Ingredients

• 175g/6oz butter
• 175g/6oz golden caster sugar
• 3 large free-range eggs
• 175g/6oz flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp instant coffee granules
• 65g/2¾oz walnut pieces
• 600ml/1 pint double cream
• 1 tbsp instant coffee powder
• dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Line the base of two 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed sponge tins with baking parchment.
• Beat the butter and caster sugar until light
• pale and fluffy. You could do this by hand
• but it is far easier with an electric mixer.
• Crack the eggs into a bowl
• break them up with a fork
• then add them a little at a time to the butter and sugar
• beating well after each addition.
• Combine the flour and baking powder and gently mix into the butter and sugar
• either with a hand-mixer on a slow speed or by hand
• with a large metal spoon.
• Dissolve the coffee granules in a tablespoon of boiling water
• then stir into the mixture.
• Chop the walnuts and fold them in gently
• Divide the cake mixture between the two tins
• smooth the top lightly and bake for 20 to 25 minutes - the cake should be springy to the touch and a skewer inserted inside should come out clean.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• For the topping and filling
• whip the double cream and add the coffee mixture.
• Spread half the coffee cream over one of the cake halves and sandwich the cakes together. Smooth the remaining coffee cream over the top.