Walnut Caramel Cake

It's been a while since my younger daughter's second birthday. I can't believe how fast time flies. So much has happened in these 2 years, and there's no room for boredom in our lives. Both girls keep us very busy, but they also bring us lots of warmth and joy.

Gabriela has a favorite stuffed toy that she almost never lets go of. So I decided to make a cake with a copy of that toy on top. I made the teddy bear entirely out of marzipan. To make everything come together, the cake is also covered with a layer of marzipan, which hides a walnut sponge cake and a walnut-caramel filling inside. Even though there's butter in the filling, it's not bland or too sweet. Caramel and walnuts go together wonderfully.

walnut caramel cake

The cake itself is a bit more complicated than a "regular" whipped cream cake, but not so complicated that making it should be left to professionals only.

I'll brag a little: (despite my poor manual skills) the birthday girl liked the cake. After blowing out the candles, she and her sister waited impatiently, fork in hand, for a piece of cake. She was also the first to finish a pretty big slice, and from her and Louisa I heard nothing but smacking lips and delighted squeals. So I know kids love this cake. I loved it too, and the rest of the guests ate it in silence and asked for seconds, so that speaks for itself.

I know I'm bragging, but every success, every cake that turns out well, and especially a layer cake, is something big for me. It's such joy to know my effort paid off, and it motivates me to keep trying.

My sponge came out quite low and dense, but I had no problem cutting it into 3 layers. It should be made the day before, but to make your work easier you can make it even 2 days ahead, and it will still stay fresh.

The recipe comes from the book "Neues kochen mit Frau Antje". I changed the way the cake is assembled a bit: instead of coating the cake with nuts, I sprinkled nuts over each layer of filling. I also covered the cake with marzipan instead of decorating it with buttercream.

walnut caramel cake

Ingredients:

For the sponge:

• 60 g butter
• 100 g ladyfingers
• 200 g walnuts (shelled)
• 8 eggs
• 150 g sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 60 g all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp dark cocoa
• 6 tbsp cognac (I used non-alcoholic amaretto diluted with water)

Filling (for layering and decorating)

• ½ liter milk
• 45 g potato starch
• a pinch of salt
• 1 packet vanilla sugar (with real vanilla), about 10 g
• 150 g sugar
• 100 g shelled walnuts (12 whole ones for decoration, chop the rest)
• 6 tbsp boiling water
• 250 g butter (room temperature)
• 100 g powdered sugar

walnut sponge cake

Sponge:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Prepare a 26 cm springform pan (line it with parchment paper).

Melt the butter and let it cool. Crush the ladyfingers finely (for example with a rolling pin) and grind the walnuts.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the yolks with 100 g of the sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the salt to the egg whites and beat until stiff, slowly adding the remaining 50 g sugar at the end. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the yolks and slowly pour in the cooled butter. Sift the flour, mix it with the cocoa and baking powder, and gently combine with the egg mixture. It's best to sift it directly into the egg mixture. Then add the crushed ladyfingers and walnuts and mix everything gently but thoroughly. Pour into the pan and bake for 35 minutes. After baking, let the sponge rest in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack, gently peel off the parchment paper and let it cool overnight.

Filling:

Take 6 tbsp out of the milk intended for the filling and mix them with the potato starch. Heat the rest of the milk with the salt and vanilla sugar.

Pour the sugar into a wide pot and caramelize it (heat until it turns brown), stirring constantly. Take the pot off the burner and "drag" 12 walnuts through the caramel, then set them on parchment paper to cool (I used long toothpicks to help). Add the boiling water to the remaining caramel, put the pot back on the burner and, stirring constantly, add the milk. Bring to a boil, then combine with the potato starch mixture. Cool to room temperature, stirring from time to time.

Toast the chopped walnuts in a dry pan (no fat) and let them cool.

Beat the butter with the powdered sugar until fluffy, then gradually add the cooled caramel mixture, one spoonful at a time.

Cut the sponge into 3 layers. Soak the first one, spread some of the caramel filling over it and sprinkle with some of the walnuts. Place the second layer on top, soak it, add another layer of filling and sprinkle with walnuts. Cover with the last layer and soak it. NOTE: Depending on what kind of cake you want (finished with buttercream or with marzipan), use less or more filling. For a cake finished with marzipan, the top should have only a thin layer of filling, without walnuts, just enough to slightly even out the bumps from stacking the sponge layers. For a cake finished with the filling, spread more filling on the last layer and smooth it out. Sprinkle with the last of the walnuts (on top or around the sides). Decorate with the 12 caramel-coated walnuts or as you like, chill and serve.

Enjoy!