Guest Post- Kryssie Fortune

For the buttercream frosting

Method:
Preheat
the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4/350°F.

1. Butter two 20cm / 8inch
   sandwich tins and line the base of each with baking parchment.
2. Put the walnut pieces
   and sugar into a food processor and blitz to a fine nutty powder.
3. Add the 225g/2 sticks
   butter, flour, 4 teaspoons espresso powder, baking powder, bicarb
   and eggs and process to a smooth batter.
4. Add the milk, pouring it
   down the funnel with the motor still running, or just pulsing, to
   loosen the cake mixture: it should be a soft, dropping consistency,
   so add more milk if you need to. (If you are making this by hand,
   bash the nuts to a rubbly powder with a rolling pin and mix with the
   dry ingredients; then cream the butter and sugar together, and beat
   in some dry ingredients and eggs alternately and, finally, the
   milk.)
5. Divide the mixture
   between the 2 lined tins and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or
   until the sponge has risen and feels springy to the touch.
6. Cool the cakes in their
   tins on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, before turning them out
   onto the rack and peeling off the baking parchment.
7. When the sponges are
   cool, you can make the buttercream.
8. Pulse the icing
   sugar in
   the food processor until it is lump free, then add the butter and
   process to make a smooth icing.
9. Dissolve the instant
   espresso powder in 1 tablespoon boiling water and add it while still
   hot to the processor, pulsing to blend into the buttercream.
10. If you are doing this by
    hand, sieve the icing
    sugar and
    beat it into the butter with a wooden spoon.
11. Then beat in the hot
    coffee liquid.
12. Place 1 sponge upside
    down on your cake stand or serving plate.
13. Spread with about half
    the icing; then place on it the second sponge, right side up (i.e.
    so the 2 flat sides of the sponges meet in the middle) and cover the
    top with the remaining icing in a ramshackle swirly pattern.
14. This cake is all about
    old-fashioned, rustic charm, so don’t worry unduly: however the
    frosting goes on is fine. similarly, don’t fret about some
    buttercream oozing out around the middle: that’s what makes it
    look so inviting.
15. Gently press the walnut
    halves into the top of the icing all around the edge of the circle
    about 1cm apart.