This is not an Edward cake

What's under that adorable vintage cake dome? Something Edward won't eat. I am in "bad girlfriend" territory this week apparently, due to my insistence on baking a cake that I like and he doesn't.

Edward likes most things, to be honest. He is not generally a fussy eater (oh dear, I'm talking about a grown man like he's two years old here, aren't I?) and proclaims most things I cook as "his favourite" or "the nicest thing he's ever had". Except when it comes to two ingredients.

a) Nuts
b) "Cold coffee things". Coffee, he loves. Coffee-flavoured baked goods, not so much.

He's in a huff because I combined them and baked Nigel Slater's Coffee and Walnut Cake.



How can he not like this??!!

To be honest, I understand the aversion to nuts. I hated them with a violent passion until my early twenties. (In fact, kids who like nuts are surely kind of weird.) But the coffee aversion? I have so much trouble understanding it. If you like coffee, you should like coffee-flavoured baking. Right? No? Am I totally off base here?



The upside of all this is that there's more cake for me. Over the week I have eaten nearly this whole cake on my own, and it's been delicious. I think the trick to making a simple cake like this shine is using the best ingredients - fresh unsalted butter, free range eggs and - if you can get it - instant espresso powder instead of instant coffee.



Look out for something Edward-friendly next week!

Coffee and Walnut Cake with Coffee Buttercream
Adapted from a Nigel Slater recipe in The Observer

Cake:
175 g unsalted butter
175 g light brown sugar
65 g walnut pieces, finely chopped
3 large eggs
175 g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp instant espresso or coffee granules


Buttercream:
100 g unsalted butter
200 g icing sugar
1 tsp instant espresso or coffee granules
8 to 10 walnut pieces, for decorating

Set the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Grease two shallow 20cm (8in) cake tins and line the bases with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour and baking powder and set aside. 

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter and sugar until it is light, pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as necessary. Dissolve the coffee granules in 1 tbsp boiling water and beat in.

With the mixer on a slow speed, add the flour to the batter, mixing until it is just incorporated. Add the walnuts and fold in gently.

Divide the mixture between the two prepared tins, smooth lightly, and bake for around 20 to 23 minutes, until they are just set in the middle and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove the cakes to a wire rack to cool.

To make the frosting, with a stand mixer or handheld mixer beat the butter until soft and pale, then add half the sugar and beat until incorporated. Stir 1 tbsp boiling water into the coffee granules and add it to the buttercream along with the rest of the sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy.

As soon as it is cool, turn one cake upside down on a plate, spread it with half the buttercream, then place the second half on top. Spread the remaining buttercream on top and decorate with the walnut pieces.