Pumpkin Walnut Cake

I made this cake when I had a break, that is over Thanksgiving break :)  I know I'm way behind posting related recipe according to the season; but I've given up trying to follow the trend because it's just not enough time in my life to do that anymore.

I thought this cake is delicious all around; it was a moist and has tender crumbs.  It reminded me of my mom's pumpkin roll cake--flavor-wise--but hers uses no eggs while this has.  This year I'm in love with pumpkin spice all over again.  My favorite beverage right now is chai tea latte with lots of pumpkin spice; it's a nice drink to have when the weather is dropping down to the 30's.

The caramel whipped cream is equally good, I actually have never made it before and thought, why didn't I try this sooner?  Combining caramel and whipped cream is simply divine.  The original recipe doesn't use salt but I did put in a generous pinch of it because I really thought it needed it.

The recipe came from my favorite book in my book shelves, The Cake Book by Tish Boyle.  There are numerous recipes that I haven't even tried and all sounds very yummy.

Here is the recipe:

Pumpkin Walnut Cake

Makes one 9-inch square cake

1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup safflower oil or other neutral vegetable oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degree F.  Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt into a medium bowl.  Whisk to combine well, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the eggs with both sugars at medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes.  Add the oil, pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla extract and mix until blended.  Add the flour mixture at low speed in three additions, mixing just until blended.  Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and stir in the walnuts.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack.

To serve, cut the cake into squares, and top each with a large dollop of the cream.

Caramel Cream

Makes about 3 cups

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided
Generous pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extra


In a small heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.  Increase the heat to high and cook without stirring, occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush, until the syrup caramelizes and turns a golden amber color, about 4 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add 1/2 cup of the heavy cream (the mixture will bubble up) and sea salt, stirring until smooth.  Carefully pour the hot caramel into a heatproof glass measure and loosely cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate the caramel until chilled, about 2 hours.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the remaining 3/4 cup cream with the mascarpone cheese and vanilla at medium speed until blended.  Add the chilled caramel and beat at a high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks.  Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate.


Source:  The Cake Book by Tish Boyle

Walnut Coffee Cake with Tiramisu Cream

This is a cake that I made for my husband's birthday just a few days ago.  It is a coffee cake with walnuts and frosted with whipped tiramisu cream; it's a sort of cake that I know he'd enjoy.  And I also know that this type of cake won't last long, it's down to 2 slices tonight and I bet it'll be gone before midnight :)

Note:  The measurement is in metric because it's taken from Delicious magazine, which is based in the UK.  I'm finding I like trying more recipes using metric measurement therefore I'm including it in my blog.

Walnut Coffee Cake with Tiramisu Cream

Serves 10


For the cake:
225 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
225 g sugar
4 eggs
225 g self-raising flour
3 tablespoons strong black coffee made from instant coffee and a little boiling water
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
75 g walnut pieces, finely chopped, plus walnut halves, for decorating
1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder, for decorating
1/2 teaspoon confectioners' sugar, for decorating

For the tiramisu cream:
250 g tub mascarpone
142 ml heavy cream
4 tablespoons coffee liqueur
4 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
Few drops of vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease 2 8-inch round pan and line them with parchment paper.

Beat butter and sugar in a bowl of an electric mixer until soft and creamy.  Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, continue mixing until it comes together.  Beat in the coffee then sift flour and baking powder over the mixture, fold them in, followed by walnuts.

Divide the cake mixture equally between 2 pans, leveling the tops.  Bake in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, until they are golden and tops spring back when lightly pressed with a fingertip.  Cool the cakes in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn them out on the rack and let cool completely.  The cakes can then be frozen.  Let defrost completely before frosting it.

Make the tiramisu cream by combining mascarpone and heavy cream in a bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat the mixture, add the coffee liqueur, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract; and continue beating until soft and fluffy.

Place 1 cake on a cake stand or a serving plate, straight side up and spread half of the tiramisu cream.  Place the second cake, straight side down, on top and spread the remaining half of the tiramisu cream on top.  Decorate cake top with walnut halves and sprinkle with cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar.


