having a good time cooking and eating.