Deconstructed Coffee & Walnut Loaf Cake

Treat mum this Mother's Day with this delicious Deconstructed Coffee & Walnut Loaf Cake, complete with walnut praline, coffee buttercream and a rich coffee drizzle from Jamie Oliver. It's the perfect sweet gesture, made even better by using fresh Australian walnuts which are now in season. 

Australian Walnuts, rich in omega-3s, are harvested every April. They're wonderfully creamy with just a hint of pleasant bitterness, making them ideal for baking.

Tip: To keep your walnuts fresh for longer, Sally from Rita’s Coffee and Nuts recommends storing them in the fridge, or if using for baking, they’ll last even longer in the freezer.

You can pick up fresh Australian walnuts from Rita's Coffee and Nuts in the Deli Aisle or Nutshoppe on Coventry Street.

Ingredients

Serves 14 

• 200g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 200g light brown sugar
• 4 large free-range eggs
• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 100g walnuts
• 50ml strong espresso, cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Walnut Praline

• 150g golden caster sugar
• 50g walnuts

Coffee Buttercream

• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 250g icing sugar
• 50ml strong espresso, cooled

Coffee Drizzle

• 100g icing sugar
• 20ml strong espresso, cooled

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease a 1-litre loaf tin with a knob of butter, then line the base with greaseproof paper.
2. Cube the butter and place into the bowl of a free-standing mixer along with the sugar. Beat on a high speed for about 5 minutes, or until pale and creamy.
3. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk, then add them to the mixer bowl a little at a time – don’t worry if it looks split at this stage.
4. Sift in the flour and baking powder and gently fold through the batter. Finely chop the walnuts, then fold through and stir in the espresso and vanilla.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes, or until risen and golden, and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
6. To make the praline, line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Sprinkle the sugar over the base of a medium non-stick frying pan and place on a medium-high heat. Gently swirl the pan as it starts to melt, but don’t be tempted to stir until almost completely dissolved – you are looking for a deep, golden colour. Once dissolved, stir until you have a smooth caramel. Roughly chop the walnuts and stir through the caramel until thoroughly coated, then carefully pour onto the greaseproof paper, quickly spread out the nuts and leave to cool completely. Be careful as it will be very hot – make sure there are no children or animals around – and don’t be tempted to put your finger in to taste. Once cooled, bash up in a pestle and mortar.
7. To make the buttercream, cube up the butter, place in a bowl and beat until creamy. Sift in the icing sugar a little at a time and beat to combine, then add the espresso and a pinch of sea salt and whisk for a further 4 to 5 minutes, or until pale and fluffy – it should resemble whipped cream.
8. To make the coffee drizzle, sift the icing sugar into a bowl, then beat in the espresso until thick and smooth.
9. To serve, drizzle the coffee icing over the loaf and sprinkle over most of the walnut praline, serving the rest in a small bowl. Serve the coffee buttercream in a separate bowl for your guests to spread over their slices of slightly warm cake. Lovely!