English Walnut Cake Recipes

COFFEE AND WALNUT CAKE, A CLASSIC BRITISH CAKE FOR AFTERNOON TEA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F (180C)
• Using a stand mixer, hand mixer or by hand, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add an egg to the butter and sugar mixture and blend thoroughly.
• Add about a quarter of the flour and mix until cleared. Repeat with the remaining eggs and flour until the eggs and flour are used.
• The cake mixture will be light and creamy.
• Add the chopped nuts. Stir the espresso powder into the liquid espresso, then add to the mixture.
• Blend well, then divide the cake mixture into the prepared 8" cake tins.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cake will be a lovely golden brown color.
• Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully remove and place on cooling racks (remove the paper.)
• Blend all the ingredients for the buttercream together until you have a smooth and creamy frosting.
• If the cakes aren't flat on top, cut them so that they are level (I like to use this super inexpensive tool.) Then either spread or pipe just under half of the frosting on one layer of the cake (the cut side.)
• Place the second layer on top. Be sure to put the cut side down (so both cut sides are facing each other in the middle.) Spread the frosting on the top. This is a very rustic cake, so don't worry if you don't get it to look perfect.
• Next, pipe rosettes on top of the cake (or you can place dollops of frosting) for 8, 10 or 12 walnut halves to sit on, depending on how many slices you want to have.
• Lastly, add a walnut half to each rosette. That's it! You've just made a classic British coffee and walnut cake!

ENGLISH WALNUT DATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
• In a large bowl, combine dates, walnuts, sugar, baking powder and flour. Stir in egg yolks. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites into the fruit/nut mixture until no streaks remain. Spoon into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

BRITISH DATE AND WALNUT LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Place dates and margarine in a bowl with boiling water and baking soda. Gently mix with a wooden spoon until margarine has melted and dates are plumped up. Let cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a 2-pound loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Combine flour, brown sugar, and walnuts in a separate bowl. Add to bowl with the date mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Add egg and mix in. Spoon mixture into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 60 to 75 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

WALNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/190 degrees Celsius. Grease an 8-inch/20-centimeter springform pan with oil or butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Place egg yolks and muscovado sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl, if using a hand-held electric mixer). Whip on high speed for about 2 minutes, or until pale and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add walnuts, lemon zest and salt and mix well to combine.
• Clean and dry the stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment, then add egg whites to bowl. Whip on high speed for 2 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Using a spatula, fold egg whites into the walnut mixture a third at a time; the mixture will be thick and quite difficult to bring together at first but will gradually loosen, so the final addition of whites lightens the batter considerably.
• Pour batter into pan and bake for 40 minutes, until evenly puffed. This is a moist cake, so a skewer inserted inside should not come out completely dry and clean. Let cake cool for 5 minutes, then release it from the pan. (You may need to run a small knife around the edge.) Carefully flip over cake, remove pan bottom and paper, and flip again to transfer it to a large plate. Brush surface with amaretto and then leave to cool completely.
• While cake is cooling, make the caramelized walnuts: Sprinkle sugar evenly over the bottom of a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook gently for about 6 minutes, swirling pan but resisting the urge to stir, until you get a medium brown syrup, the consistency of maple syrup. Add walnuts and quickly stir them into the syrup until coated. Pour nuts onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, spread in a single layer, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Once cool and hardened, roughly chop into 1/2- and 1-inch/1- and 2-centimeter pieces.
• To serve: Add cream and sugar to the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a large bowl and a hand-held whisk). Whip on high speed for 1 minute, or until firm and fluffy. When cake has cooled, spread cream over surface and then scatter with caramelized walnuts.

MOTHER'S WALNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter, shortening and granulated sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and vanilla. Beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in ground walnuts. , Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter. Add confectioners' sugar; mix well. Beat in vanilla until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over the top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with walnuts. Refrigerate.

WALNUT POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan and set aside.
• Cream together the butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
• Gradually add to the butter mixture, alternating each addition with the milk.
• Mix until just blended.
• Stir in the vanilla and walnuts.
• Pour into the pan and bake for 90 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool thoroughly on a wire rack.
• Dust with powdered sugar before serving.