Eggless Coffee Walnut Cake

There is something really comforting about sitting down with a warm drink and a slice of tender coffee cake.

Today I want to share my recipe for an eggless coffee walnut cake that is soft, rich, and topped with a smooth coffee frosting.

It is completely eggless, which makes it a great option if you have an egg allergy or simply prefer baking without eggs.

You still get a wonderfully moist sponge thanks to a simple mix of yogurt and milk, so nobody will even notice the difference.

The chopped walnuts give each bite a lovely little crunch that balances the deep coffee flavor perfectly.

Why You’ll Love It

Super Moist Texture – The mix of yogurt and oil guarantees an ultra-soft, tender crumb that stays fresh for days.

Bold Coffee Flavor – Real espresso powder in both the sponge and frosting delivers an authentic, rich coffeehouse taste.

Satisfying Crunch – Toasty walnuts throughout the batter provide the perfect contrasting bite against the fluffy, delicate cake.

Foolproof Baking – You do not need eggs to get an impressive, bakery-quality rise from this simple batter.

Ingredient List

For the Cake

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Instant Espresso Powder
• 3/4 cup Whole Milk, Warm
• 1/2 cup Plain Yogurt, Room Temperature
• 1 1/4 cups Light Brown Sugar, Packed
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, Melted
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 cup Walnuts, Chopped

For the Coffee Buttercream

• 1 tbsp Instant Espresso Powder
• 1 tbsp Hot Water
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, Softened
• 3 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1-2 tbsp Whole Milk
• 1/4 tsp Salt

For Garnish

• 12 Walnut Halves

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Step 3

Stir the espresso powder into the warm milk until dissolved. In a large bowl, whisk the coffee milk, yogurt and brown sugar until smooth and lump free, then whisk in the melted butter, oil and vanilla.

Step 4

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold gently just until combined, then fold in the chopped walnuts. Divide the batter evenly between the pans.

Step 5

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Step 6

For the buttercream, dissolve the espresso powder in the hot water and let it cool. Beat the butter for 3 minutes until pale, then add the powdered sugar, salt, coffee mixture and milk and beat until light and fluffy.

Step 7

Place one cake layer on a plate and spread with half of the buttercream. Top with the second layer and spread the remaining buttercream over the top in soft swirls.

Arrange the walnut halves around the edge and let the cake sit for 20 minutes before slicing.

Tips

Toast the Walnuts Before Baking

I recommend toasting your chopped walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes before adding them to the batter.

Toasting brings out their natural oils and keeps them crunchy, which adds a much better texture against the soft cake.

Just be sure to let the toasted nuts cool down completely before folding them into your mixture.

Chop the Walnuts into Small Pieces

From my experience, large walnut chunks are simply too heavy for this batter and will sink straight to the bottom of the pan.

You’ll get the best results if you chop the nuts into small, pea-sized bits so they stay suspended evenly throughout the cake.

Watch the Temperature of Your Wet Ingredients

Make sure your yogurt is at room temperature and your coffee milk is warm to the touch, not hot.

If the milk is too hot, it can curdle the yogurt, and cold yogurt straight from the fridge will cause your melted butter to seize up into hard chunks.

Keeping these liquids at the right temperature ensures your eggless batter blends into a smooth, even base.

Try These Next

• Eggless Almond Biscotti
• Eggless Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake
• Eggless Classic Italian Tiramisu
• Eggless Hummingbird Layer Cake
• Eggless Spiced Carrot Cake

Questions You Might Have

Can I use regular instant coffee instead of espresso powder?

Yes, you can use regular instant coffee granules, but you should crush them into a fine powder first so they dissolve easily.

Instant coffee has a milder flavor than espresso powder, so you can add an extra half tablespoon if you prefer a deeper coffee taste.