Valentine's Day Cake

Photo: Jill Schweber

It's Valentine's day tomorrow and if you're lacking inspiration for what to do... this is a very cute and sweet option.

Photo: Jill Schweber

Coffee and Walnut Cake

Cake
150 grams walnuts
1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee
1 tablespoon boiling water
2 tablespoons dark rum
110 grams butter at room temperature
110 grams caster sugar
2 eggs
110 grams self-rasing flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Walnut cream 
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons dark rum
100 grams butter at room temperature
3/4 cup icing sugar
2 egg yolks

Coffee glaze
5 tablespoons boiling water
1 tablesoon instant coffee 
1 cup icing sugar 
 
Instructions 

Cake
Roast the walnuts, then grind then finely in a food processor. Divide the ground walnuts in half, reserving one half for the walnut cream. Dissolve the coffee in the boiling water then stir in the rum and set a side to cool. Beat the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one  at a time alternating with a teaspoon of flour. Combine the remaing flour, baking powder, and walnuts and, fold into the egg mixture with the cooled coffee.  Divide the batter into the two pans and smooth the top.  Bake for aprox 20 minutes. Let cool.

Walnut cream
Bring milk and rum to a boil and then add the reserved ground walnuts and let cool. Beat the butter and icing suger until light and fluffy. Then beat in the egg yolks. Add the cooled walnut mixture and beat for two more minutes till thick and smooth. Cover and let sit in fridge for a couple hours until firm.

Glaze
Dissolve coffee into boiled water and then beat in the icing sugar till smooth. 

Assemble
Slice each cake in half horizontally.  Place one half cut side up on serving plate and brush with a tablespoon of rum (to keep moist) and spread a third of the walnut cream. Repeat with another two layers. Place final layer cut side up and pour glaze into centre and let drip on sides.

❤