Source:  adapted from Delicious Magazine, April 2008

Blackberry and Blueberry Cobbler with Walnut Biscuits

I guess it's time for the blackberry to shine. As we're moving forward to fall season, the blackberries are ripening everywhere. Here in Oregon, the wild ones are very prolific and people develop a love-hate relationship; they certainly don't want those thorny vines in their backyard, but they welcome the arrival of juicy-sweet blackberries ripened from the sun. I live close to a secret picking spot where the blackberries are abundant, it's within a walking distance and a bit sheltered from the traffic which is desirable for impromptu u-pick.

For several days, it's my dad who was so eager to pick the berries. I guess the benefit of moving close to me is to have acquired a newfound hobby, that is berry picking. He is the one who will pick all the blueberries from the yard, he is the one who will walk and bring home the blackberries, though he complained that the thorns attack him ferociously at times.

Here is what I did with those berries, a delectable desserts who need only whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to accompany it till the last spoonful.

Blackberry and Blueberry Cobbler with Walnut Biscuits

Makes 8 servings


1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup buttermilk
4 cups fresh blackberries
4 cups fresh blueberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar, use slightly less if the berries are very sweet
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon whipping cream
1 tablespoon coarse sugar or granulated sugar
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 375°F. For biscuits, place walnuts in a food processor, pulse several times until roughly chopped. Add flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pulse several times until combined. Add butter, pulse again until butter pieces are no larger than small peas.

Transfer the flour mixture to a large bowl. Add buttermilk, stirring with a fork until the dough comes together. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; knead two or three times to bring dough together. Press dough into a rectangle or circle 1/2-inch thick. Using a knife or 2 1/2-inch fluted round cutter, cut the dough into eight squares or rounds, re-rolling the scraps as necessary.

In a 3-quart rectangular baking dish combine berries. In a small bowl combine the 3/4 cup granulated sugar and the 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix lemon peel and ginger into sugar mixture, pour sugar mixture over berries; gently toss with hands to combine. Combine lemon juice and cornstarch. Add cornstarch mixture to berry mixture; toss.

Brush tops of biscuits with whipping cream; sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Arrange biscuits on top of fruits. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Loosely cover baking dish with foil; bake for 10 to 20 minutes or more or until bubbly around the edges. Transfer baking dish to a wire rack; remove foil. Cool on wire rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.

To serve, spoon each biscuit and berry mixture into eight serving bowls; top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.

Source: adapted from Better Homes and Garden, Fall Baking 2011.

Bittersweet Chocolate-Walnut Bundt Cake

I bought this book, Intensely Chocolate by Carole Bloom, thinking that there have got to be some good recipes in it.  But I was slightly disappointed by this recipe; though the appearance is quite beautiful, the taste is not what I expected.  Perhaps, because there is not egg nor butter in the cake, instead, sour cream and buttermilk are used to replace the fat.  As with a cake without egg or butter, the texture is slightly dense, with open crumbs; the chocolate flavor though is quite wholesome.  The result is exactly like the photo in the book, it came out beautifully from the pan just like that.

Still, it is not one of my favorite cakes to make, I have yet to learn to appreciate eating this type of cake.  But for people who are allergic to egg, I highly recommend this cake, it is chocolate and quite easy to make.

Bittersweet Chocolate-Walnut Bundt Cake

Yield 12-14 servings

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup turbinado sugar

1 1/4 cups walnuts, finely chopped

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small chunks

2 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon chocolate extract, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degree F and place a rack in the center of oven.  Coat inside of the pan with melted butter using a pastry brush or paper towel.  Sprinkle the sides and center of pan with turbinado sugar.

Toast walnuts in the oven for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring often until the nuts are light golden.  Remove from oven and cool on rack.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda over a bowl.  Add brown sugar, salt, and nutmeg, and toss to blend completely.  Add the walnuts and bittersweet chocolate chunks and stir to blend thoroughly.

In a bowl of electric stand mixer, blend thoroughly buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla, and chocolate extract (if using) with a paddle attachment.  Add the flour mixture in 4 stages, blending well after each addition.  Stop often to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, then use a rubber spatula to smooth and even the top. Bake for 35 to 38 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a rack for 20 minutes.  Invert the pan onto the rack and lift the pan off the cake.  Let the cake cool completely on the rack.

Serve the cake at room temperature.

Source:  adapted from Intensely Chocolate: 100 Scrumptious Recipes for True Chocolate Lovers by Carole Bloom

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