Coffee, cardamom & walnut cake

Makes a 9 inch square cake (or a round one, if you prefer)

This works well in a silicone mold

Coffee and walnut is a classic British combo, and one of our favorite cakes—the kind you have in the café at the Tate gallery or a National Trust property. Coffee with cardamom is a Middle Eastern staple. It made sense to me that the three flavors would work well together, and they do. Even though the spice adds a tiny exotic note, this cake could take pride of place in any cafeteria across the land.

For the cake batter

330g confectioners’ sugar

120g ground almonds

130g self-rising flour (or 130g all-purpose flour plus 1¼ tsp baking powder)

a pinch of table salt

80g roasted walnuts, plus 50g extra to garnish (if you like)

1 tsp ground coffee (Turkish coffee powder is best)

½ tsp ground cardamom

3 whole eggs

150g egg whites (from about 4 eggs)

140g burnt butter (method here)

For the syrup

2 tbsp honey

60g/ml water

50g granulated sugar

a double espresso or 60g/ml strong coffee

For the coffee cream icing

120g unsalted butter, at room temperature

140g confectioners’ sugar

400g full fat cream cheese, at room temperature

30g date molasses or maple syrup

1 tsp ground coffee (Turkish coffee powder is best)

Preheat the oven to 375°F/350°F convection. Butter a 9 inch cake tin and line with baking parchment.

Stir the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then add the eggs and egg whites and mix really well until smooth. Pour in the warm melted butter and stir carefully until fully combined. Transfer to the prepared tin and allow to sit for 10 minutes to rest the batter a little, then bake for about 30–35 minutes until the cake is set.

While the cake is baking, bring the syrup ingredients to the boil in a pan, then remove from the heat. Once the cake comes out of the oven, brush it generously with half the syrup, reserving the remainder for later. Chill the cake (still in its tin) in the fridge for at least an hour (and up to 24 hours).

Put the butter and confectioners’ sugar in a mixer with a paddle attachment and cream together on a high speed until really light and fluffy. Mix in the cream cheese a little at a time, allowing each addition to combine and aerate before adding the next. Finally mix in the date molasses or maple syrup together with the ground coffee. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to check the icing is well combined with no lumps.

Remove the cake from the tin, place on a serving platter and use a large serrated knife to cut it in half to create two layers. This can seem a little scary, but it is just a question of confidence. Use the knife to score around the sides of the cake at the midline to give you a guideline to follow. Holding the knife firmly in one hand, place the other hand flat on the top of the cake (to keep it steady) and use little sawing motions to cut through it, all the way to the other side.

Very gently slide the top layer onto your work surface or a flat tray. Brush the cut surface of the bottom layer with the remaining syrup, then cover with half the icing, spreading it all over, right up to the edges. Very carefully lift up the top layer of cake and slide it to sit on the iced bottom layer. Spread the rest of the icing over the top in little waves and garnish with walnuts (if using).

You will need to keep this cake in the fridge. It will be tasty for 2–3 days, but make sure to bring it back up to room temperature before eating for the best result.

Poppy seed cake with lemon icing

Makes a large flower-shaped bundt or a 9 inch round cake

This works well in a silicone mold

This cake—much like the other well-known derivative of the poppy plant—is totally addictive. With its humble black and white appearance, it has been on our cake counter from the start and has a loyal following among our customers, who keep coming back for their fix. Grinding the seeds is important to the flavor and texture of this cake. The only problem with it is the risk of social death—poppy seeds in between your teeth. If you want to keep this cake dairy-free you can substitute orange juice or almond milk for the milk in the batter; it’ll still be delicious.

For the cake batter

190g/ml vegetable oil (e.g. sunflower or canola)

300g granulated sugar

4 eggs

180g all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

200g/ml milk

150g poppy seeds, ground

juice and zest of 1 lemon

juice and zest of 1 orange

100g/ml base sugar syrup (here)

For the lemon icing

250g confectioners’ sugar, plus more if needed

1 tsp light corn syrup (this gives the icing a great shine, but omit it if you can’t get hold of it)

juice of 1 lemon (you may not need it all)

poppy seeds for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 375°F/350°F convection. Lightly spray a silicone mold with butter spray, or lightly butter and flour a metal tin.

Whisk the oil with the sugar in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each one to create an emulsion (similar to making mayonnaise). Once you have a smooth, silky-looking mixture, add all the remaining batter ingredients at once and whisk until well combined. The batter will seem very runny, but don’t worry, it will set solid once baked. Pour into the prepared mold or tin.

Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, then turn the cake and bake for a further 15–20 minutes until firm and springy to the touch (check this carefully: push down on the middle with your finger and make sure there is no liquid center lurking within). Brush the sugar syrup all over the cake while it is still hot, then allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack and cooling entirely.

Combine the confectioners’ sugar and light corn syrup (if using) in a small bowl. Mix in the lemon juice, a couple of drops at a time, until you have quite a thick icing. Check the consistency—it should be quite heavy and take some time to fall off a spoon. If it drips or runs off quickly, add a little more confectioners’ sugar to thicken it to the right consistency. Spoon or pipe it all over the top of the cake and allow it to drip naturally down the sides. Sprinkle with a few poppy seeds, then leave the icing to set before cutting.

This is a really moist cake and keeps well for 3–4 days at room temperature, and more than a week in the fridge.