Coffee Cake Recipe

The coffee cake features a tender crumb, creamy frosting, and crunchy candied walnuts. The preparation is straightforward and takes about two hours, but the result is well worth the effort.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Coffee Cake Recipe

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 55

Servings: people

Ingredients

2½ cups 320 g all-purpose flour (refer to note 1 for cake flour substitution)
⅓ cup 40 g cornstarch (also known as cornflour)
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt omit if using salted butter
4 tbsp 15 g instant coffee powder (fine powdered coffee preferred)
½ cup 113 g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
½ cup 105 g unflavoured vegetable oil (canola oil recommended)
1½ cups 300 g soft brown sugar (firmly packed, see note 6)
3 pcs large eggs room temperature
1¼ tbsp vanilla extract/essence
1 tsp white vinegar
1½ cups 337 g buttermilk (room temperature, see note 5 for a homemade substitute)
1 cup 180 g white chocolate (couverture preferred, regular eating chocolate acceptable, avoid compound white chocolate; milk chocolate can be used)
3 cups 675 g cream (minimum 34% fat)
1½ tbsp instant coffee powder fine powdered coffee preferred
2 tbsp 30 g soft brown sugar
1 tbsp 14 g unsalted butter
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup 100 g walnuts (roughly chopped or halved)

Instructions

Coffee Cake

Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) with the fan on (refer to note 4 if your oven lacks a fan function). Grease and/or line two 8-inch cake tins (homemade cake release can be used). Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and instant coffee powder. Whisk until well combined and set aside.
In another bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, and soft brown sugar using an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer). Mix for about 2 minutes until light and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition (approximately 10-15 seconds per egg).
Incorporate the vanilla extract, white vinegar, and half a cup of the buttermilk. Mix until well combined. The batter may appear curdled at this stage.
Gradually fold in half of the dry ingredients with a spatula until just combined. Add the remaining cup of buttermilk and fold gently. Finally, fold in the remaining dry ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cake tins and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Whipped White Chocolate & Coffee Ganache

Finely chop the white chocolate (skip this step if using chocolate callets) and place it in a heatproof bowl.
Heat the cream in a saucepan over low-medium heat until it begins to gently bubble. Remove from heat immediately and pour over the chopped chocolate. Add the coffee at this point without stirring.
Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. Afterward, stir with a spatula and blend with an immersion blender until smooth, keeping the blender at the bottom to avoid incorporating air bubbles.
Pour the ganache into a wide baking dish for quicker cooling. Cover with cling wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for several hours until thickened and cold. This step can be done the day before.
Once ready, whip the chilled ganache until semi-stiff peaks form. Be cautious not to overwhip.

Lightly Candied Walnuts

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon, stirring occasionally.
Once the sugar melts and begins to bubble, add the walnuts, stirring to coat them evenly. Remove from heat and spread the walnuts on a tray, separating them with a spatula. Allow to cool and harden.

Assembly

(Optional) Trim the top of the cake layers for a flat surface. The layers should be fairly flat, requiring minimal trimming.
Place one cake layer on a cake stand and spread a generous amount of whipped ganache frosting on top. Sprinkle half of the candied walnuts over the frosting.
Place the second cake layer on top and cover the entire cake with more whipped ganache. Optionally, pipe decorations on top using a 1A piping tip. Finish with the remaining candied walnuts.