Coffee And Walnut Loaf Cake
I live in Seattle, so I must love coffee, right? Absolutely right! And when coffee in its liquid form just is not enough, I turn to my rich, moist coffee and walnut loaf cake. I get that bold, coffee flavor, and caramelized sweetness from the brown sugar with every nutty bite, and it is perfectly paired with, you guessed it, a good, strong cup of coffee. And it only takes a total of 55 minutes!
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 404kcal
Ingredients
For The Cake
- 3 tbsp instant coffee granules
- 2 tbsp hot water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon ground
- pinch salt
- 1 cup butter softened room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts
For The Frosting
- ¼ cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ tbsp boiling water
- 1 tbsp instant coffee granules
- walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 180 C. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Mix the coffee granules with the boiling hot water until the coffee dissolves, set aside to cool.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Using a stand mixer beat the softened butter and brown sugar until smooth, light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla extract and one egg at a time, beating until the egg is well incorporated before adding another egg.
- Combine the cooled coffee and flour with the butter mixture, beat until just combined.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Transfer the cake batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cover the cake with a sheet of foil after 15 minutes if the top of the cake is beginning to brown quickly.
- Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin and cooling completely on a cooling rack.
- When the cake is completely cooled prepare the frosting by mixing the coffee granules with boiling water and set aside to cool.
- Beat the butter in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Slowly add half of the powdered sugar, beating in between each addition.
- Combine the coffee and beat until smooth.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and decorate with chopped walnuts.
- Place the cake in the fridge to chill for an hour before slicing and serving.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this coffee and walnut loaf cake is to keep a light hand. This is so important when you are working with flour. If you mix your batter too vigorously, you overactivate the gluten strands in the flour, and you end up with a dense, chewy cake. I have made this mistake a few times, and this is one mistake that cannot be undone.
- Cover with foil if it starts to brown: If I notice that my loaf is starting to brown or burn, but the inside is still raw, I cover the top loosely with a piece of foil. This allows the center to carry on cooking while protecting your crust.
- Adjust the coffee strength: I like to adjust the strength of the coffee to mine or my guests' tastes. Sometimes I will add a bit more coffee for a stronger kick. Or I will opt for a milder taste and use less.
- Allow cake to cool: I have been impatient when it came to frosting, and trust me, you want your cake COMPLETELY cool. If the cake is still warm, your butter icing will melt and slide right off.
- Make sure icing sugar is fully dissolved before adding liquid: If I add my liquid into my icing mixture, but have not made sure that all the powdered sugar is dissolved, my icing splits, and I lose that smooth texture.
- Do not let coffee sit out too long: I try not to let my coffee cool for too long, as coffee is prone to oxidation. If left out too long, the coffee takes on a bitter taste that can be distracting and even overpowering.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g