Coffee Walnut Cake

It was a restless night. Tossing and turning in the bed, inundated by the memories of the past, the fractured slumber was not taxing, rather, it was pleasing in its own way. It is was Dad’s birthday the next day. Memories of how he surprised us on our birthdays, how he baked the first cake in the pressure cooker in the sand collected from the brook flowing through our land, the aroma of jams and jellies made at home, his garden that he tended with utmost love and care, his craze for cactuses, his love for music and his being a strict disciplinarian kept playing in the canvas of mind. He has been a simple man all his life with few needs and minimal desires. He never liked being flooded with presents. Simple thoughtful gestures appeal him. Being his birthday, a cake had to be baked and a simple cake would definitely please him.

 We decided on baking a Coffee Cake with toasted walnuts.

The Cake was a hit. We loved the soft crumb with sweet coffee flavoured frosting, showered with 

crisp toasted walnuts that added the crunch and enhanced the flavour too!

We are midway between spring and summer. Mornings are beautiful and pleasant. 

Few days back, we spotted a Long Tailed Shrike in the countryside.

Coffee Walnut Cake

Recipe adapted from www.taste.com

Ingredients

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 stick butter (100 g)

¾ cup brown sugar or plain sugar, powdered

2 eggs

 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

1 tablespoon boiled water

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

½ cup sour cream*

¼ cup walnuts toasted (take walnuts in a baking tray, bake at 180 degrees for 8 minutes or until fragrant and brown)

*Sour cream – Sour cream is a cultured cream. It can be made at home.

¼ cup milk and ¾ teaspoon white vinegar or ¼ cup buttermilk

1 cup heavy cream

Combine milk and vinegar and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour heavy cream into a jar. Stir in the milk mixture (or buttermilk), cover the jar and leave it at room temperature for 24 hours. This is sour cream. Refrigerate and use.  This recipe gives 1 cup sour cream.

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line the bottom and grease the sides of one 6 inch round cake pan.

Whisk together first three ingredients. Keep aside.

Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix coffee powder and boiling water, let it cool. Add this to butter sugar and egg mix. Add vanilla essence. Mix well.

Add flour and stir until just combined. Add sour cream and stir until just combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Level with a spoon. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven after 5 minutes and remove from the pan after another 5 minutes. Cool in the rack.

Coffee glazing

3 teaspoons instant coffee powder

1 tablespoon boiling water

1 cup powdered sugar

20g butter, softened

Method

Combine coffee and boiling water in a bowl. Add powdered sugar and butter. Stir until smooth. Pour over the cake.

Sprinkle toasted walnuts on top.