This easy coffee and walnut loaf is the perfect afternoon tea treat for coffee lovers. This classic British bake is a deliciously soft, moist, and golden sponge cake topped with coffee buttercream and crunchy walnuts.
I'll also show you how to make this coffee walnut cake in a Ninja Foodi or Ninja Speedi using the steam and bake setting.
Today's recipe is all about how we love a good coffee to wash down a slice of cake. And what better recipe to share with you than this simple, but delicious walnut cake recipe with coffee flavours.
Although it's a very popular classic British cake, I've carefully measured all of the ingredients in cups for easy following. This does mean I had to sacrifice the odd gram and go against a true pound cake. (Sorry Brits)!
If you make it, I'm sure you'll agree that it's a delicious nutty golden bake with a divine creamy coffee frosting. And every bite is full of crunchy walnuts.
Jump to:
✔️ Why you'll Love this Walnut Loaf Cake
- Uses simple ingredients
- A light and fluffy golden sponge
- The perfect sweet comfort food with a cup of coffee or pot of tea
- It's a super easy recipe - no separating egg whites and egg yolk
🛒 Ingredient Notes
Please see the printable recipe card with exact ingredient quantities and preparation instructions at the bottom of this post.
Instant espresso powder - or other strong instant coffee granules coffee made up with boiling water and a dash of milk. This is used in both the cake mixture and the butter icing
Milk - this is stirred into the coffee after mixing to give the cake a more moist crumb and extra flavour
Butter - this is room temperature butter to make an easy cake batter. I use salted to enhance the flavours, but you could use unsalted butter if preferred
Light soft brown sugar - to give it its lovely golden brown colour. For a lighter colour (see this recipe by Nigella Lawson, you can use caster sugar (baking sugar)
Self raising flour - this is plain flour with added baking powder so the cake rises
Vanilla extract - this is optional but helps make an exceptional cake
Eggs - these are beaten eggs to let some air into the mixture for the cake to rise
Kosher salt - this is a pinch of sea salt to enhance the flavour overall
Walnut halves - these start off as halves for accurate measuring in cups, then chopped into small pieces. but we prefer chopped walnuts
Ground cinnamon - don't skip this! We love the warm spice it gives throughout, or try allspice.
Icing sugar - creamed with butter to make a buttercream topping, or sandwiched between two layers. Or, you can whip heavy cream if preferred
📋 Instructions
First, preheat your oven or Ninja Foodi/Speedi using one of the following temperatures:
| Gas mark 4 | 350F | 180c | 160 c fan | Air fryer 150c (325F) |
Now add boiling water to the instant coffee powder and mix until dissolved.
Then stir in the milk and let cool while you make the raw batter.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy.
Make sure you scrape the sides of the bowl, too.
Mixing in the wet ingredients:
Start by adding the strong coffee mixture and whisk again until it has all blended in.
Now pour in a little bit of egg mix. Then mix in until it is fully incorporated.
Repeat until all of the beaten egg is mixed in and any other wet ingredients.
Fold in the following dry ingredients: self-raising flour, salt and ground cinnamon.
We don't want to knock too much air out of the batter.
Now fold in the chopped or blitzed walnuts.
Butter and line your loaf tin or round pan with baking paper.
Then spoon in the batter and level with the back of a wooden spoon and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
See tips below on testing.
Once the cake is baked, place it on a cooling rack to fully cool.
To make the buttercream:
Use your large mixing bowl again and cream the icing sugar and softened butter until fluffy.
Now make up and stir in some coffee again mix in until you have smooth icing sugar.
Spread the coffee buttercream on top of the cake with a knife or piping bag.
Then sprinkle more chopped walnuts to decorate and slice.
Tips on cake testing: once the 45 minutes is up, insert a skewer in the centre of the cake to see if it comes out clean. If it looks fudgy, bake for another 10 minutes or so.
Side note: if the cake is raw in the middle, but the top looks baked, it's a good idea to cover it with tin foil and continue baking in 10-minute increments.
👩🍳 Substitutions
Depending on your dietary needs, here are a few simple swaps you can make:
- Coffee - swap for coffee extract like Camp essence
- Walnuts - for those with a tree nut allergy, you might want to swap for seeds or simply chocolate chips or Funfetti style cake sprinkles
- Vegan - use plant based butter or cocnut oil, almond milk, omit the eggs and use baking powder. You might like this vegan coffee and walnut cake.
- Flour - use gluten free flour, or make it flourless by replacing it with ground almonds
- Sugar - use sugar free icing sugar and brown sugar sweetener, and use nut flour or high protein flour
⚖️ Variations
- Mocha lovers - fold in some chocolate chips at the same time as the walnuts to give to classic coffee cake a chocolate cake twist
- Deluxe - If you love walnut flavours, stir in ground walnuts as opposed to chopped for extra flavour and decorate with coffee creams.
- Kid friendly - swap instant coffee for hot chocolate powder or cocoa powder
See this fruit tea loaf version which is another one of our favorite cakes!
🔪 Equipment
Please note that as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links.
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Weighing scales
- wire rack
- 2lb loaf pan *
- 2lb loaf liner or parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Chopping knife
- Chopping board
- Spatula
- Electric whisk, hand mixer, or stand mixer
- Food processor (only if you want to stir in ground walnuts, not chunks)
- Cake skewer
*This also works in round cake tins (I used 9" which fit in my Ninja Speedi). Or, you can halve the mixture and bake it in 2 tins to make a layer cake and sandwich the buttercream.
