WALNUT & COFFEE CAKE WITH STREUSEL TOPPING

MAKES: 20cm/8in sandwich cake
PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes, plus 20 minutes cooling 
COOKING TIME: 1 hour

Ingredients

FOR THE WALNUT & COFFEE CAKE

  • 90g/3¼oz/¾ cup walnut halves
  • 3 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 215g/7½oz unsalted butter, softened175g/6oz/scant 1 cup light soft brown sugar
  • 1½ tbsp golden syrup
  • 3 eggs
  • 220g/7¾oz/1¾ cups whitespelt flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp sea salt


FOR THE COFFEE FILLING & ICING

  • 175g/6oz unsalted butter, softened
  • 250g/9oz/2 cups icing sugar, sifted1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 espresso shot, or 3 tbsp strong coffee¼ tsp sea salt


FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING

  • 55g/2oz/heaped ½ cup spelt porridge flakes
  • 55g/2oz unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 55g/2oz/¼ cup demerara sugar

 

 

Methods/steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/315°F/Gas 2-3.
  2. Put the walnuts in a roasting tin and roast for 12-14 minutes until they are light brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, then tip into a blender, add the oil and blitz to a dry walnut paste.
  3. Turn the oven temperature up to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3 and line two 20cm/8in round cake tins and a baking sheet with baking paper.
  4. Beat together the Butter and sugar in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, until pale and fluffy. Add the syrup, then the eggs, one at a time, followed by the roasted walnut paste. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl, then fold into the mixture. Divide the cake mixture equally between the prepared cake tins.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top looks golden brown and feels firm to the touch. If in doubt, a skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  6. While the cakes are cooling, turn the oven up to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and scatter the topping ingredients over the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until is crisp and golden brown in colour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before using on the top of the cake.
  7. To make the filling and icing, beat the butter in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, until soft, then gradually add the icing sugar and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla, espresso and salt and whisk again until fluffy. Spread about one-third of the creamed mixture on top of the first sponge cake, then place the second sponge on top. Spread the remaining mix over the top and around the side of the assembled cake and scatter the toasted streusel mixture on top to serve.



Extracted from Spelt by Roger Saul © Roger Saul 2015
Published by Nourish Books, London. 
Hardback £16.99
Commissioned photography by Lara Holmes & Neil White

Don't forget to get your spelt ingredients:

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Organic British Walnuts
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14th March 2019

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