Description
This decadent Chocolate Walnut Cake combines rich cocoa and coffee-infused batter with crunchy walnuts and a smooth dark chocolate ganache topping. Perfectly moist and velvety, it’s a delightful dessert that balances bitterness and sweetness, making it an ideal treat for chocolate lovers. The cake is baked to perfection and finished with a luscious cream-based chocolate ganache and walnut decoration.
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp instant coffee granules
- ¼ cup warm, recently boiled water
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup superfine granulated sugar (or caster sugar)
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup crème fraîche (or mascarpone cream)
- 1 cup all purpose flour (or plain flour)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup roughly chopped walnuts (plus extra for decorating)
Ganache
- 5 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped or in chips
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream (or double cream)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare cake pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C/155°C Fan). Grease and line your cake pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal after baking.
- Make the coffee cocoa mixture: In a small bowl, dissolve the instant coffee granules in warm, recently boiled water. Stir in the cocoa powder until fully dissolved. Add vanilla extract and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use a handheld electric whisk to beat together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
- Add egg and wet ingredients: Beat in the egg until fully incorporated. Then whisk in the crème fraîche and the prepared coffee cocoa mixture until the batter is smooth.
- Combine dry ingredients: Reserve two teaspoons of flour. Sift the remaining flour together with baking soda and salt into the wet batter. Stir gently using a spatula just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Coat walnuts and fold in: Toss the chopped walnuts with the reserved flour to prevent them from sinking, then fold the walnuts into the batter evenly.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, spreading it evenly. Bake in the center of the preheated oven for about 1 hour. Begin checking around 45 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center; it is done when the toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then turn it out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely, at least 30 minutes, before applying frosting.
- Prepare ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until just simmering and nearly boiling, then remove from heat. Pour the hot cream over the chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir gently until smooth and glossy.
- Frost and decorate: Spread a thin layer of ganache over the top and sides of the cooled cake. Pour the remaining ganache on top to create a thick, rich chocolate topping. Decorate with extra chopped walnuts or walnut halves as desired.
Notes
- If instant coffee granules are unavailable, you may substitute with 1 tbsp strong brewed espresso or omit completely, though the coffee enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Use unsalted butter to control salt content; salted butter may affect the cake’s flavor balance.
- The reserved flour for coating walnuts ensures nuts remain suspended in the batter and don’t sink to the bottom during baking.
- Line your cake pan with parchment paper for easier removal and cleaner edges.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting to prevent the ganache from melting or sliding off.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
