Make as a big layer cake, a slice big enough for a crowd, or cute cupcakes. Great flavour combination, quick and easy. Gluten-free option.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 tablespoons (40 ml) espresso coffee, or coffee substitute such as Nature’s Cuppa or Barleycup, cooled
- 1 cup soy milk
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup rice bran or sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups wholemeal or gluten-free flour
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped, plus 8 walnut halves to decorate
Coffee icing
- ½ cup dairy-free spread
- pinch salt
- 2 cups icing sugar, sifted if lumpy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons (40 ml) espresso coffee, or coffee substitute as above, cooled
Oven 170 °C / 325 °F / Gas 3. Grease and line the base of two 20 cm (8”) round cake tins, or a 20 cm x 30 cm (8” x 12”) rectangular tin, or a 12 hole cupcake tin.
Method
- First, brew a cup of double-strength coffee or coffee substitute and leave to cool. In a small bowl or jug, whisk together the soy milk and cider vinegar and leave for a few minutes before whisking in the oil, vanilla extract and coffee.
- Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt. Add sugar to the flour mixture.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together and beat until smooth. If mixture is too dry, add a little more soy milk until the mixture drops easily off a spoon.
- Stir in the chopped walnuts.
- Fill the tins you are using evenly. Bake 20–30 minutes (depending on the size of your tin) until the sponge comes away slightly from the side of the tin.
- Leave the cakes in the tins for five minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. When cool, frost with coffee icing.
- For the icing, beat the spread, salt and half a cup of icing sugar in a mixer or food processor until light and fluffy.
- Add the remaining sugar, half a cup at a time, blending well after each addition. When all the sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla and a tablespoon of the coffee and blend well. The icing should be light, creamy and fluffy.
- If it seems too runny, don’t add any more coffee, and sift in a little more icing sugar. If it is too firm, add the other tablespoon of coffee, or a little soy milk.
- Ice the cake according to your fancy, and decorate with walnut halves.
