Walnut Butter Cake

A sudden craving to eat Walnut Butter Cake prompted me to bake one. This butter cake is light and buttery. Even though it took a few more additional steps because of it's method, I think it's really worth it as it creates a light cake. This will be a keeper for me.

Recipe for Walnut Butter Cake, adapted from Domestic Goddess Wannabe.
(Makes a 8" round cake)

Ingredients:

250g Unsalted Butter, room temperature

4 Egg yolks

80g Caster sugar

180g Self-raising flour, sifted
A pinch of salt

70g Walnuts, toasted and ground

60g Whole milk

1 tsp Vanilla extract

4 Egg whites

70g caster sugar
1 tsp Corn flour

Some chopped walnuts for topping (approx. 30g)

Method:

1. Mix ground walnuts, salt and flour together. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a mixer, beat together butter and sugar until the mixture turns pale and fluffy.

3. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and continue beating until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.

4. Fold in the dry ingredients and milk in the sequence flour-milk-flour. Mix until the flour is just incorporated. Set this aside.

5. In another clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy.

6. Add the corn flour in the sugar and mix well. Then gradually add the sugar, whisking all the while until stiff peaks form.

7. Transfer 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk mixture. Fold well with a spatula.

8. Gently fold in the remaining meringue in 2 batches, until no white streaks remain.

9. Pour the batter into a lined 8" round pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle some walnuts on top.

10. Bake at 170°C for 45 mins. (I bake mine at 160C for 50mins on the 3rd rack.)

11. When the cake is done, (insert a skewer it the cake and if it emerges cleanly it is done), let the cake rest for 5 minutes in the pan before carefully transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely. (I overturned my cake and let it cool completely before unmoulding.)