Tags: cookery school, cooking classes, Italian cooking, learn to cook, pasta making

Since posting an image of this cake on our social media recently, I’ve been inundated with requests for the recipe. This lockdown is definitely encouraging you all to get back to baking.

Coffee Cake is one of my favourite cakes ever and despite countless recipe trying over the years, there is no way you can beat Darina Allen’s one from the Ballymaloe Cookery Course book. If you’re looking for a comprehensive book of Irish cooking, I would urge you to buy this book. I received it as a present over 10 years ago and I’d say I use it for something every week.

Coffee cake on a glass plate with a slice on a sideplate.
Camp chicory and coffee essence held by someone above a kitchen countertop.
Coffee Sponge Layers:
  • 225g Butter
  • 225g Caster Sugar
  • 4 free range eggs
  • 225g plain white flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 4-5 tablespoons of coffee & chicory essence (Irel or Camp, see image)
Coffee Butter Cream Filling:
  • 50g butter
  • 110g icing sugar, sieved
  • 1-2 tsp coffee essence Beat all the above ingredients together until soft & fluffy.
Coffee Glace Icing:
  • 225g icing sugar, sieved
  • 1 tblsp coffee essence
  • 2 tblsp boiling water Put sieved icing sugar first in bowl then add in the essence and boiling water. Stir and combine until it is the consistency of thick cream, adding more boiling water if required.

Decoration: Whole or chopped walnuts

2 x 20cm sandwich tins

Preheat oven to 180C / 350 F / Gas 4 Brush tins with melted butter and line each with a disk of greaseproof / parchment paper.

For Sponge Layers:
  1. Cream butter until soft then add in the caster sugar. Keep beating until light & fluffy.
  2. Add eggs one at a time mixing well between each addition.
  3. Sieve in the flour and baking powder, folding gently into the mix.
  4. Finally add in the coffee essence and mix gently through.
  5. Spoon into prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins in centre of the oven. When ready the centre will be firm to touch. Leave to cool in tins on a wire rack before turning out to cool fully.

To assemble the cake, sandwich the cooled sponge layers together with the butter cream filling then top with the glace icing. Decorate with the nuts then enjoy!!

"A Magical West Cork Escape"

We stayed at Dunowen House for a long weekend and genuinely didn’t want to leave. From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by the beauty of the house and its surroundings – the views, the gardens, the quiet… it’s pure magic. The house itself is full of character and history but still feels incredibly cosy and luxurious.

We loved having our morning coffee overlooking the sea and strolling down to the nearby coves. It was the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure. Clonakilty is only a few minutes away too, so we had some lovely meals out and picked up bits from the local markets.

"A Dream Wedding Come to Life"

We were blown away with the unmatched beauty of Dunowen – the set- ting, the people and all the details make it come to life. We feel so blessed to have had our wedding here and so grateful for Kela and Stephen for making this the most special day of our lives. We are leaving a piece of our hearts here so we will absolutely have to come back again. All our love

"An Unforgettable Celebration of Love"

I could not have imagined a more beautiful stay and wedding. We took a chance and put our trust in Kela and Stephen, booking Dunowen sight un- seen! What a wonderful experience to celebrate our love with the people we care about most without having to worry about the details. The flow- ers, the food and the accommodations were unforgettable. Thank you for giving us the space to create lifetime memories! Dunowen will have a piece of our heart. We hope to come back and do it again!

"A Perfect Stay"

Kela and Stephen. Thank you for our wonderful stay at Dunowen House and letting us enjoy the beauty of West Cork in your wonderful home and surroundings. We absolutely loved it.

"Another Unforgettable Stay"

Thank you Kela & Stephen for another amazing stay. When you’ve stayed in Dunowen it’s impossible to stay elsewhere. Your house is per- fection!

"A Perfect 70th Celebration"

Many thanks Kela and Stephen for a wonderful stay at Dunowen House. The house is so spacious, especially for our smallish family group who helped me celebrate my 70th birthday. Thanks for the beautiful flowers throughout and all the home baking. We loved the location.

"Surrounded by Dunowen’s Gardens and Coastal Beauty"

Thank you for a wonderful week. Everything was perfect and we loved being able to walk to the beach and sit in the beautiful gardens. Hope to come again.

"A Perfect 80th Birthday Celebration"

The end of a fabulous week celebrating my 80th birthday. It has been a brilliant stay with everything we needed. Just perfect. Thank you so much Kela & Stephen for your thought and kindness. All the best for the future and perhaps we will see you again!

The Ultimate 5-Star Escape

Bravo! You have created the perfect backdrop for a 5 star vacation. Our group of 18 could not have imagined a more comfortable and luxe week. I’ll see you on Instagram and we will all see you again in person next va- cation.

Flowers and fruits cake close up Flowers and fruits cake close up