Baka's 3-Layer Walnut Cake with Chocolate Frosting
CATEGORIES
INGREDIENTS
- Cooking Time: 15
- Servings: 12
- Preparation Time: 45
- CAKE:
- 4 eggs (separated)
- 20 dg or 1-1/2 cup of all purpose flour
- 10 dg or 3/4 cup of ground walnuts
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 25 dg or 1-1/4 cup of sugar
- 2/3 cup of cold water
- 1 pinch of salt
- FROSTING
- 25dg or 1-1/4 cup of sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1.5 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
- 1.5 oz semi sweet baking chocolate
- 1 cup softened unsalted butter
DIRECTIONS
- Batter:
- 1) Separate the eggs
- 2) Whip the egg whites with the pinch of salt until you have stiff peaks
- 3) Move egg whites to a medium bowl for later use
- 4) Beat yolks + cold water until they foam
- 5) In a separate bowl, combine ground walnuts, flour, sugar and baking powder
- 6) Add flour mixture to the egg yolks and gradually build up the speed.
- 7) Turn on the oven to 350 F.
- 8) Prepare 3 layer pans, spraying with olive or canola spray to prevent sticking
- 9) Remove the flour mixture from the mixer and fold in 1/2 of the egg whites until they are completely incorporated.
- 10) Fold in the remaining egg whites
- 11) Divide the batter evenly between the 3 layer pans.
- 12) Cook for 15 minutes or until the cake pulls from the pan and is slightly brown (toothpick should come out clean)
- 13) Let cake pans cool completely
- FROSTING
- 1) Add sugar and butter to a mixing bowl and cream it (5 min on low to med-low speed)
- 2) Melt the baking chocolate
- 3) Add eggs to butter/sugar mixture one at a time
- 4) Add chocolate to mixture, increase speed to medium-medium high
- PUTTING IT TOGETHER
- 1) remove layers from pans, using a flat knife to remove the layer, the walnuts make the layers much more hardier than flour alone cakes
- 2) put your worst looking layer on the bottom (reserve most pleasing one for the top)
- 3) spoon milk (or slivovice, kirsch, rum) on the cake to prevent crumbling
- 4) place 1/4 of frosting on cake and spread
- 5) place next layer
- 6) spoon milk (or slivovice, kirsch, rum) on the cake to prevent crumbling
- 7) place 1/4 of frosting on cake and spread
- 8) place next layer
- 9) spoon milk (or slivovice, kirsch, rum) on the cake to prevent crumbling
- 10) place 1/4 of frosting on top and work remaining 1/4 around the edges of the cake
RECIPE BACKSTORY
The first time I visited my husband's family, I was treated to a homemade cake that was like nothing I'd ever tasted before. His Baka (grandmother in Croatian) whipped together this magnificent treat without a recipe or measurements during our visit. It took 17 years before I wheedled the recipe out his mother. The added richness of walnuts makes this cake extra special.
Submitted by: "Malia Havlicek"