Amanda Hesser's Walnut Cake

Last weekend, some good friends of mine got married. It was a lovely, low-key wedding and reception, held on a farm in Lancaster County. Instead of having a traditional wedding cake, they asked the guests to bring desserts for a final course smorgasbord. I brought my favorite flourless chocolate cake, as well as a walnut cake that I've been eying in Cooking for Mr. Latte for quite some time.

The flourless chocolate cake was a huge winner, but the walnut cake wasn't nearly as popular. I ended up bringing the leftovers of that cake home with me, and when I checked back in with it the next morning, I was surprised to discover that it had turned tender and crumbly, and had lost the slight bitterness that it had had on the first day. Of course, Hesser does mention that it does get better from sitting, but I didn't realize how drastically the flavor would actually improve with a little resting time.

I've been eating it for breakfast all week, and I've just been loving it. I highly recommend it with coffee or tea and think it would make a wonderful treat if you were having friends over a simple dinner. The recipe is after the jump.


Walnut Cake
From Amanda Hesser's Cooking for Mr. Latte

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
1/2 pound walnuts
2/3 cup real white sugar (I used vanilla scented cane sugar)
1 egg
2 tablespoons rum
Zest of 1 1/2 lemons
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Butter an 8-inch springform pan. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and place in the middle of th oven. They're ready when you can smell them, usually 4 or 5 minutes (mine took a little longer). Take the walnuts out of the oven and increase the heat to 350 degrees. Let the walnut cool completely.

Pour the walnuts into a food processor with 1 tablespoon sugar and grind, using the pulse button, to fine granules but not to powder. Pour into a bowl and reserve.

Place the butter in the processor with the remaining sugar and process until creamy. Add the egg, rum, lemon zest and baking powder and pulse until you have a uniform paste. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Fold the ground walnuts into the butter mixture with a spatula. Sift the flour in small amounts over the batter and fold together. When all the flour is incorporated, pour the coarse and nubbly batter into the cake pan, leveling it off with a spatula.

Bake in the upper third of the oven. After 45 minutes, test the center of the cake with a toothpick. If it comes out dry, the cake is done. If not, bake roughly 10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and remove the sides of the pan. After the cake has cooled somewhat, invert it onto a plate and carefully lift off the pan base. Invert once more onto a pretty serving plate. Dust with confectioner's sugar. The cake's flavor improves the next day. If you ever make this cake and it seems dry, brush it with sugar syrup infused with whisky or rum. This will brighten it up.

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