Walnut Coffee Cake with Tiramisu Cream

This is a cake that I made for my husband's birthday just a few days ago.  It is a coffee cake with walnuts and frosted with whipped tiramisu cream; it's a sort of cake that I know he'd enjoy.  And I also know that this type of cake won't last long, it's down to 2 slices tonight and I bet it'll be gone before midnight :)

Note:  The measurement is in metric because it's taken from Delicious magazine, which is based in the UK.  I'm finding I like trying more recipes using metric measurement therefore I'm including it in my blog.

Walnut Coffee Cake with Tiramisu Cream

Serves 10


For the cake:
225 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
225 g sugar
4 eggs
225 g self-raising flour
3 tablespoons strong black coffee made from instant coffee and a little boiling water
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
75 g walnut pieces, finely chopped, plus walnut halves, for decorating
1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder, for decorating
1/2 teaspoon confectioners' sugar, for decorating

For the tiramisu cream:
250 g tub mascarpone
142 ml heavy cream
4 tablespoons coffee liqueur
4 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
Few drops of vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease 2 8-inch round pan and line them with parchment paper.

Beat butter and sugar in a bowl of an electric mixer until soft and creamy.  Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, continue mixing until it comes together.  Beat in the coffee then sift flour and baking powder over the mixture, fold them in, followed by walnuts.

Divide the cake mixture equally between 2 pans, leveling the tops.  Bake in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, until they are golden and tops spring back when lightly pressed with a fingertip.  Cool the cakes in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn them out on the rack and let cool completely.  The cakes can then be frozen.  Let defrost completely before frosting it.

Make the tiramisu cream by combining mascarpone and heavy cream in a bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat the mixture, add the coffee liqueur, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract; and continue beating until soft and fluffy.

Place 1 cake on a cake stand or a serving plate, straight side up and spread half of the tiramisu cream.  Place the second cake, straight side down, on top and spread the remaining half of the tiramisu cream on top.  Decorate cake top with walnut halves and sprinkle with cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar.


Source:  adapted from Delicious Magazine, April 2008