It’s been a little while since I made an afternoon loaf cake – and this date, walnut and coffee loaf with espresso buttercream has been a welcome return.
The recipe starts similarly to sticky toffee pudding; soaking the chopped dates in hot liquid with a spoonful of bicarb. In this case, strong black coffee rather than water.
After this initial stage, the recipe reverts to the familiar cake-making method. You cream the butter with sugars, sift together the dry ingredients and finally fold in the fruit and nuts.
The original recipe that I borrowed said that it would make one loaf – the quantity of mixture produced actually allowed me to make one large (using a 1kg/2lb loaf tin) and one smaller loaf. I’ll be giving the little one to Granny Glittens.
Usually, my loaf cakes go well with a cup of tea. However this one, obviously, suits a mug of coffee better!
Super-moist and sweet – a delicious mid-afternon treat!
Save this date, walnut and coffee loaf with espresso buttercream recipe to Pinterest
- 300g/10½oz chopped dates
- 360ml/12½ fl oz hot, strong, black coffee or espresso
- 1½tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 210g/7½oz plain flour
- 1tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛tsp grated nutmeg
- ¼tsp fine salt
- 60g/2oz butter
- 150g/5¼oz soft brown sugar
- 100g/3½oz granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2tsp vanilla paste
- 100g/3½oz walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp hot water
- 1tsp very fine ground or ½tsp instant espresso powder
- 225g/8oz icing sugar
- 45g/1½oz melted butter
- 1tsp vanilla paste
- 50g/1¾oz walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- Preheat oven to 175ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4
- In a large bowl, combine the dates, hot coffee or espresso, and bicarbonate of soda. Set aside
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt
- Using a mixer cream the butter and sugars
- Beat in the egg and vanilla
- Strain the date mixture and set the dates aside
- Add the date-soaking liquid, alternating with the flour mixture (about 3 rounds) to the ingredients in the bowl; ending with the liquid
- Fold in the dates and toasted walnuts
- Grease loaf tin(s) with a little butter or baking spray. Insert a tin liner or cut parchment paper to fit the bottom and sides
- Pour the batter into the greased and lined loaf tin(s)
- Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes away clean
- Cool for 20 minutes before removing from the tin; remove the parchment and put on a wire rack to cool completely
- Combine the hot water with the espresso powder and stir until blended
- In a small bowl, whisk together the icing sugar, melted butter, vanilla and espresso
- Spoon & spread the buttercream evenly over the top and scatter the chopped walnuts
- Slice & serve
Cakes & Bakes: Coffee and walnut swiss roll
Have you watched the first episode of Britain’s Best Home Cook on the Beeb yet? One of the contestants, Katie, made this gorgeous coffee and walnut swiss roll as her second-round, improvised dish.
I shared a swiss roll as a Cakes & Bakes recipe last year. However, coffee and walnut is such a favourite cake combo, I just had to make this version!
The trick to getting a perfect, tight spiral… and an un-cracked sponge, is to score the inner edge and give it a pre-roll in parchment paper while it’s still very warm.
I did this, but my sponge was a little thin and lacked the required flexibility – so there was still some cracking. I need to get a proper swiss roll cake tin and then that problem should be solved for next time.
As expected, the flavours all worked really well together and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed it… cracks and all!
Click here to save the recipe to Pinterest
- 160g/5½oz walnut halves
- 140g/5oz caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 4 eggs
- 140g/5oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 30g/1oz unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
- 2tsp instant coffee granules
- 2tsp boiling water
- 170ml/6fl oz double cream
- 25g/1oz icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
- Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/Gas mark 6
- Grease a 34 × 22cm/13 × 8½" Swiss roll tin and line it with baking parchment
- Roast the walnuts in the oven for 5 minutes, until a shade darker and aromatic. Allow to cool, then finely chop half of the walnuts
- Using an electric whisk or stand mixer with whisk attachment, whisk the sugar and eggs together until pale, thick and creamy and at least doubled in volume (this will take 8-10 minutes)
- Sift a few tablespoons of flour at a time into the bowl, and very gently fold into the mixture. When all the flour has been incorporated, gently fold in most of the chopped walnuts and the butter. Be patient and do not knock out too much air
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and smooth out using the back of a spoon
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and slightly springy to the touch. Don't leave to cool
- While the sponge is still warm, place a large sheet of baking parchment on your work surface and dust liberally with caster sugar. Supporting it with your hand, carefully invert the sponge onto the parchment. Gently peel off the top layer of parchment. Trim the very outer edge of the sponge with a sharp knife. Score a line 2cm/¾" in from the short end of the sponge closest to you, but don't cut all the way through. Using the parchment, tightly roll up the sponge and leave to cool, seam side down
- Mix the coffee and boiling water to form a paste
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, icing sugar and coffee paste until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until needed
- Gently unroll the cooled sponge. Spread the cream over the surface, leaving a 1-2cm/½–¾" border all round
- Scatter over the remaining chopped walnuts. Roll up the sponge again and place on a serving plate, seam side down
- Arrange the whole walnuts on top and dust with icing sugar before serving
Cakes & Bakes: Walnut and sultana loaf
I’ve decided to make a walnut and sultana loaf this week by tweaking a basic white bread recipe that I regularly use. I didn’t have enough white flour in store so I substituted a quarter with wholemeal. It was a good decision as it added to the nuttiness of the finished loaf.
