I cheaped out and used regular walnuts instead of black walnuts for this recipe from Simply in Season. But I did get a chance to actually use my Cooks Illustrated online subscription because it didn’t include a recipe for the frosting. It turned out great!

FOR PRINTABLE VERSION CLICK HERE: Black Walnut Cake

2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
4 egg whites
1 cup black walnuts, chopped

1. Blend flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.

2. Add milk, butter, and vanilla and beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes.

3. Add egg white and beat for another 2 minutes.

4. Fold in black walnuts and pour into 2 greased and floured 9 inch round cake pans. Bake in preheated oven at 350F for 35-40 minutes.

Servings: 12

The Verdict: This cake was super delicious. It was a huge hit at my parent’s house. It was very moist and light; the vanilla frosting was also great (even directly from the beater, not that I licked them or anything!) It was very rich and my mom thought it had cream cheese in it but it did not. Ha!

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/12 of a recipe (3.6 ounces).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 331.48
Calories From Fat (38%) 124.64
% Daily Value
Total Fat 14.47g 22%
Saturated Fat 5.5g 28%
Cholesterol 21.96mg 7%
Sodium 364.57mg 15%
Potassium 131.8mg 4%
Total Carbohydrates 45.37g 15%
Fiber 1.34g 5%
Sugar 26.31g
Protein 6.89g 14%

FOR THE FROSTING

Source: Cook’s Illustrated online

1. In a small bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp heavy cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until the salt dissolves.
2. In a KitchenAid or large bowl, beat 2 1/2 sticks of butter until smooth (about 30-60 seconds). Reduce speed, add 2 1/2 C of powdered sugar, and beat until smooth (about 2-5 minutes).
3. Add the cream mixture and beat on medium-high until light & fluffy (about 4-8 minutes).

This post also linked to Things I Love Thursday

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