Walnut Cake with a Hint of Rosemary
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Walnut cake with a whisper of fresh rosemary, served with berries and a lighter vanilla cream made from drained yogurt and whipped cream. A tender Bundt cake that’s unexpectedly savory-sweet.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
40 minREADY
110 minRosemary in a cake sounds odd until you taste it. Chopped fine enough, it acts like vanilla’s woodier cousin, adding a pine-like hum that plays beautifully against toasted walnuts and lemon zest. This Bundt cake uses ground walnuts as part of the flour, giving it structure plus a tender, slightly moist crumb.
The whipped egg and sugar base is what gives this cake its lift. Five full minutes of beating on high speed is non-optional; you want the eggs pale and thick enough that the batter ribbons off the beater. Fold the dry and wet ingredients in alternating additions to keep as much air as possible.
The accompanying vanilla cream is lightened by draining yogurt through cheesecloth for an hour to thicken it, then folding that into softly whipped cream. Tangy, billowy, and lighter than straight whipped cream.
Chef Tips
- Toast the walnuts first even though it adds a step. Raw walnuts taste flat in a cake; toasted ones bring depth.
- Chop the rosemary very finely or it turns woody on the tongue.
- Bring eggs to room temperature before beating. Cold eggs won’t whip to full volume.
- Don’t skip the 1-hour yogurt drain; that’s what gives the cream body instead of running off the cake.
Variations
- Swap half the walnuts for toasted hazelnuts or pecans.
- Use orange zest and thyme in place of lemon and rosemary for a different herbal profile.
- Serve with macerated strawberries or poached pears instead of fresh berries.
Ingredients
Directions
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F.
Coat a 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan, preferably nonstick, with cooking spray.
Spread walnuts in a small baking pan and toast in the oven until fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes.
Let cool.
Place walnuts, whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a food processor; process until walnuts are finely ground.
Combine buttermilk, oil, rosemary, vanilla and lemon zest in a glass measuring cup.
Place eggs, egg whites and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes.
The mixture should be thickened and pale.
With a rubber spatula, alternately fold the dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture into the egg mixture, making 3 additions of the dry and 2 additions of liquid.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.
Bake the cake until the top springs back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
Loosen the edges and turn the cake out onto the rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make Vanilla Cream.
To serve, set the cake on a platter and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Garnish with berries and rosemary sprigs.
Serve each piece with a dollop of Vanilla Cream and some berries.
Vanilla Cream:
Line a sieve or colander with cheesecloth and set over a bowl, leaving at least ½-inch clearance from the bottom.
(Alternatively, use a coffee filter lined with filter paper.)
Spoon in yogurt, cover and let drain in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Discard whey.
Whip cream in a small bowl until soft peaks form.
Add sugar, if using, and continue whipping until firm peaks form.
Fold in the drained yogurt.
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