Coffee and Walnut Cake

225g caster sugar
225g butter, softened
4 eggs, beaten
4 tbsp strong coffee
225g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
75g walnut halves, finely chopped, plus a few for decoration
FOR THE ICING
100g butter, softened
225g icing sugar
2 tbsp strong coffee

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy then add the eggs and whisk again, then beat in the coffee. Sift over the flour and baking powder and gently stir in along with the walnuts.

2 Divide the mixture between two 20cm non-stick cake tins and bake for 20 – 25 mins until just firm. Leave to cool a little in the tins then turn out on racks to cool.

3 Beat together the butter, icing sugar and coffee and use half of it to sandwich the cakes together. Spread the rest on top and decorate with the walnut halves.