Something about the combination of coffee and walnut makes me long for winter nights spent in front of a warm fire, sipping tea and reading an old book, or coming inside from the blustery icy wind and meeting the rich aroma of fresh coffee matched with a newly baked cake. Or maybe my longing for winter is just getting the better of me. With my romantic mindset, the Coffee and Walnut Courage cake in Harry Eastwood’s Red Velvet and Chocolate Heartache just begged to be made, and my goodness, the only fault in the result is that it is in fact still summer, and I can’t come in after running with the wind over the moors to this cake. Hmm, i think I need to step out of Bronte world.
The cake, is delicious, moist, but dense, and not too sweet. The walnuts do the talking, gently keeping the coffee icing in check. It may seem like an effort to blitz walnuts and grate carrot, but trust me, its worth it.
Ingredients: Cake
200g flour
120g blitzed walnuts
3 eggs
160 raw/brown sugar
250g peeled and finely grated carrots
2tsp baking powder
125ml coffee (espresso shots or essence)
Ingredients: Icing
50g cold butter
250g icing sugar
75g cream cheese
3tsp coffee essence
Method: Cake
Preheat oven to 180˚C. Line bases of either 2 18cm round tins or 2 small loaf tins
Combine flour, baking powder and walnuts
Beat eggs and sugar until pale (3mins)
Add grated carrot followed by flour mix and beat until combined
Add the coffee and mix
Pour into tins and bake for 30mins
Method: Icing
Whisk the butter until pale and fluffy
Add half the icing sugar and whisk.
Add the cream cheese, coffee and remaining icing sugar and whisk
Ice cakes as desired when completely cooled.
Baking and Design 
How yummy!