Classic coffee and walnut loaf cake is flavoured with coffee, buttered walnuts, and a hint of cardamom. Whipped up in one bowl, you can serve this loaf with glaze or without. Easy peasy!
I adapted this recipe from Yossy Arefi’s ‘Buttered Walnut Cake with Coffee Maple Glaze’ from ‘Snacking Cakes’. It’s a quick one bowl cake you can whip up in a matter of minutes with ingredients you most likely already have at home. You can enjoy it plain or drizzle over a coffee flavoured glaze for a bit of added flair. Either way, you’re going to love it.
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This coffee walnut loaf cake is terrific for casual snacking and can also be dressed up to serve to company. The loaf sponge is moist and tender thanks to the addition of sour cream and the buttery walnuts add a pleasant crunch.
I added a small amount of cardamom to enhance the warm earthy flavours of the cake and I think it’s pairs perfectly with the coffee flavour. I tried the recipe without it and it really felt like something was missing, so I do highly recommend you don’t skip adding it.
If you’re looking for other quick loaf and cake recipes, check out my recipes for Biscoff Cake and Easy Mandarin Cake.
What to Expect from this Recipe
- Light sponge. The cake itself is light, airy and moist. Sour cream in the batter helps to give it this great texture.
- Walnut overload. There’s walnuts in the batter and on top of the coffee glaze. In addition to a great nutty flavour, they give the cake a pleasant crunch.
- One bowl. There’s no need to mess up your entire kitchen for this cake. Everything is mixed in one bowl with a handheld whisk. No fuss!
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Coffee Walnut Loaf
- Unsalted butter: The butter is melted before adding the chopped walnuts. If you only have salted butter, that’s ok, go ahead and use it and dial back on the added salt.
- Chopped walnuts: I buy the packets of prechopped walnuts to make things easy.
- Granulated sugar: The loaf isn’t overly sweet but can be sweetened up further by adding the glaze.
- Eggs: Remove your eggs from the fridge at least 30 minutes in advance so they’re easier to incorporate into your batter.
- Sour cream: Helps to add moisture to the cake which is exactly what we’re looking for! Use full-fat sour cream for the best results.
- Vanilla extract: I prefer to use pure vanilla extract for its superior taste.
- Salt: Plays an important role in baking to help enhance other flavours.
- Instant coffee: I use regular instant coffee or if you want a stronger coffee flavour, you can use espresso instant coffee.
- All-purpose flour: This is a great all-rounder flour to use for baking cake loaves.
- Baking Powder: Make sure your powder is still active by dropping a teaspoon into a bowl of hot water. If the powder fizzes, it’s good to go! If you don’t see any action, you know it’s time to replace your powder.
- Baking soda: The baking soda really comes alive when its combined with the sour cream to give a good rise to the loaf.
- Ground cardamom: This spice has a sweet earthy flavour that pairs perfectly with coffee and walnut flavours.
Coffee Glaze
- Powdered sugar: When combined with milk or water, this sugar dries to a matte finish.
- Half and half cream or milk: Use cream for thicker consistency.
- Instant Coffee: Again, I use regular instant, but if you want a stronger coffee flavour, go for instant espresso.
- Salt: A pinch of salt really brings out the coffee flavour.
Which Type of Loaf Tin Works Best?
I used a standard metal loaf tin which is 9” x 5”. You can use a larger tin, but make sure you adjust your baking time. Start by checking your loaf 10 minutes before the times given in this recipe just to make sure you don’t over bake your loaf.
I like to line my tins with parchment paper that overhangs on two sides, which makes it easy to lift the loaf right of the pan once it has cooled for a few minutes.
I haven’t tried this recipe in a silicone pan. While they are great for their non-stick properties, I find that they just don’t brown my cakes as much as I would like.
Instructions
You can mix this coffee walnut loaf up in one bowl with just a handheld whisk or wooden spoon. No fancy equipment required!
- Butter walnuts. Melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the walnuts. Let the nuts simmer in the buttery bath for a couple of minutes while you stir constantly then remove from the heat to cool.
