Bittersweet coffee and walnut flavours in a rich but fluffy vegan sponge cake, topped with the most delicious dairy-free coffee buttercream frosting.
One of my all-time favourite cakes and always a winner.
The whipped coffee buttercream (made with dairy-free spread) is incredible and is the most wonderful pairing with the slightly bitter nuttiness of the walnuts.
This cake also has a great texture if you prefer more of a bite to your cakes.
It goes without saying that this makes the perfect accompaniment to a nice cup of coffee!
Recipe featured in my cookbook 'Great British Vegan' - Get your copy now for more vegan British classics!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Coffee & Walnut Cake
This bittersweet cake is perfect with a cuppa. I love the slight crunch you get from the chopped walnuts, paired with the soft, velvety coffee buttercream.
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp instant coffee granules
- 400 g / 14 oz (3 cups) self-raising (self-rising) flour
- 240 g / 8 1⁄2 oz (scant 2 1⁄4 cups) caster sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 400 ml / 14 fl oz (1 3⁄4 cups) unsweetened dairy-free milk
- 160 ml / 5 1⁄4 fl oz (2⁄3 cup) vegetable oil
- 130 g / 4 1⁄2oz (1 heaped cup) chopped walnuts
- A few walnut halves, for decorating
For the buttercream
- 160 g / 5 3⁄4 oz (2⁄3 cup) dairy-free butter
- 200 g / 7 oz icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted
Instructions
1. Make a paste with the coffee granules and 4 tablespoons of boiling water and leave to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 160C fan / 180C / 350F / gas 4 and grease two 23 cm / 9-inch round cake tins with a circle of greaseproof paper.
3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar and baking powder together. In a large jug, whisk together the milk, oil and all but 1 1⁄2 tablespoons of the coffee paste (reserve this for the buttercream). Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl and whisk to make a smooth batter. Stir in the chopped walnuts.
4. Evenly divide the mixture between the prepared cake tins and bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, make the buttercream by mixing the reserved coffee paste with the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Spread half the buttercream over the top of one of the cakes, then top with the second cake. Spread the remaining buttercream over the top and decorate with the walnut halves.
Graham says
I tried this as stated on 160 degrees for 20 minutes in a fan oven and it was nowhere near baked. Still sloppy in the middle !