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1
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
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2
Line the muffin tin with the cups.
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3
Mix the coffee with the hot water, then stir in the milk.
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4
Set aside to cool.
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5
Using a hand-held electric whisk, or in a free-standing mixer, beat the butter and sugar together for 510 minutes or until very light and creamy.
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6
The mixture will turn from a rich toffee brown to a pale cafe-au-lait shade.
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7
Break the eggs into a mug or jug and beat with a fork.
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8
Gradually add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition.
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9
Should the mixture look like its curdling, add a spoonful of the flour.
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10
Sift in the flour and fold in until just combined.
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11
Finally, stir through the coffee and chopped walnuts.
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12
Spoon the mixture into the paper cups and bake for 1520 minutes or until the cakes have risen and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
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13
While the cakes are baking, make the syrup.
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14
Put the coffee in a small pan, add the boiling water and stir to dissolve the granules.
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15
Stir in the sugar.
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16
Set the pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil.
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17
Reduce the heat and simmer gently for a few minutes or until the sugar is completely dissolved and you are left with a runny syrup.
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18
Remove from the heat and stir in the liqueur, if using.
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19
Once the cakes are baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes.
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20
During this time, prick them all over with a cocktail stick and brush over the coffee syrup using a paintbrush or pastry brush, allowing the syrup to soak into the sponge.
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21
Use about 1/2 tablespoon syrup per cup.
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22
Remove the cakes from the tin, still in their cups, and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
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23
Put the mascarpone and vanilla in a bowl and sift in the icing sugar.
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24
Beat together until creamy and well combined, adding a dash of milk or cream to slacken the mix slightly, if necessary.
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25
Spoon some on to each cake and spread level with a palette knife.
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26
Sift the cocoa on top, either all over or through a coffee-bean stencil to create some barista art.
