Chocolate Walnut Cake

Chocolate Walnut Cake! A decadent single layer chocolate cake covered with a glossy chocolate ganache. It is a pretty simple to make and assemble, and has been in my life for years. It is delicious, tender and fluffy with a nice nutty flavor. Serve it for celebrations or gatherings with friends and family. Watch the video tutorial to learn how to make it!

The glossy ganache is made with heavy cream, butter and chopped chocolate, you can use it on, other desserts, like ice-creams, or a chocolate tart filling, just like my “Chocolate Pie with Raspberry Coulis”

•  Ingredients: all cake ingredients should be at room temerature, from butter to eggs and all other ingredients.
• Toast the walnuts ahead of time to bring out their earthy flavor
• Cream butter and sugar thoroughly, until the butter lighten up in color.
• Scrape the sides: while making the cake batter, scrape the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula to make sure all the ingredients are well incorporated.
• Use boiling Water in the cake batter to intensifies the chocolate flavor of the cocoa powder.
• Don’t overmix your cake batter to avoid a dense dry cake.
• Set parchment paper round: grease the baking pan with a cooking spray, then line the bottom  with a round of parchment paper and then grease the baking pan with a piece of butter or cooking spray, this will make removing the cake from the pan super easy.
• No one likes a dry, over baked cake: check your cake towards the end of the baking time, insert a skewer or toothpick into the center of the cake, it should come out clean, with no streaks of batter.

Toast the walnuts ahead of time to bring out their earthy flavor

You just can’t go wrong with this chocolate walnut cake. It’s delicious on its own, or perfect with a glass of milk, scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. Watch the video tutorial to learn how to make it!

• Use a 30cm/12 inches round cake pan
• A stand mixer or a handheld mixer
• Author:Hadia Zebib Khanafer, 
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Baking time: 50-55 minutes
• Serving 10 persons

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cups flour
• ½ cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ cup butter (at room temperature)
• 1 cup walnuts, and some more to decorate the cake with
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee (Nescafe), dissolved in ⅓ cup of water
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup boiling water
• 100 g./3.5 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the chocolate glaze:

200 g./7 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon butter

Directions:

To make the chocolate ganache: Place the chocolate, butter, and heavy cream in a saucepan over low heat and bring to a gentle simmer, just be sure to watch it carefully and stir continuously. Turn off the heat and whisk to obtain a shiny glaze. Allow to cool.

Line the cake with parchment paper so you guarantee the cake doesn’t stick to the pan. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a countertop. Place the cake pan on the parchment paper. Use a pencil to mark outline of the bottom of the cake pan. Neatly, cut the circle with a scissors. Spray the base of the pan and place the circular piece of parchment inside the pan.

To make the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
2. Place a rack in the center of the oven.
3. With a sharp knife, roughly chop both walnuts and chocolate
4. In a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, salt, walnuts and semi-sweet chocolate.
5. In another bowl cream the butter using an electric mixer. Add the sugar and beat for one minute.
6. Add the eggs one at a time and stir well to fully incorporate. Flavor the batter with a drop of vanilla extract, and add the diluted coffee
7. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula to make sure all the ingredients are well incorporated. Add the heavy cream and beat for 20 seconds.
8. Stir in the flour mixture and add the boiling water. The addition of boiling water not only loosens your batter, but makes the cake smoother and softer and will intensify the chocolate flavor of the cocoa powder. With a wooden spoon or spatula mix well to homogenize the batter.
9. Pour the chocolate batter into the cake tin and bake for 50 – 55  minutes, or until you insert a toothpick in the center of the cake and it comes out clean.
10. Remove from the oven. Leave the cake in the pan for about 25 minutes, before converting.  Run a knife around the edges, put the cooling rack on top of the pan while the cake is still in it. flip to the wire rack and peel the parchment paper.
11. Pour the ganache evenly over the top of your cake.
12.  Decorate with walnut halves; great on its own, but for a richer experience, serve individual slices with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. How delicious!

If you make the "Chocolate Walnut Cake", leave a comment below, or share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!! Hashtag, #Hadia’s lebanese Cuisine