Passover-Perfect Walnut Cake

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup matzo meal

• 2/3 cup potato starch

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 4 eggs

• 125 g butter or margarine

• 2/3 cup sugar

• 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar

• 3 tablespoons milk or water

• 2 tablespoons coffee, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

• A pinch of salt

• Powdered sugar (for dusting)

For the Topping:

• 2 cups powdered sugar, well sifted

• 2 tablespoons strong prepared black coffee (liquid, not powder)

• Walnut halves, for decoration

Instructions

1. Cream the butter with the sugar and vanilla sugar until light, fluffy, and pale.

2. Separate the eggs. Add the egg yolks to the butter mixture and continue beating.

3. Sift together the matzo meal, potato starch, and baking powder. Gently add to the mixture. Stir in the dissolved coffee and chopped walnuts, mixing slowly.

4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Add a spoonful of the egg whites to the batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest, keeping the mixture airy.

5. Transfer the batter to a baking pan. Bake for 35–40 minutes in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F), until golden.

6. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cooled, dust lightly with powdered sugar.

7. Prepare the topping: mix the powdered sugar with the prepared coffee until smooth. Pour over the cake and decorate with walnut halves.