Ingredients

• 8 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 cups walnuts
• 2 tablespoons fresh fine breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons strong brewed coffee
• 1 1/2 tablespoons rum
• 1 cup heavy cream, well chilled
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
• butter
• flour
• 12 walnut halves, toasted

Instructions

1. Butter 3 Nine inch round cake pan and line the bottom of each one with a round of buttered parchment paper.

2. Dust the pans with flour and shake out any excess.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F.

4. In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of granulated sugar until the mixture is doubled in volume and forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted (about 5 minutes).

5. In a food processor or blender, pulse the walnuts with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar until ground fine.

6. Add the walnuts, the bread crumbs, the coffee and the rum to the yolks and fold gently.

7. In another bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg white just to stiff peaks.

8. Gently and gradually fold the whites into the yolk mixture.

9. Divide the batter among the three cake pans, spreading it evenly and giving each cake pan a good thump against the counter to make sure there are no air bubbles.

10. Bake the layers 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sides pull away from the pans and the tops spring back when pressed gently.

11. Cool in pans on racks for ten minutes.

12. Run a sharp knife round the sides of the layers and carefully invert the layers onto the racks.

13. Remove and discard parchment paper and allow layers to cool completely.

14. Make the Coffee Whipped Cream:.

15. In a large, chilled bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons of the cold heavy cream and the instant coffee until coffee is dissolved.

16. Add remaining cream and confectioner's sugar and beat until cream forms stiff peaks.

17. This will provide enough whipped cream to fill the two layers and to garnish the top.

18. You can place the cream for the top in a pastry bag and decorate the top with rosettes.

19. Garnish with the toasted walnut halves.