September is Birthday season here at the Bird Haus where we celebrate not one but two birthdays so if ever there’s a time to eat cake, it’s right now. Kicking off the festivities we have an oldie but a goodie – my take on Coffee and Walnut. Gluten free, this cake is nut rich – toasted walnuts for flavour and ground almonds to hold. Readers, it’s a keeper.

Makes a double layer 20cm cake.

Source

200g butter

150g sugar

4 eggs

100g gluten free self-raising flour

2 tbsp strong coffee

1 tsp baking powder, (most brands are gluten free as made with rice flour)

140g walnuts, toasted & ground

140g ground almonds

Action

Preheat the oven to 170c and line two 20cm round cake tins with baking parchment.

Using a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and aerated – take your time with this and give it a good five minutes to really blend together.

Add the eggs one by one, alternating with a spoon of flour and beating in between.

Tip in the remaining flour, baking powder, walnuts and almonds and slowing combine. With the motor still running on slow, pour in the coffee and combine well.

Transfer equally between the two tins and bake for 20 minutes until centre feels springy to touch.

Allow to cool on a wire grid completely before frosting.

My daughter frosted our cake with a mix of 200g butter to 400g icing sugar. Add the icing sugar in two goes and beat really well – up to five minutes to really aerate – then drizzle in a tbsp or two of strong black coffee. Inspiration hit with the addition of raspberries between the sandwich and strawberries on top.