If you don't have walnuts, try pecans instead. Leave the nuts out altogether if you prefer, but try adding some chocolate buttons or a crumbled Flake to the icing!
INGREDIENTS
For the sponge
225g (8oz) soft magarine
225g (8oz) light muscovado sugar
285g (10oz) self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp coffee essence
85g (3oz) walnuts, chopped
For the icing
85g (3oz) soft margarine
225g (8oz) icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp milk
2 tsp coffee essence
walnut halves to decorate
Recipe continues
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Grease and base line a 30x23cm/12x9in roasting tin with greased greaseproof paper.
Place all the ingredients for the sponge into a large bowl and beat well for about 2 minutes until well blended. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the cake has shrunk from the sides of the tin and springs back when pressed in the centre with your fingertips. Leave to cool in the tin.
Make the icing beat together the margarine with the icing sugar, milk and coffee essence. Spread evenly over the cake using a palette knife then decorate with the walnut halves.