Old Fashioned Walnut Cake - Dani's Cookings

Every bite of this cake brings so many childhood memories! My Grandma used to make this delicious and moist walnut cake and it is truly amazing!

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Equipment

9 inch/ 23 cm pan

Ingredients

For the cake layers (3 layers):

▢ 3 cups/ 240 g ground walnuts , + more for decoration
▢ 3 cups/ 375 g all-purpose flour
▢ 2¼ cups/ 450 g granulated sugar
▢ 2 ¼ cups /540 g plain yogurt, or buttermilk
▢ 1 cup 270 ml olive oil, or other vegetable oil
▢ 1,5 teaspoons baking soda
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
▢ 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
▢ 3 eggs

For the pudding:

▢ ½ cup/ 1 pack/ 60 g vanilla pudding mix, for cooking
▢ ½ cup/ 1 pack/ 60 g chocolate pudding mix, for cooking
▢ 4 cups/ 900 ml milk
▢ 6 tablespoon sugar, if the pudding is not sweetened

Instructions

Cake layers:

This cake contains 3 layers, 2 of which are flavoured with vanilla extract and 1 is flavoured with cocoa powder. In order to save baking time, you can prepare the 2 vanilla layers in one pan and slice the resulting base afterwards. Below is the recipe for 1 layer only, using ⅓ of the above listed ingredients. Therefore if you plan to bake the 2 vanilla layers together, use double quantity ingredients.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C /350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 23 cm (9 inch) cake pan with a circle of parchment paper. Grease well the pan inside.
In a large mixing bowl beat together ⅓ cup(90 g) olive oil and ¾ cup (150 g) sugar until well combined (mixer is not mandatory, I used a hand whisk). Add 1 egg and whisk well until the mixture thickens.
In a cup combine ¾ cup (180 g) yogurt with ½ teaspoon baking soda and whisk. When the mixture starts bubbling, add it to the mixing bowl. Whisk until homogeneous.
Gradually add 1 cup (125 g) flour and 1 cup (80 g) ground walnuts and stir until just absorbed.
If this is a cocoa layer: add the cocoa powder and mix. If this is a vanilla layer: add the vanilla and mix.
Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 30-40 minutes (if baking the 2 vanilla layers together, you would need 20 minutes more). Test with a wooden skewer: if inserted in the centre it comes out just with a few crumbs and the top is golden brown, the cake is ready.
Let the layer cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before taking it out. The layers must be at room temperature before assembling the cake.

Pudding:

Each kind of pudding requires half of the milk (2 cups/ 450 ml).
In a cup combine the vanilla pudding mix with 3 tbs sugar and 3-4 tablespoon milk. Stir until the starch is completely dissolved. Pour the remaining 1 ⅔ cups (410-420 ml) milk in a medium saucepan and bring it to boil. Once the milk starts simmering, remove from heat and add the pudding mixture. Whisk very well until smooth.
Place the pan on the heat again and whisk continuously until the pudding thickens. Remove from heat and let cool for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. Don't leave it longer because it would thicken too much!
Using the same method, prepare the second kind of pudding with the rest 2 cups milk.

To assemble the cake:

In case you baked the vanilla layers as one base, use a serrated knife to halve it horizontally. For best results refrigerate the base in advance.
Place one vanilla layer on a serving plate and cover it generously with warm vanilla pudding. Place the cocoa layer on top and cover it with more vanilla pudding. Place the second vanilla layer on top.
Frost the cake all around with the remaining vanilla pudding.
Spoon the chocolate pudding on top so that it drips around. You may not be using it all for the cake: the remaining quantity can be poured in ramequins and consumed separately.
Decorate the cake with ground and whole walnuts.

Notes

The pudding used in this recipe is practically flavoured cornstarch or potato starch. Alternatively you can use just plain cornstarch (about the same quantity) and add cocoa powder and vanilla extract to it.
Store the cake 2-3 days in the fridge.

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