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Walnut Cake


Walnut Cake
(Source: Maida Heatter's Cakes (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2011 ed., pg. 40) and Maida Heatter's Book of Great American Desserts (Alfred A. Knopf, 1982, pg. 129). 

There are many walnut cakes sprinkled throughout Maida's books. My favorite so far has been the Small Walnut Torte but this one may surpass. The Apricot and Walnut Applesauce Cake was also good although the walnuts are secondary in that one. There are various other true walnut cakes, some made with whole wheat flour, another one a combination of wheat and plain flour and this one, which is made with just all-purpose flour.

The cake is very grainy and the nutty exterior is delicious. This is one of those cakes where the flavor creeps up on you. You take a bite and don't think much about it but then you take another bite and another...

This is one is delicious with your morning coffee!

2 1/2 cups walnuts
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mace or nutmeg
8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 TBS plus 2 tsp brandy
2 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs

Preheat oven to 325. Butter a 9-cup capacity or larger bundt pan thoroughly with soft butter.

In a food processor, place 1 cup of the walnuts (reserving the remaining 1.5 cups) and process for 8-10 seconds. You should have a mixture of finely ground and slightly chopped nuts.


 

Transfer the nuts to the prepared pan. Turn the pan upside down over a piece of paper to catch the loose crumbs and reapply. Be sure to cover the inner tube, you will have to do this by hand. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the crumbs to sprinkle over the top of the cake.


Place the remaining 1.5 cups of nuts in the food processor and process 5 or 6 times. You will have larger chopped pieces this time.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg (or mace). Set aside.

Beat the butter until it is soft. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and the brandy. You may need to use a spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the mixer bowl.


 

Add the sugar and beat for about 1 minutes (do not overbeat).


 

Add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl as necessary. Beat for 1 minute and then add the dry ingredients until just blended.


 

Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and stir in the nuts


 

Transfer the batter to the pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the top with the 2 tablespoons of nuts you reserved earlier.


 


 

Bake until cake tester comes out clean. For me, it was done in 75 minutes. Maida says 1 hour and 45 minutes but I think that would be way too long. After 1 hour and 10 minutes, I would start checking.

Let the cake stand in the pan about 30 minutes before turning it out and then allow to completely cool. Chill in the freezer or refrigerator before slicing. Use a sharp knife if the cake is frozen (it cuts beautifully) or use a serrated bread knife is the cake is room temperature.


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