Coffee Cake Recipe

100 g/4 oz/0.5 cup butter or margarine, softened
100 g/4 oz/'0.5 cup caster (superfine) sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2.5 ml/0.5 tsp coffee essence (extract) or strong black coffee
150 g/5 oz/1.25 cups self-raising (self-rising) flour
2.5 ml/0.5 tsp baking powder
Coffee Butter Icing
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped mixed nuts (optional)

Method:

Cream together the butter or margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and coffee essence, then fold in the flour and baking powder. Spoon into two greased and lined 20 cm/8 in sandwich tins (pans) and bake in a preheated oven at 160°C/325°F/gas mark 3 for 20 minutes until springy to the touch. Leave to cool in the tins for 4 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to finish cooling. Sandwich the cakes together with half the butter icing, then spread the remainder on top and mark into patterns with a fork. Sprinkle with nuts, if liked.