Cappuccino Walnut Gateaux
By: Priya Q
Published: Thursday, July 8, 2010 - 9:15pm

Preparation

1 In a pan dry heat 2 Tbsp of sugar, 3 tbsp of walnuts (broken). Add the walnuts while the sugar melts into honey color. 2 Keep stirring after adding the walnuts on a low flame 3 Grease a tray and pour the caramelized walnut and let it cool before powdering it (Praline) 4 Beat the butter in a bowl using an electric beater. Beat only in one direction till fluffy. 5 Add sugar powder and continue beating in one direction till nice and fluffy 6 Add the eggs one at a time and blend in one direction 7 Add vanilla essence and beat 8 Add coffee liquor / Kahlua and coffee powder. Continue beating in one direction. 9 Sieve maida or all purpose flour along with baking powder 10 Add all purpose flour to the prepared butter mixture little by little (about 2 Tbsp) and keep beating with an electric beater 11 Now add remaining flour with a spoon and mix lightly in cut and fold method with a spatula till you get a semi thick consistency 12 Grease the mould and spread the butter paper and regrease 13 Pour half of the batter in the centre of the mould and sprinkle around 2 Tbsp of praline on top of it 14 Pour remaining of the batter and mix it with a spatula. This process is called spanning. 15 Push the batter up on the sides so that it forms a dip in the centre. This is done to have uniformity else cakes tend to rise higher towards the centre. 16 Bake in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes at 180 degree C or 350 degree F or adjust according to your oven; since the timings vary from oven to oven. 17 If you do not have coffee liquor you can use 1-2 tbsp rum mixed with 1 tsp of instant coffee powder. 18 Either you can serve as it or proceed with icing. 19 Icing 20 Split the cake (after cooling) in to 2 halves 21 Add 1 to 1.5 tsp of instant coffee powder o butter icing. 22 You can also add rum / coffee liquor to the butter icing. 23 Spread icing on 1st half 24 Place the 2nd half of the cake and spread the butter cream / icing on top and all sides 25 Saute walnuts in butter 26 Decorate your cake with your imagination with sauted walnuts and praline