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Mary Berry Coffee and Walnut Traybake Recipe

Mary Berry Coffee and Walnut Traybake Recipe

Mary Berry's coffee and walnut traybake is a light, coffee-scented sponge with walnuts and a silky coffee buttercream — the classic combination for a crowd.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 20 Squares
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Coffee and Walnut Sponge:
  • 300 g unsalted butter softened
  • 300 g golden caster sugar
  • 5 large eggs room temperature
  • 300 g self-raising flour sifted
  • 2½ tsp baking powder
  • 3 tbsp whole milk
  • 3 tsp instant espresso powder dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water — cooled
  • 100 g walnuts roughly chopped
  • Coffee Buttercream:
  • 200 g unsalted butter softened
  • 400 g icing sugar sifted twice
  • 2 tsp instant espresso powder dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water — cooled completely
  • 1 –2 tbsp whole milk if needed
  • Pinch of fine salt
  • Decoration:
  • 20 –24 walnut halves
  • Icing sugar for dusting optional

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line a 33x23cm tin. Dissolve espresso in boiling water — cool completely.
  2. Beat butter and sugar 4–5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Sift in flour and baking powder. Add milk and cooled coffee. Fold gently until just combined. Fold in walnuts.
  3. Pour into tin — spread evenly. Bake 30–35 minutes until golden and skewer comes out clean. Cool completely in tin — at least 1 hour.
  4. Beat butter alone 4 minutes. Add icing sugar in 3 batches. Add cooled coffee, salt, and milk if needed — beat 2 more minutes until smooth and light.
  5. Lift sponge from tin. Spread buttercream generously over entire surface. Place walnut halves in a grid — one per portion. Cut along the grid lines.

Notes

Use instant espresso powder not regular instant coffee — cleaner, more intense flavour.
Cool coffee liquid completely before using in both sponge and buttercream.
Beat butter alone for 4 minutes — the most important step for light buttercream.
Walnuts in a grid pattern marks where to cut and gives every square equal decoration.
Be generous with the buttercream — it is half the appeal of this traybake.
Stores 4 days at room temperature. Freeze unfrosted squares for 3 months.
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