Gluten Free Coffee and Walnut Cake
HOW TO VIDEO LINK : https://youtu.be/JEGhuNpegsA I have tried gluten free cake in the past and have to say I have found it either dry, almost sawdust like in texture or alternatively heavy and lacking depth of flavour. I think I will go so far as to say you will not be able to tell the difference here between gluten free and a cake baked with wheat flour. My family could not tell the difference - in fact nor could I. This cake is totally successful and thats a promise !
Serves 8
Ingredients
You will need 2 x 16cm loose bottomed sandwich cake tins greased and base lined.
125g Soft margarine or butter
125g Caster sugar
2 eggs and 1 egg yolk (the white will be used for the filling)
35g Walnuts blitzed to a paste in a food processor or coffee grinder
1 tbsp Mayonnaise
50g Rice flour
50g Gluten free plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1.5 tbsp instant espresso powder or instant coffee mixed with 1.5 tbsp hot water
For the frosting (Italian Meringue buttercream)
1 egg white
1 tbsp instant expresso powder or instant coffee mixed with 1 tbsp hot water
125g Caster sugar
3 tbsp water
110g Butter (at room temperature)
Simple buttercream
100g Soft butter
180g Sifted Icing sugar
2 tbsp full fat cream cheese
2 tbsp Instant Espresso or coffee powder mixed with 2 tbsp hot water
8 walnut halves dusted in icing sugar then toasted lightly in a dry frying pan
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees fanIn a roomy mixing bowl whisk together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and the eggs one at a time, whisking well between each addition. Mix together the mayonnaise and the walnut paste then whisk this into the egg/sugar/egg mix.
In a separate bowl sieve together the rice flour, gluten free flour, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum. Sieve a second time into the cake mix then add the coffee and water and fold everything together. Divide between the two tins and bake for 18-23 minutes. The cakes will be well risen, soft and springy to the touch. Remove from the tins and cool on cooling racks.
Whilst the cakes are cooling make the frosting.
For the Italian Meringue : Dissolve the caster sugar in a small saucepan with the 3 tbsp water. Start on a very low heat then once the syrup is clear you can increase the heat and bring to a temperature of 119 degrees c. Whilst the sugar syrup is reaching temperature whisk the egg white in a medium sized clean mixing bowl until soft peaks are formed. When the sugar is to temperature pour it in a steady stream over the egg white. Keep your whisks going all the time and continue to whisk until the meringue cools down and you are able to pop your finger into it and it feels neither warm nor cold.
In a separate bowl whisk the butter until it is soft and smooth then add a large spoonful of the meringue and whisk until well combined. Continue to incorporate the meringue into the whisked butter and finally whisk in the coffee.
When the cakes have cooled you will have enough filling to sandwich the cakes together and decorate the top. Arrange the sugared walnuts over the top.
For the simple buttercream:
In a roomy mixing bowl whisk the soft butter until really creamy then add the icing sugar in three separate parts whisking really well between each addition. Finally whisk in the cream cheese and coffee mix. Enough to fill and decorate the top of the cake.