- Combine wet ingredients. Combine sugar, salt, and cardamom with eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and coffee powder and whisk together. Add the walnuts and butter and keep whisking until well combined.
- Add dry ingredients. Whisk in the flour, baking powder and baking soda and whisk well until the batter is smooth.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for around 50 minutes.
- Glaze. Make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, cream, coffee powder and salt. Combine with a fork until everything is smooth and pourable. Once your loaf has cooled completely, drizzle the glaze over the top and scatter over walnut halves.
Hint: Keep an eye on the walnuts as they simmer in the butter. The butter will foam up and you should continue to stir it the entire time to ensure that the butter doesn’t burn.
Decorating the Loaf
You can enjoy this loaf plain without any frosting or glaze, as we often do. It’s wonderful cut into thick slices and warmed with a smear of salted butter on top.
I also love the look and flavor of the coffee glaze on this walnut coffee loaf. It’s not too thick to be overly sweet, yet just enough to elevate the coffee flavor.
I always add some walnut halves to the top of the loaf because I like how rustic they look and I love the crunch they give in contrast to the light loaf sponge.
Storage
Counter instructions: Store the glazed cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I don’t like to keep this loaf in the fridge as I find it dries out.
Freezer instructions: This loaf will freeze well without the glaze. Cut it into individual slices and pop it into a freezer bag for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw slices at room temperature for 30 minutes. If you like, you can drizzle glaze on top of the slices.
Top tip
Ingredients at room temperature. Before you start whisking, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. It makes it so much easier to achieve a smooth batter.
Frequently asked questions
It could be that your baking powder has expired or is no long effective. Place a teaspoon of powder into a bowl of hot water to see if it fizzes. If nothing happens, you know it’s time to replace your baking powder!
If you’ve added too much cream to your glaze, simply stir in a tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. You might have to add a pinch more coffee powder to make sure the flavour comes through.
Coffee and Walnut Loaf Cake
Equipment
- 1 metal loaf pan 9" x 5"
Ingredients
Coffee and Walnut Loaf
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113 g)
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts (112 g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 g)
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup sour cream, full fat (165 g)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour (160 g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Coffee Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar (100 g)
- 2 tablespoons half and half cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- pinch of salt
Instructions
For the cake
- Place the rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350F/180C and line a loaf tin with parchment paper. Make sure there is some paper hanging over the sides of the tin.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan on the stove top over medium heat and toss in the walnuts. Let the walnuts toast in the butter for 3 minutes while you continue to stir them. The butter will foam up. This is ok! Just take care that it doesn't burn. Remove from the heat to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, salt, cardamom, coffee, eggs, sour cream and vanilla using a handheld whisk. Add the cooled butter and walnuts and continue to whisk until everything is smooth and slightly thickened. Feel free to use a wooden spoon if you prefer.
- Add the flour, baking powder and baking soda and whisk some more until you have a smooth batter.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake until the loaf is golden brown. This will take from 50 – 60 minutes depending on your oven. Start checking it at the 50 minute mark by inserting a toothpick in the centre of loaf. It should come away clean without any wet crumbs clinging to it.
- Let the loaf rest in the tin for 15 minutes, then take it out of the tin to cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the Glaze
- In a medium sized bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, coffee, cream and salt until you have a smooth thick consistency that's easy to pour.
- Drizzle the glaze over the loaf and sprinkle over a few walnut halves. Let it sit for 20 minutes or so. It will set in this time so you can easily cut the loaf into slices.
Notes
- Store the cake loaf at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- If the glaze is too thin, add a tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time until you have reached the desired consistency. Adjust the coffee flavour.
- If the glaze is too thick, add a teaspoon of cream at a time and stir until you are able to pour it.
- Keep an eye on the buttered walnuts as they are toasting in the pan so the butter doesn’t burn. Continue to stir them the entire time.
Marie says
The buttered walnuts tasted soooo good. Thank you!
Julianne says
Thanks Marie! It’s a small step that gives big flavour 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!