For the frosting, use cream cheese with a dash of espresso powder, then top with leftover walnuts.

I own a coffee shop and cafe. However, I rarely drink coffee.

My urologist will probably be delighted to hear this, since he’ll possibly see me less often with yet another kidney stone. His favorite word is hydration.

I love coffee, but being around it seven days a week has dampened some of the allure, for me. I still enjoy an 8-ounce latte in my favorite ceramic mug once a week, but after that, I’m good.

A coffee cake, however, will never lose its allure. With or without a cup of coffee to accompany it, a coffee cake’s cakey and moist interior paired with a deeply golden-brown crunchy exterior is perfect every time. And if I can make it a tad bit British by adding walnuts, it’s even better.

Let’s kick off the fall baking season with a traditional coffee walnut cake with a creamy frosting. An accompanying cup of coffee is optional.

Cardamom walnut coffee cake

Adapted from Benjamina Ebuehi

For the cake

• 4 ounces (about 1 cup) walnuts

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 7 ounces (1 cup) brown sugar

• 5 1/2 ounces (3/4 cup) vegetable oil

• 2 1/2 ounces (1/3 cup) brewed coffee, cooled

• 7 ounces (1 1/2 cup) all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 2 1/4 ounces (1/4 cup) plain yogurt

For the frosting

• 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

• 5 ounces (1 cup) confectioner’s sugar, sifted

• 10 ounces (1 1/4 cup cream cheese)

• Pinch of sea salt

• 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.

Add the walnuts to a baking tray and toast for 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool and set aside a few nuts for the top of the cake. Finely chop the remainder of the walnuts to a coarse texture. Set aside.

Add the eggs, sugar and oil to a bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the coffee. Add the flour, cardamom, chopped walnuts, baking powder, baking soda and salt and fold to combine. Stir in the yogurt and pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until deeply golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.

Add the butter and confectioners’ sugar into a bowl and cream together until smooth. Beat in the cream cheese, salt and espresso powder until smooth.

Remove the cooled cake from the cake pan and remove the parchment from the bottom. Place the cake on a serving plate and spoon the frosting over the top of the cake. Top with the leftover walnuts before serving.