Description
This classic coffee and walnut traybake cake features a soft, coffee-flavored sponge with chopped walnuts and a smooth coffee buttercream topping. It’s baked in a tray and sliced into squares, making it perfect for sharing, afternoon tea, or casual celebrations.
Ingredients
- For the sponge:
- 200 g unsalted butter, softened
- 200 g light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 200 g self-raising flour
- 2 tbsp instant coffee granules dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water
- 100 g walnuts, roughly chopped
- For the buttercream:
- 150 g unsalted butter, softened
- 300 g icing sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
- For topping:
- Walnut halves, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line a 9×13-inch traybake tin with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add a little flour if the mixture curdles.
- Fold in self-raising flour, dissolved coffee, and chopped walnuts until smooth.
- Spread the batter evenly in the tin and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely.
- For the buttercream, beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add icing sugar, then beat in dissolved coffee until smooth.
- Spread buttercream over the cooled cake. Decorate with walnut halves and cut into squares to serve.
Notes
- Use pecans or hazelnuts instead of walnuts for variety.
- Add a splash of vanilla extract to the batter for extra depth.
- Replace some buttercream with mascarpone for a lighter topping.
- Use decaf coffee for a caffeine-free version.
- The sponge freezes well without buttercream—ice after thawing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
