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First, preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F).
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How your cake comes out is determined by how you prepare your baking environment; use a 9-inch round cake pan, grease it heavily with butter or oil for easy removal after baking, and complete the bottom part with parchment paper to ensure that you get that perfect, intact cake that tastes as appetising as it looks.
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Mix 200 gms of all-purpose flour, a pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
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Whisk them well together until the dry ingredients are well mixed. Then put that bowl aside.
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The very base of your cake lies in this mixture, which gives it structure and lets it rise appetisingly in the oven.
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In another mixing bowl, place 200 gms of softened unsalted butter and 200 gms of powdered sugar.
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Mix for as long as perhaps 3 to 5 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.
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This is one of the crucial steps because it introduces air into the batter, which finally makes the cake lighter.
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The creaming process should take 3-5 minutes, during which you will note that your mixture has turned pale yellowish.
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Put in the four eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
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Beating the eggs progressively has something to do with the texture of the final product, but it also ensures the batter is not streaky or coarse.
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Eggs bring moisture and richness- a perfect cake component.
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Once those eggs are thoroughly mixed, it's time to mix wet with dry ingredients.
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Gently fold the flour mixture into the butter-egg mixture.
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Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, mix just until combined; do not overmix- the cake is likely to be too dense.
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Then add flavour! Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence for an all-rounded flavour to your walnut cake.
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Next, fold in 150 gms of chopped walnuts.
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These will give you a nice crunch and even rich nutty flavours in the cake.
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You can use as much walnut as you want since the more, the better: it is going to be very flavourful and rich with so much nut flavour and texture.
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Once the batter is ready, pour it into a cake pan and smooth out the top with a spatula to ensure evenness.
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Put the cake in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. Once ready, a toothpick placed in the centre will come out clean.
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The smell of freshly baked cake will fill your kitchen while baking.
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Once the baking time has elapsed, let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
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Cooling time helps the cake not break when transferred out of the pan.
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Transfer the cake to a wire rack on a gentle motion after 10 minutes.
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This is the key when getting the right texture because letting it cool on a rack prevents the bottom from becoming soggy.
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After completely cooling, your walnut cake is ready to go! Enjoy it plain or dust with powdered sugar.
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Even frost it with cream cheese icing for that rich indulgence.
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It will surely be the star of any gathering or a great treat you can enjoy while having a slice with your afternoon tea.
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Enjoy the lovely flavours and the satisfaction of your masterpiece!