Coffee & Walnut Cupcakes

Coffee and Walnut Cupcakes


Makes 12                                              Prep: 35 mins and cooling                  Cook: 30 mins


What do we need:

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
4 tablespoons boiling water
125 gr caster sugar plus 2 tbsp
125 gr butter softened and cubes
2 large eggs
125 gr self-raising flour
40 gr walnuts chopped


For the Praliné

100 gr caster sugar
50 gr walnuts chopped

For the topping

200 gr icing sugar
2 tablespoons créme fraîche
150 gr unsaltened butter softened

1. Preheat your oven to 180C.  Stand 12 cases in a 12-hole muffin tin. Tip the coffee into a cup with the boiling water and the 2 tablespoons of caster sugar. Stir together until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Put the butter, the caster sugar and the eggs in a bowl. Sift the flour, drizzle  in 2 tablespoons of the coffee syrup and whisk together for a few minutes to combine. Stir the walnuts into the mixture.

3. Divide the mixture between the cases. (I always use an icecream scooper, the one with the seperate  metal half moon in it to scoop the icecream out, in this case the mixture). Bake for about 20 minutes. Transfer the cakes to your wire rack. While they are still warm, make fork indentations in the top of each one and drizzle over the remaining coffee syrup, letting in seep into the cakes as you do so. Leave to cool.

4. For the praliné, heat the caster sugar over a low heat. Once it has melted, increase the heat a little and simmer until it turns  a deep caramel. Add the  chopped walnuts, stir and tip the praliné onto a baking tray lined with paper/parchment. Spread it out, then leave to set. (I had some left over afterwards and put it in a pretty glass pot for next time)

5.  For the icing, beat the icing sugar, the créme fraîche and the butter until smooth. Spread the icing onto the cakes with a palette knife. ( I used piping) Bash the praliné with a rolling pin (use a strong plastic bag!) to break it up, then sprinkle some on top of each cake.


Note on a yellow sticker: You can use pecan or other nuts to your own preference.



                                                               "Enjoy"