Description
This Vegan Coffee Walnut Cake is a moist and flavorful layered cake infused with strong espresso and studded with crunchy walnuts. The cake is perfectly complemented by a luscious vegan coffee Swiss meringue buttercream and topped with candied walnut halves for extra texture and visual appeal. Ideal for coffee lovers seeking a dairy-free, egg-free dessert that doesn’t compromise on richness or taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 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 (such as sunflower or rapeseed)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Double Batch Cake Ingredients
- 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 (such as 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
Frosting
- 1 batch vegan coffee Swiss meringue buttercream
Instructions
- Measure Ingredients: Use a digital kitchen scale for accuracy when measuring all ingredients in grams.
- Prepare Pans: Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F fan or 180°C/356°F conventional. Line the base of two cake tins with parchment paper circles and grease the sides liberally with oil or vegan butter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 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 espresso or strong coffee (cooled), vegan buttermilk, olive oil, and vanilla extract until well blended.
- Make Batter: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk gently until no flour pockets remain; avoid over-mixing to keep cake tender.
- Bake: Divide batter evenly between prepared tins and bake for 35-45 minutes. Insert a toothpick or knife into the center to check for doneness— it should come out clean.
- Cool Cakes: Let cakes cool in their pans for 10-15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, store them in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to assemble.
- Prepare Frosting: While cakes cool, prepare the vegan coffee Swiss meringue buttercream according to your recipe or preferred method.
- Candied Walnuts: Place walnuts, sugar, and vegan butter or oil in a pan over gentle heat. Continuously toss and cook for 5-7 minutes until sugar melts and walnuts become fragrant. Remove from heat and spread on parchment paper to cool. Reserve 16 walnut halves for topping; chop the rest for filling and decoration.
- Assemble Cake: Using an offset spatula, spread about one-third of the buttercream evenly over the top of the first cake layer, then sprinkle half of the chopped candied walnuts. Place the second cake layer on top and coat entire cake sides and top with another third of the buttercream.
- Decorate: Pipe the remaining one-third of the buttercream onto the top of the cake. Arrange the reserved walnut halves on top and sprinkle the remaining chopped walnuts over the cake.
- Storage: Store cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Remove from fridge about one hour before serving to let cake and frosting soften slightly. Alternatively, freeze leftovers sealed airtight for longer storage and enjoy later.
Notes
- Use soft brown sugar for best moistness and flavor; adjust for sweetness if needed.
- Ensure espresso or coffee is completely cooled before mixing to avoid curdling vegan buttermilk and oil.
- Do not over-mix the batter to keep the cake tender and fluffy.
- The cake is best served fresh but can be refrigerated or frozen to extend shelf life.
- For vegan buttermilk, combine 240 ml plant milk (soy, almond, oat) with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Western
