Iced Coffee Walnut Cake

Iced Coffee Walnut Cake (from The English Kitchen)

1/2 cup plus 1/2 Tb of whole milk

1/3 cup of butter, cut into chunks

1 tsp instant coffee granules

heaping 1/2 cup of caster/ultrafine sugar

1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts, plus extra whole walnut halves to decorate

1 medium egg, at room temperature and beaten

1 1/3 cup (slightly heap the 1/3 cup) self-raising flour

Coffee Buttercream Icing:

7 Tbs butter, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 tsp instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1 tsp boiling water (I used 2 Tb heavy cream)

spash of milk, if needed

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and line a loaf tin with parchment paper, then butter/spray the paper.

Combine the milk, butter and coffee granules in a large saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until the butter is melted and the coffee granules dissolved. (mine didn't dissolve: I discovered I had used the wrong kind! If yours don't dissolve after a while, pour it through a wire strainer) Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and chopped walnuts with a wooden spoon. Stir in the egg until thoroughly combined. Stir in the flour gradually, until just combined. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the surface with a spoon.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until well risen and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 5 minutes, then remove to cool completely on a wire rack. This loaf doesn't rise REALLY high, so no worries. :)

Dissolve the coffee granules for the icing in 1 tsp boiling water, then let cool. To make the icing, beat the butter and vanilla together until pale and creamy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, a little bit at a time, until well combined. Beat dissolved coffee into the icing. If it is too thick, add milk, 1 tsp at a time, beating well after each, until you reach your desired consistency.