Recipe Type: Cake
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350F/Gas Mark 4.
- Grease 2 x 20cm x 4cm deep round cake tins and line with baking paper.
- Lay the hazelnuts in a single layer on a large baking tray and roast for 15-20 minutes, until toasted then allow to cool. Leave the oven on at this stage.
- Once the hazelnuts are cool, chop or pulse into small pieces and set aside.
For the sponges:
- In a new mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar and beat together until pale, light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder, then fold through gently with a large metal spoon until just combined – you want it light and airy.
- Fold in the coffee and half the nuts.
- Divide between the 2 sponge tins, gently level the surfaces and bake for 30-35 minutes, until firm and risen.
- Remove and allow to cool in the tins on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
- Carefully turn out the sponges onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely and begin making the butter icing.
For the butter icing:
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Sift in the cocoa powder and fold in, along with the remaining chopped nuts.
- When the sponges are cold, place 1 upside-down on a serving plate.
- Cover with half of the butter icing.
- Top with the other sponge and spread the remaining butter icing over the top.
- If you want to be a bit decorative, you could stud the cake with whole blanched hazelnuts around the top and/or shavings of plain chocolate.
Ingredients
200g (7oz) Mortons Self-Raising Flour
200g (7oz) unsalted butter
120g (4oz) whole blanched hazelnuts (leave some to decorate)
200g (7oz) caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tbsp cold espresso.
Icing:
100g (4oz) unsalted butter
200g (7oz) icing sugar
1 tsp cocoa powder