Light coffee and walnut cake batter with mocha icing
insert heart eyes emoji here!
In my quest to find out why there are walnuts on the iconic bakery mocha cake
I went down a delicious rabbit hole and the Hungarian Walnut Cake just may be the origin story
But for today let’s focus on this vegan version of Hungarian Walnut Cake
super moist walnut cake with a touch of coffee in the batter
and of course mocha buttercream filling and icing!
No affiliation with any product or company mentioned below
Notes for Success
Using a combination of vegan butter and vegetable oil is my favorite for the best lightest texture but feel free to use all of one or the other if you prefer
Weighing your ingredients is really important to make sure you get the best results . A heavy hand especially with the flour and nuts can result in a heavy texture
Some people do not like to use coffee in their baking although this is what makes this Hungarian Walnut Cake true to origin. However if you must omit the coffee simply replace it with water or more plant milk
Additionally Mocha Icing is what makes this cake authentic but of course you can use any icing your prefer. I think Cream Cheese Icing would be really nice here
Hungarian Walnut Cake
Be sure to read the notes for success section before beginning
Ingredients Â
For the Cake Batter
- 6 Tbs Vegan Butter 88ml
- 8 Tbs Vegetable Oil 118ml
- 2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar 10ml
- ½ cup Brewed Coffee 118ml
- 1 cup Plant Milk 237ml
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract 10ml
- 3 cups All Purpose Flour 375g
- 1¾ cups Granulated Sugar 350g
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Lightly Toasted Walnuts
For the Mocha Icing
- 2 cups Vegan Butter 454g
- 4 cups Confectioner’s Sugar 480g
- 2 Tbs Cocoa Powder
- 3 Tbs Instant Coffee Granules
- 3 Tbs Hot Water
InstructionsÂ
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Preheat the oven to 350℉ & grease & parchment line 2-8″ cake pans
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Lightly toast the walnuts in a single layer on a sheet pan for about 5 minutes then when they are cooled grind in a food processor to small crumbs but not so much that it turns to paste! You can also chop them finely by hand
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In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & granulated sugar & whisk to distribute everything evenly or sift together
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Measure the coffee, plant milk, vinegar & extract into a measuring cup then pour directly into the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Whisk to a smooth batter
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Fold in the walnuts then divide the batter between your 2 prepared pans & bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or when they are springy to the touch when you gently press the centers or when a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs not raw batter
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Cool the cakes in the pans until you can safely touch them without burning yourself then flip them out onto a cooling rack & cool to cold
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Meanwhile prepare the buttercream recipe by whipping the very slightly softened vegan butter until fluffy. Add the sifted confectioners sugar & mix smooth. Whip on high speed for 3 minutes until fluffy
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Combine the cocoa powder, coffee granules & hot water & whisk smooth
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When the coffee mixture is COLD add it to the buttercream & whip until evenly incorporated
Notes
Storage Hungarian Walnut Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage refrigerate for up to 1 weekÂ
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