Walnut layer cake

Walnut layer cake

Ingredients:

250  g  self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
2  tsp  baking powder
100  g  low-fat spread, at room temperature
100  g  caster sugar
1  tsp  almond essence
2  large eggs, beaten
125  ml  low fat milk
55  g  walnuts, chopped

For the filling

115  g  low-fat soft cheese
25  g  icing sugar

For the topping

40  g  icing sugar, sieved and mixed with 2-1/2 tsp warm water
Walnuts, halved, to decorate

Method:

• Preheat oven to 160 C. Lightly grease and line a Swiss roll tin with baking parchment. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl.
• In a separate bowl, cream low-fat spread and sugar until light and fluffy, then add almond essence. Add eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add a little flour mixture if there is any sign of curdling. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, then add milk to give a smooth consistency. Stir in chopped walnuts.
• Turn mixture into prepared tin, smoothing it evenly into the corners and bake for 25 minutes. A skewer inserted in the center should come out clean. If it's sticky, turn the oven down to 150 C, and bake for 10 more minutes.
• Let cake cool for 15 minutes, then gently remove from tin, peel off baking parchment and leave on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature. Cut into 3 horizontal pieces to use as 3 layers of the cake. Trim, if necessary, to make flat surfaces.
• To make the filling, mix low-fat soft cheese and icing sugar. Spread filling over one layer of cake then put second layer on top. Spread filling on this layer then add the third layer.
• Top cake with icing sugar and water mixture and halved walnuts.