Ingredients

• 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
• softened
• plus extra for greasing
• 100g/3½oz caster sugar
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 100g/3½oz self-raising flour
• 1 level tsp baking powder
• 50g/1¾oz chopped walnuts
• 1 tbsp coffee essence
• 75g/2¾oz unsalted butter
• softened
• 225g/8oz icing sugar
• sifted
• 2 tsp milk
• 2 tsp coffee essence
• 8 walnut halves
• to decorate

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Lightly butter two loose-bottomed 18cm/7in sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper.
• Put the butter
• sugar
• eggs
• flour
• baking powder
• walnuts and coffee essence in a large mixing bowl and beat together (using an electric hand whisk if you have one) until well combined and smooth.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the tins. Level the surface using a spatula or the back of a spoon.
• Bake for 20–25 minutes
• or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 5 minutes
• then run a small palette knife or rounded butter knife around the edge of the tins and carefully turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. Peel off the paper and leave to cool completely.
• For the filling and topping
• beat the butter and gradually add the icing sugar. Add the milk and coffee essence and beat until smooth.
• Choose the cake with the best top
• then put the other cake top-down onto a serving plate and spread with half the coffee icing. Sandwich together with the other half. Ice the top of the cake and decorate with the walnut pieces to serve.