Walnut and almond cake
A beautiful cake from The River Cafe, the landmark London restaurant where simple recipes like this have won legions of fans.
- 25 mins preparation
- 1 hr 30 mins cooking plus cooling
- Serves 8 - 10
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Ingredients
- 380 gm softened unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 380 gm caster sugar
- 380 gm blanched whole almonds, finely ground
- 3 vanilla beans, very finely chopped
- 5 large eggs
- 200 gm walnuts, finely chopped
- 100 gm (2/3 cup) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 125 ml amaretto
Chocolate icing
- 200 gm chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids; The River Cafe uses Callebaut), coarsely chopped
- 50 gm unsalted butter, coarsely chopped
Method
- 1Preheat oven to 160C, and butter and flour a 25cm-diameter cake tin. Beat butter and caster sugar in an electric mixer until pale and light (6-8 minutes). Stir in ground almonds and vanilla, then beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Fold in walnuts, flour and baking powder, then fold in amaretto. Spoon into cake tin and bake until a skewer withdraws clean (1¼-1½ hours). Set aside to cool briefly, then turn out onto a cake rack to cool completely.
- 2Meanwhile, for chocolate icing, melt chocolate and butter in a bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, and stir occasionally until combined (3-4 minutes). Spread over cake with a hot, wet palette knife, cut into slices and serve.