Description
A rich and moist Vegan Coffee Walnut Cake featuring finely chopped walnuts, espresso-infused batter, and layered with vegan coffee Swiss meringue buttercream and candied walnuts, perfect for coffee lovers seeking a dairy-free, plant-based dessert option.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 100 g walnuts (finely chopped)
- 260 g all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 220 g soft brown sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 120 ml espresso or strong coffee (cooled to room temperature)
- 240 ml vegan buttermilk
- 120 ml olive oil or neutral oil (sunflower or rapeseed)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Second Cake Batter (if making two cakes)
- 150 g walnuts (finely chopped)
- 400 g all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 330 g soft brown sugar
- 3 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 180 ml espresso or strong coffee (cooled to room temperature)
- 360 ml vegan buttermilk
- 180 ml olive oil or neutral oil (sunflower or rapeseed)
- 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract
Candied Walnuts
- 200 g walnut halves
- 2 tablespoons soft brown sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter or olive oil
Vegan Coffee Buttercream
- 1 batch vegan coffee Swiss meringue buttercream (prepared separately)
Instructions
- Measure Ingredients: For precision, measure all ingredients using a digital kitchen scale to ensure accuracy and perfect cake texture.
- Prepare Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) fan or 180°C (356°F) conventional. Line the bases of two cake tins with parchment paper circles and grease the sides liberally with oil or vegan butter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the finely chopped walnuts, sifted flour, soft brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt until evenly combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together cooled espresso, vegan buttermilk, olive oil, and vanilla extract until thoroughly blended.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and whisk gently until no visible pockets of flour remain. Avoid over-mixing to keep the cake tender.
- Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick or knife; it should come out clean.
- Cool Cakes: Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10-15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. Once cool, refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to assemble.
- Prepare Vegan Coffee Buttercream: Meanwhile, make the vegan coffee Swiss meringue buttercream according to your preferred recipe or pre-prepared batch.
- Make Candied Walnuts: In a pan, gently cook walnut halves with sugar and vegan butter or oil over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes, constantly tossing until the sugar melts and walnuts are fragrant. Remove from heat and cool on parchment paper. Reserve 16 walnut halves for decoration; chop the rest for filling and topping.
- Assemble Cake: Spread about one-third of the frosting evenly over the first cake layer. Sprinkle half of the chopped candied walnuts on top.
- Layer and Frost: Place the second cake layer on top and coat the entire cake’s sides and top with another third of the frosting smoothly using an offset spatula.
- Decorate: Pipe the remaining frosting decoratively on top and arrange the reserved candied walnut halves. Sprinkle the remaining chopped walnuts over the cake for a textured finish.
- Storage: Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Before serving, remove it from the fridge for about an hour to soften the frosting and cake. Leftovers can be frozen in airtight containers for future enjoyment.
Notes
- Use a digital kitchen scale for ingredient accuracy to ensure consistent texture and flavor.
- Allow espresso or strong coffee to cool to room temperature before mixing to avoid curdling the batter.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter to keep the cake moist and tender.
- For vegan buttermilk, mix plant-based milk with lemon juice or vinegar and let sit for 5-10 minutes before use.
- The cake is best served fresh but can be frozen to extend shelf life.
- Adjust sweetness by altering the amount of soft brown sugar according to taste preferences.
