Coffee cake with pecan brittle

Method

• step 1

  Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line and butter 2 x 20cm sandwich tins. Beat the butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one by one, with the coffee paste and 1 tbsp of the flour. Fold in the remaining flour, the baking powder and the chopped pecans.

• step 2

  Divide the mixture between the tins, level the tops and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they are risen and feel springy when pressed lightly. Cool slightly, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave cool completely.

• step 3

  To make the brittle, tip the sugar into a frying pan in an even layer. Add 2 tbsp of water and heat until the sugar has melted. Keep cooking until you have an evenly coloured golden caramel. Add the whole pecans, then tip the lot onto a baking sheet set on a wooden board. Cool, then snap the pecans out of the surrounding brittle.

• step 4

  Beat the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy, adding a tiny splash of water if you need to loosen it. Crush the brittle to a coarse powder by rolling it with a rolling pin, then beat it into the icing. Sandwich the cakes together with some icing, and cover the cake with the rest. Decorate the top with the glazed pecans.