Bake this delicious Coffee and Walnut Traybake Cake using a regular butter sponge cake recipe in a traybake tin. With the additional flavours of coffee and chopped walnuts, this classic British dessert is elevated to a sophisticated level. To complete it, the cake is topped with a coffee flavoured icing and garnished with additional chopped walnuts, making it an ideal treat for your mid morning snack or afternoon tea treat.
Whether it's for a special occasion or a regular day, this Coffee Walnut Cake is a versatile dessert that you can bake at any time of the year. The rich aroma of coffee combined with the nutty crunch of walnuts makes it a crowd pleaser that will satisfy your sweet tooth all year round.
This recipe was inspired by my Mini Speckled Egg Traybake Cake and this Quick and Easy Lemon Drizzle Traybake on this site and pairs well with these Flapjacks with Honey (without Golden Syrup) for a delicious teatime menu.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used with possible alternatives and why I may have used them. See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities or click the 'Jump to Recipe' button at the top.
- Coffee Powder - If using a strongly flavoured coffee powder such as espresso powder, you may not need to add as much. Add according to your tastes.
- Butter - Unsalted and at room temperature. Block margarine is fine, but you will not get the buttery taste.
- Eggs - Medium, free range and organic if you can.
- Self Raising Flour - This contains a raising agent so no need to add any baking powder. If using Plain flour, add one level teaspoon of baking powder and sieve together before using.
- Walnuts - You can crush these by placing whole walnuts in a small bag and hitting them with a rolling pin. Or gently blitz in a blender.
- Soft Brown sugar - This adds flavour to the coffee sponge. White caster sugar is fine.
- Icing sugar - Or confectioners sugar.
Step By Step Instructions
To make this Coffee Traybake Sponge, preheat the oven to 160deg fan assisted oven (180 deg conventional). Grease and line a 10 inch (25cm) x 8 inch (20cm) traybake cake tin with baking parchment or greaseproof paper.
Step 1: Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the lightly beaten eggs a little at a time adding a little flour to help prevent curdling. Add the remaining flour and mix until well combined.
Step 2: Add the instant coffee powder and chopped walnuts. Mix together until well combined.
Step 3: Pour the cake mixture evenly into the prepared traybake tin.
Step 4: Bake for 20-25 mins or until baked, testing the centre of the cake with a skewer until it comes out clean. Leave in the tin to cool a little, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 5: Make the Coffee Frosting. Start to mix the icing sugar and coffee powder together with 1 tablespoon of water until you have a thick spreading consistency. Adding more water as needed.
Step 6: When your cake has cooled completely, spread the coffee icing evenly over the cake. Decorate with the crushed walnuts before the coffee icing sets.
Storage
This cake will keep in an airtight container for a couple of days and will freeze well without the frosting and topping. Wrap well and when ready to serve bring back to room temperature before adding the Coffee Icing and Crushed Walnut topping.
Top Tips
Tip 1: Ensure the coffee cake is completely cooled before adding the Coffee icing or it will run down the side of the cake.
Tip 2: Decorate with the crushed walnuts before the coffee frosting sets.
FAQ
Pecans and Hazelnuts are a lovely alternative to Walnuts for a Coffee Cake and go well with the Coffee flavour.
Teatime Recipes
Looking for other cakes to add to your Teatime menu, try these quick and easy recipes.
After making this recipe please let me know how you got on by leaving a comment below. Especially if you used alternative ingredients. Subscribe to my Newsletter - Let's stay connected.
Recipe
Coffee and Walnut Traybake Cake
Equipment
- Traybake or sheet cake tin 10 inch (25cm) x 8 inch (20cm) The baking times will differ if using a different sized tin.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 225 g butter softened
- 225 g soft light brown sugar
- 4 medium eggs lightly beaten
- 225 g self raising flour
- 3 level tablespoons of instant coffee powder or to taste
- 50 g walnuts roughly chopped
For the Coffee Icing Topping
- 150 g icing sugar sieved
- 1 tablespoon instant Coffee Powder or to taste
- 1 tablespoon water you may need more
- 50 g walnuts roughly chopped
Instructions
Make the Traybake Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 160deg fan assisted oven (180 conventional). Grease and line a 10 inch (25cm) x 8 inch (20cm) traybake tin with baking parchment or greaseproof paper.
- Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the lightly beaten eggs a little at a time adding a little flour to help prevent curdling. Add the remaining flour and mix until well combined.225 g butter softened, 225 g soft light brown sugar, 4 medium eggs lightly beaten, 225 g self raising flour
- Add the instant coffee powder and chopped walnuts. Mix together until well combined.3 level tablespoons of instant coffee powder, 50 g walnuts roughly chopped
- Pour the cake mixture evenly into the prepared traybake tin then bake for 20-25 mins or until baked. Testing the centre of the cake with a skewer until it comes out clean.
- Leave in the tin to cool before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Coffee Frosting
- Start to mix the icing sugar and coffee powder together with 1 tablespoon of water until you have a thick spreading consistency. Adding more water as needed.150 g icing sugar sieved, 1 tablespoon instant Coffee Powder, 1 tablespoon water
- When your cake has cooled completely, spread the coffee icing evenly over the cake.
- Decorate with the crushed walnuts before the coffee icing sets.50 g walnuts roughly chopped
Notes
Nutrition
Note: Recipes are tested using Metric only. The provided nutrition information is an estimate for the entire recipe, the calorie accuracy nutritional facts, unit and portion conversion are calculated by a third party app. and are not guaranteed.
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