Spanish Walnut Cake

There's just something about heirloom recipes. They invoke positive feelings of times past, being together with family or special relatives. This cake recipe is very old and time has not changed how good it is. Moist and spicy with a delicate crumb and encapsulated in a chocolate butter frosting, the Spanish Walnut Cake excels as a fun coffee or tea time cake...something you can serve at casual family get-togethers. It also has been used as the occasional birthday cake. The neat thing about this cake is that it is versatile - you can frost it with a white butter frosting (but from personal experience, chocolate is much better), and you can also make it in a variety of pan sizes (layer pans, 13 x 9" and springform pans). Make it up for the next time you have guests - they'll be coming back for seconds!

Spanish Walnut Cake

2 cups sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

4 eggs, separated

2 cups flour

1 cup skim milk

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

½ cup chopped walnuts

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until the flour disappears. Add the walnuts and mix briefly to combine.

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold the whites in gently - you don't want to deflate them!

Pour into a 13 x 9" pan, layer pans or a springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes if using layer pans, 45 minutes if using a 13 x 9" and 60 minutes if using a springform (or bake until a cake tester comes out cleanly).

Turn the cake out onto a platter or fancy cake stand if you made a layer or springform cake. Let the cake cool completely before frosting with a chocolate butter frosting. Top the cake with additional chopped walnuts.

Servings will vary - depends on what size pan was used