Charity Cake Competition

Last Sunday, I entered a charity cake competition in the very fine city of Norwich. I really enjoyed doing this as I haven't had a chance to bake for so long that I was starting to get baking withdrawal. The competition was at The Alexandra Tavern on Stafford Street, a lovely, comfy and traditional pub serving a great range of beers (I did sample a couple while the cakes were being judged which made a sunny afternoon even better).

I actually planned to make a delicious lemon cake with cream cheese icing, but on the Saturday night before, I did and it was a disaster! After about 15 minutes in the oven it completely collapsed and sank in the middle. So frustrating as I had made the recipe so many times and it has always worked so well. So, on Sunday morning I made my go to cake which I absolutely love - a coffee and walnut cake. Some people, I'm sure, find this cake traditional and boring but it is one of my favourite cakes when made well. I like really strong flavours, and do find when trying them out that they can end up being a bit bland, so my recipe really packs a strong coffee punch and I pulse walnuts in the food processor and put into the sponge mix which intensifies the flavour.

I only came third, which I am actually really pleased with as I made this cake in a bit of a rush and I have to say the winners three tiered chocolate cake with ganache, and in second place, the orange and almond polenta cake, which I am going to have a go at because it was delicious, were very good.

Anyway, I think my cake is delicious, and the judge said himself that it was so coming third out of twenty is not bad and I recommend making it as it's easy and delicious. 

Look at all the yummy cakes ready for tasting.
Was such a great afternoon and for a great cause.

Coffee and Walnut Cake

For the sponge:

8oz butter/stork

8oz golden caster sugar

4 eggs

8oz self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

3-4 tsp instant coffee granules - using a strong coffee gives a more intense flavour, for example Carte Noire

2oz walnuts

For the butter icing:

12oz icing sugar

5 oz butter

3-4 tsp coffee granules

14 walnut halves

This is a simple sponge recipe, so you can do either an all-in-one method or a creaming method. I, personally, opt for the creaming method but cheated and did it in the food processor.

• Heat the oven to 160C fan and pulse 2oz walnuts in the food processor until a desired size. I like mine really small but if you like yours a bit chunkier then pulse less. Tip into a bowl and set aside.
• Place butter and sugar in the food processor and mix together until light and fluffy. 
• Once this is done, using boiling water, dissolve the coffee granules a cup with the smallest amount of water possible. I used 1 tsp of water for each tsp of coffee granules. Leave to cool.
• Add in the eggs one by one until fully incorporated. I like to add my coffee now. Often at this point it the mixture can become speckled if perhaps the coffee is slightly too warm but it doesn't matter at all for the finished texture of flavour.
• Fold in the flour and baking powder, then tip in the crushed walnuts.
• divide between two greased and lined cake tins and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven when the cakes start to come away from the side of the tins. Leave in the tins for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire cooling rack.

Butter icing

Again I do this in the food processor because it's so easy.

• For the coffee, same as with the cake mixture. Pour boiling water over the coffee - 1tsp of water for 1tsp of coffee. Can add a little more if the coffee is not dissolving.
• Ensure the butter is at room temperature and place in the food processor. Whizz for a minute on it's own as this will help the icing sugar to fully incorporate.
• Sift the icing sugar in and mix until fully incorporated. It may look a little dry at this stage but it will be nice and moist after adding the coffee.
• Add the coffee mixture to the butter cream and whizz until a lovely rich brown coffee colour.

Once the cakes have cooled, spread the butter cream evenly between the middle and the top. I like to toast my walnuts for 5 minutes before arranging on top as it gives the walnuts a deeper flavour. 

Arrange the walnut halves on top - 12 round the edge an 2 in the middle. 

This is the only photo I've got - post tasting.
I think it looks yummy. 

Serve to everyone. It's yummy. 

The soundtrack for this cake making experience was a relaxing one. Due to the disaster of the night before I needed nice calm background music and for this I chose the Amelie soundtrack. I Absolutely love this film and the music is a personal favourite as I also play the piano. Always my go to piano music for a chill-out. If you like that sort of thing obviously.