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Chocolate Walnut Cake

January 9, 2015 by Judy Lyness 10 Comments

Chocolate Walnut Cake
Photo courtesy Dorothy of Shockingly Delicious

This is my go to birthday cake.  I’ve been making it for years.  It’s got everything I want in a dessert–crunch from the walnuts, cinnamon, two types of chocolate–Ibarra Mexican chocolate in the cake and bitter sweet for both whipped and melted ganache.

Chocolate Walnut Cake

The cake

  • 6 egg yolks
  • 5 egg whites
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup cake crumbs
  • 1/2 cup walnut pieces
  • 1 bar Ibarra chocolate coarsely chopped
  • I tbsp cinnamon
  • pinch of salt

1.  Whip egg yolks with with 1/4 cup of sugar until ribbon stage.

2.  In separate bowl add remaining 1/4 cup of sugar to egg whites and whip  until medium peaks are formed

3.  Combine remaining dry ingredients in a bowl and mix.

4.  Fold dry ingredients into yolks.

5.  Fold whites into yolk mixture

5.  Pour into 9 inch spring form pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Ganache

  • 1 lbs. semi-sweet chocolate
  • 2 cups heavy cream

1.  Chop chocolate and place in bowl

2.  Heat heavy cream until it almost boils and pour over chocolate. Let stand about 2 or 3 minutes then emulsify the cream and chocolate until smooth.

3. Divide ganache in half.  Place one half in refrigerator and stir every 5 minutes or so until it’s room temperature.  Once the ganache reaches room temperature whip at medium speed until fluffy and it lightens a bit.

Assembly

1.  Remove cake from spring form pan. Slice cooled cake in half.  Place whipped ganache on bottom half to form a 1 inch layer of filling.  Place other half of cake on top of whipped ganache.

2.  Frost the the cake and place in refrigerator until set.  At least an hour.

3.  Place frosted cake on wire rack.  Pour room temperature ganache on top of cake and gently push ganache over the top so it drips down the sides and coats them thoroughly.

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Filed Under: Chocolate, Desserts Tagged With: birthday cake, chocolate cake, walnuts

Comments

  1. Sheryl @Mama's Gotta Bake says

    January 9, 2015 at 5:45 PM

    Judy, chocolate and walnuts are my favorite combination. This may become my go-to cake also!

    Reply
    • Judy Lyness says

      January 9, 2015 at 5:47 PM

      Sheryl, this cake is a winner. Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  2. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says

    January 10, 2015 at 10:22 AM

    This was an EPIC cake! You are a gifted chef, and I am so lucky to know you. My birthday is Feb. 1, in case you didn’t mark it on your calendar from last year. 🙂

    Reply
    • Judy Lyness says

      January 10, 2015 at 10:31 AM

      Dorothy I would never make the same cake twice in a row. I have an incredible one lined up for you this year.

      Reply
  3. Cathy | She Paused 4 Thought says

    January 10, 2015 at 6:57 PM

    Oh my, that looks divine. You are amazing!

    Reply
  4. Maddie says

    January 10, 2015 at 9:10 PM

    What do you mean by “cake crumbs”
    Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Judy Lyness says

      January 10, 2015 at 11:09 PM

      Cake crumbs are trimmings from cakes like when you slice a cake to make it even. I freeze these and then use them in this recipe. if you don’t have cake crumbs crumble some vanilla wafers. Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
      • Cathy | She Paused 4 Thought says

        January 13, 2015 at 8:58 AM

        Freezing cake crumbs… brilliant. I would have never thought of that one.

        Reply
  5. Lentil Breakdown says

    January 11, 2015 at 4:24 PM

    Looks mighty tasty, but the cake crumbs threw me also. You have to make the cake first so you can use the crumbs in it. It’s that age-old conundrum: Which came first, the cake or the crumbs?

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Walnut Cinnamon Cake says:
    March 16, 2016 at 9:01 AM

    […] that’s exactly what I did when I created this rolled walnut cinnamon cake. My tried and true walnut chocolate cake is the foundation from which this cake sprang into life. It also helped that my dinner guests […]

    Reply

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I moonlight as a television producer, mostly of food/travel shows (go figure). I've owned my own bakery, worked in many places in NYC as both pastry chef and cuisine. Read More…

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