❄️ Storage
Storing - for the best coffee and walnut cake, we prefer eating it once the buttercream has been spread on top. But it can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
If you have any remaining icing, you could always save it for another cake, or store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing - cool to room temperature and store in a freezer-safe container without the buttercream for up to 3 months.
💡Pro Tips
- Avoid using soft butter spreads that are blended with oils when it comes to the icing sugar as it won't set as firmly
- Don't open the oven before the 45 minutes is over to prevent the cake from sinking
- Towards the end of baking, if you find the cake is browning too much and a skewer doesn't come out clean, cover with tin foil and bake for another 10 minutes and repeat if necessary
- Make sure the cake has fully cooled when adding the buttercream, otherwise it can melt.
- If wanting to add a second cake layer, you can slice the cake in half or split the batter into 2 pans. If the latter, bake both on the same shelf and reduce to the baking time to 25-30 minutes
- When sandwiching two layers with buttercream, add them right side up so any rises are facing upwards
- To serve more people on a budget, use a 23 x 30cm (13" x 9") baking tray for a coffee tray bake and bake for 25-30 minutes, then cut into 24 squares
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Cream: serve with whipped cream, creme fraiche, mascarpone cheese or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate dessert
Sandwiches: it is well known to be enjoyed after an array of triangular sandwiches, such as cucumber sandwiches, coronation chicken, smoked salmon and cream cheese, etc
Hot drinks: this moist coffee and walnut cake is most popularly served with a coffee, or cup of tea or hot chocolate
Fruit: serve with fresh berries or a fruit compote on the side
Sauces: another welcome addition is a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce
❓ FAQ
We've been testing homemade cakes in our Speedi using the steam and bake function. To make a single layer coffee and walnut cake, add 2 cups of water in the bottom. Then bake your cake at 150c/325F for 20-25 minutes while sitting on the air fryer crisping rack.
It is said that in 1935, McDougalls flour brand shared one of its new recipes for coffee and walnut cake and has been a family favourite in all parts of the world ever since.
➕ More Afternoon Tea Recipes
If you have a nostalgic longing for a classic recipe served at a coffee morning or high tea, then why not try these?
🍽️ Latest Recipes
Looking for something a little bit different? Here are our newest or recently updated recipes:
📖 Recipe
Easy Coffee and Walnut Loaf Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 2lb loaf tin Or a round 9" cake tin works perfcetly, too (see FAQs)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Instant coffee Espresso or other strong coffee granules
- 1.5 tablespoon Boiling water
- ½ tablespoon Milk
- 225 g Butter softened (1 cup)
- 215 g Light brown soft sugar 1 cup packed
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 4 Eggs whisked
- 210 g Self raising flour (1 & ¾ cups)
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Sea salt
- 70 g Walnut halves (⅔ cup), then chopped into small pieces
Butter Cream
- 112 g Butter (½ cup)
- 200 g Icing sugar (1 & ⅔ cups)
- 1.5 tablespoon Instant coffee
- 1 tablespoon Boiling water
- ¾ tablespoon Milk
- 40 g Walnuts chopped, to decorate (⅓ cup)
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven or Ninja Foodi/Speedi using one of the following temperatures: Gas mark 4, 350F, 180c 160c fan, Air fryer 150c (325F).
- Now add boiling water to the instant coffee powder and mix until dissolved. and then stir in the milk and let cool while you make the raw batter.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Make sure you scrape the sides of the bowl, too.
- Mixing in the wet ingredients: start by adding the strong coffee mixture and whisk again until it has all blended in.
- Now pour in a little bit of egg mix. Then mix in until it is fully incorporated.Repeat until all of the beaten egg is mixed in, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Fold in the following dry ingredients: self-raising flour, salt, and ground cinnamon.We don't want to knock too much air out of the batter.
- Now fold in the chopped or blitzed walnuts.
- Butter and line your loaf tin or round pan with baking paper.Then spoon in the batter and level with the back of a wooden spoon and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Insert a skewer in the centre of the cake to see if it comes out clean. If it looks fudgy, bake for another 10 minutes or so. Note: if it looks baked on top, cover with tin foil to prevent burning while baking in 10 minute increments.
- Once the cake is baked, place it on a cooling rack to fully cool.
- Once cooled, start making the buttercream by creaming the icing sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl with your mixer until light and creamy
- Now make up and stir in some coffee again mix in until you have smooth icing sugar.
- Spread the coffee buttercream on top of the cake with a knife or piping bag.Then sprinkle more chopped walnuts to decorate and serve.
Disclaimer
*This is an unofficial page and has no affiliation or endorsement from Slimming World. Slimming World's website can be found at https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/. Any syn values are personal estimates and not verified by Slimming World.
Video
Notes
- Avoid using soft butter spreads that are blended with oils when it comes to the icing sugar as it won't set as firmly
- Don't open the oven before the 45 minutes is over to prevent the cake from sinking
- Towards the end of baking, if you find the cake is browning too much and a skewer doesn't come out clean, cover with tin foil and bake for another 10 minutes and repeat if necessary
- Make sure the cake has fully cooled when adding the buttercream, otherwise it can melt.
- If wanting to add a second cake layer, you can slice the cake in half or split the batter into 2 pans. If the latter, bake both on the same shelf and reduce to the baking time to 25-30 minutes
- When sandwiching two layers with buttercream, add them right side up so any rises are facing upwards
- To serve more people on a budget, use a 23 x 30cm (13" x 9") baking tray for a coffee tray bake and bake for 25-30 minutes, then cut into 24 squares
Comments
No Comments