Sliced or torn pieces of this bread will go amazingly well with a mild, creamy blue cheese such as Dolcelatte, Saint Agur or Roquefort.
Another good option would be a couple of dipping bowls of good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Once the loaf’s a couple of days old, have it toasted and spread with butter and honey.
- 7g/¼oz fast action yeast
- 1tsp sugar
- 300ml/10½fl oz warm water
- 500g/18oz strong bread flour
- 1tsp salt
- 50g/1¾oz chopped walnuts
- 50g/1¾oz sultanas
- In a measuring jug, stir the yeast and sugar into the warm water. Leave for 10 minutes for the yeast to begin working
- In a large mixing bowl add the flour. Make a well in the centre
- Add the liquid and knead until a smooth ball of dough is formed (I used my Kenwood mixer with dough hook attachment on a low speed for about 10 minutes, but you can do it by hand on a floured work surface for about 20 minutes)
- Cover the mixing bowl with cling film or put it into a large, clear plastic bag and leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.
- Add the salt, chopped walnuts and sultanas and knead lightly until the fruit & nuts are evenly distributed through the dough
- Place in a greased loaf tin (or in a well-floured banneton like I did) and re-cover and allow to prove again until doubled in size
- Preheat the oven to 260ºC/500ºF/Gas mark 10, put an empty roasting dish on the bottom shelf of the oven and fill a cup with cold water and set aside
- Once the loaf has risen, if using a banneton, grease a baking sheet and gently decant the loaf on to it, trying not to knock any air out of it
- Quickly & carefully pour the cup of water into the roasting dish before putting the loaf into the oven
- After 10 minutes, turn the oven down to 200ºC/ 400ºF/Gas mark 6
- Bake for a further 20-25 minutes before taking it out of the oven
- Leave to cool on a wire rack for at least half an hour before use
Cakes & Bakes: Fig, walnut and blue cheese loaf
It’s been a while since I shared a bread recipe – this one is for a fig, walnut and blue cheese loaf. It’s a recipe I devised myself and the resulting loaf is a great accompaniment to a cheese board or ploughman’s lunch.
Cakes & Bakes: Fig, walnut and blue cheese loaf
Ingredients
- 175 g/6oz sourdough starter recently refreshed
- 250 g/9oz tepid water
- 325 g/11½oz strong white flour
- 75 g/2½oz wholemeal flour
- 125 g/4½oz figs chopped
- 50 g/1¾oz chopped walnuts
- 5 g/1tsp sea salt
- 50 g/1¾oz blue cheese cubed (something like a Dolcelatte, Gorgonzola or Roquefort)
Instructions
- Mix the starter and water in a large mixing bowl
- Add the white and wholemeal flours and combine until there are no lumps
- Fold in the figs, walnuts and sea salt until mixed evenly throughout the dough
- In the bowl, knead the dough gently for 10 seconds
- Leave to rest for 10 minutes
- Repeat this kneading & resting process another 3 times
- Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or cling film and leave the dough in a warm place to prove for an hour and a half to 2 hours
- Knock back and fold in the cubed blue cheese until mixed evenly throughout the dough
- Shape the dough into an oblong and put it into a 1kg-size banneton
- Cover and allow to prove in a warm place for 3-4 hours (I put my banneton into a large plastic bag which I reuse again & again, but you can get special elasticated, washable banneton covers)
- 20 minutes prior putting the loaf in to bake, preheat the oven to 240ºC/475ºF/Gas mark 9
- Put an empty, shallow baking tin onto the bottom shelf of the oven
- Fill a cup with water and leave on the side near the oven until you're ready to bake the loaf
- When proved, turn the loaf out gently onto a large greased baking tray
- Carefully score the top with a few diagonal cuts using a serrated knife or lame
- Put the loaf on the top shelf of the oven and carefully pour the cup of water into the baking tray on the lower shelf before closing the oven door
- After 10 minutes, turn the oven temperature down to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas mark 6
- Bake the loaf for a further 20-25 minutes
- Check that it's done by tapping the underside of the loaf - it should sound hollow
- If not, turn the oven off and leave the loaf in for another 5 minutes
- Remove the loaf from the oven and allow to cool on a large wire rack for at least 45 minutes before eating
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