Ingredients

• 4 eggs, separated
• 115g/4oz icing sugar
• 1 tbsp fine fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp real cocoa powder
• 175g/6oz shelled walnuts, roughly chopped
• 115g/4oz unsalted butter, softened
• 115g/4oz icing sugar, sifted
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp instant coffee
• 2 tbsp boiling water

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 5cm/2in deep, 20cm/8in round cake tin. Cream the egg yolks and icing sugar together until pale yellow and hanging like ribbons from the beater.
2. Add the breadcrumbs, ground coffee, cocoa and walnuts and mix well. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and carefully fold into the walnut mixture. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes. Cool in the tin, then turn out on to a rack.
3. Make the icing: cream together the butter with the icing sugar and egg yolk. Dissolve the instant coffee in the boiling water and mix well into the icing. Spread over the cake with a wet knife.

Notes