COFFEE AND WALNUT CAKE
Source: Having Tea: Recipes & Table Settings by Tricia Foley
Makes one (7-inch) layer cake

A rich, sweet layer cake, iced and tilled with coffee frosting, is accented with nuts.

CAKE:
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
2 1/2 tablespoons powdered instant espresso coffee or 1 teaspoon coffee extract
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
FILLING AND FROSTING:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon Kahlua or strong coffee
9 or 10 walnut halves, for decoration

FOR THE CAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line two (7-inch) round cake pans with parchment or wax paper.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, adding 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture after each. Beat well after each addition.

Mix in the remaining flour and beat thoroughly. Then stir in the coffee and walnuts. Turn into the prepared cake pans.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and leave in the pans for a few minutes. Then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

FOR THE FILLING AND FROSTING:
Beat together the confectioner's, sugar, butter, and Kahlua until very smooth. Spread on the cooled cake layers to fill and frost. Decorate with the walnut halves.