Get creative with loaf cakes and tasty bakes!

P17: COFFEE, MAPLE & WALNUT CAKE

P18: CARAMEL PEANUT BUTTER CAKE

P18: CARROT & MAPLE CAKE

P19: CHOCOL ATE & HONEY CAKE

P20: MANDARIN, PEAR & GINGER CAKE

P20: COCONUT CAKE P21: VANILL A & BERRY CHEESECAKE

P21: APPLE & GINGER CAKE

P22: CHERRY & CHOCOLATE MERINGUE CAKE

BAKE AND DECORATE WWW.FOODHEAVENMAG.COM

David Colcombe’s coffee, maple & walnut cake

SERVES 12

5tsp strong instant coffee

2tbsp pure maple syrup (preferably golden colour for its delicate flavour)

150ml (5fl oz) buttermilk

175g (6oz) unsalted butter

150g (5½oz) maple sugar

3 large free-range eggs

200g (7oz) self-raising flour

50g (1¾oz) cornflour

½tsp bicarbonate of soda

75g (2¾oz) roughly chopped walnuts

For the buttercream icing and filling

300g (10½oz) softened unsalted butter

275g (9½oz) maple sugar

4tbsp instant coffee granules

25g (1oz) walnuts, chopped or halved, to decorate

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and lightly grease two 20cm (8in) round cake tins.

2 Dissolve the coffee granules in the maple syrup and stir in the buttermilk before mixing together.

3 In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, maple sugar and eggs and beat until creamy and fluffy. To this, add the flour, cornflour and bicarbonate of soda and stir together, slowly adding the coffee, maple and buttermilk mix. Fold through.

4 Finally, stir through the chopped walnuts. Divide the mixture evenly between both cake tins, place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 35 minutes, reducing the temperature to 155°C/Gas Mark 2 after 25 minutes.

5 Remove from the oven and leave to stand in the tins for two minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

6 For the icing, place the butter, maple sugar and coffee into a bowl, beating until creamy, light and fluffy.

7 Make sure the coffee granules are fully dissolved and blended in.

8 Divide the mixture in two and, when the sponge cakes are fully cooled, apply a thick layer of buttercream to one side and spread out all over to the edges.

9 Cover with the second sponge and apply the remaining buttercream to the top. Spread and decorate with walnut halves.

By Maple from Canada (www.maplefromcanada.co.uk)

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