Name: Coffee Walnut Mascarpone Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 140 grams Unsalted Butter; 140 grams Fine White Sugar (Castor Sugar); 2 large Eggs; 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract; 100 grams Mascarpone Cheese; 100 ml Hot Water; 3.6 grams Instant Espresso; 160 grams Self-Rising Flour; Pinch Salt; 110 grams Walnuts (Broken by hand or roughly chopped); 50 ml Heavy Cream (35 % fat); 20 grams Fine White Sugar (Castor Sugar); 100 grams Mascarpone Cheese

Ahh the classic coffee and walnut duo – it pairs so well that I could NEVER even think of another nut in its place. A simple Google search will show you zillions of coffee walnut cake remakes which seems to beg the question: who decided to splash their morning coffee in a cake batter and make it the sensational duo we know today?. According to Perfect Daily Grind, during the 17th-18th century in Europe, “coffee cake” referred to a pastry or bread enjoyed with coffee. This tradition spread with German and Dutch immigrants to America, where they introduced unique versions of pastries and bread that were served as accompaniment to coffee. Over time, Americans incorporated coffee into cake recipes, redefining “coffee cake” from an accompaniment to coffee to a cake infused with coffee flavour.

Whenever I get a craving for coffee cake, this is my go-to recipe, and it’s a big plus that it’s a crowd-pleaser. Everyone I’ve made it for loves it, even my husband, whose mortal enemy is coffee. A cake that can change minds—who knew? One thing to keep in mind when serving this cake is that it’s quite filling, so a small piece goes a long way!

On a side note: If you are a loyal visitor to my blog, you might have noticed my hiatus. A lot of changes have taken place on my side – I moved countries, and there was so much to do before my husband, our spicy cat and I could settle down in our new home. However, I’m glad to say that my hiatus is officially over, and you can expect more delicious recipes coming your way! Also, if you like to connect more with me – Busyfoodbee is on Instagram now, and you will soon get to see this recipe and future recipes as reels over there, and my newsletter will also be launched soon!

BEE ROLL

TIPS & TRICKS / SUBSTITUTIONS

SUBSTITUTIONS

Coffee

For this recipe, I chose to use instant espresso for convenience. But if you’re after a more smooth and refined espresso taste, you can go for freshly brewed espresso from the store or your home coffee machine—it does make a noticeable difference in flavour. Alternatively, you could opt for decaf. Whichever option you choose (even with instant coffee), make sure it’s good quality coffee, as it truly enhances the cake’s flavour.

TIPS & TRICKS

Butter and the creaming process

For a butter cake to bake well, the key lies in the temperature of the butter and the method of creaming the butter and sugar. The creaming step is crucial as it infuses air into the batter, ensuring even rising in the oven and resulting in a fluffy cake. The butter has to be at room temperature. Room temperature butter means that the butter is still cool to the touch and when you gently press your index finger onto it, the butter will retain the indentation rather than going right through. Once the butter is at room temperature, the next step would be to cream the butter and sugar.

The process of creaming butter and sugar is of utmost importance due to the following reasons: 1) if the butter is too cold, the resulting batter might contain lumps of unincorporated butter, resulting in a cake with an uneven texture and insufficient rise. If the butter is overly soft, the resulting batter may appear greasy, leading to unevenly baked cake, with a soft center. You can definitely cream the butter and sugar well with some elbow grease and the ol’ wooden spatula BUT I highly recommend using a handheld whisk or stand mixer. Trust me, your arms will thank you.

STEPS ON MAKING COFFEE WALNUT MASCARPONE CAKE WITH MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM

Preheat your oven to 150°C. Line your rectangular baking pan (21 cm / 8 in) with parchment paper and spray baking oil or spread butter all over the pan and dust a little flour to prevent the cake from sticking. Alternatively, grease the pan, including the sides, with butter and dust it with flour for a similar effect. For the coffee, add 100 ml of hot water to 3.6 grams of instant espresso and set aside. In a bowl, add the self-rising flour and salt and using a spoon mix it until it is well incorporated and set aside .

In a large mixing bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, cream the butter first using the whisk attachment. Then, add the sugar and whisk until the mixture turns light and fluffy. To test, take a small amount of batter and rub it between your thumb and index finger; it should lean towards smooth and less grainy. Remember to pause occasionally to scrape down the sides and bottom with a spatula, ensuring everything is thoroughly combined.

Now, add the first egg and whisk it into the batter until well incorporated. Add the second egg and vanilla extract, and repeat the same step.

Add the mascarpone cheese and whisk until well combined.

Then, gradually add the coffee and self-rising flour, alternating between the two in three parts into the batter. With each addition, mix the coffee in with the hand or stand mixer using the whisk attachment and then gently fold the flour using a spatula until no traces of flour remain. Finally, use the hand or stand mixer and whisk for 10 seconds to ensure a thorough mix which will result in a fluffy, well-mixed batter. Roughly chop the walnuts or break them by hand, and fold them into the batter until evenly distributed (reserve 5 – 6 walnuts for decoration). Personally, I like to opt for hand-broken walnuts as it tends to result in cleaner pieces. Slight separation can be seen in the batter at this stage, which is normal due to the coffee not fully incorporated with the batter yet.

Pour the cake batter into the lined cake pan and bake it for 150 °C for 50 minutes or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

For the whipped cream and mascarpone frosting, start by pouring cold heavy cream into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and using the hand or stand mixer , whisk until it forms stiff peaks. Stiff peaks means when you lift the whisk, the peaks hold firm at the edge of the whisk. Next, add the mascarpone cheese and continue whipping until everything has thickened.

Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the frosting on the cake using a frosting spatula or a spoon, create little swirls, and decorate with the reserved walnuts.

STORAGE

If you plan to store this cake, it’s best not to frost it. The frosting is made with whipped heavy cream, hence it might deflate and melt, even in the fridge. Store the unfrosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should stay good for approximately 2 to 4 days.