Coffee and Walnut Loaf Cake
Coffee and walnut loaf is a simple cake 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!
Servings: 10 slices
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.