Recipe: Walnut Cake with Chocolate-Walnut Butter Cream Icing

WALNUT CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE-WALNUT BUTTER CREAM ICING

FOR THE CAKES:
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour (plus 1 tablespoon unsifted all-purpose flour)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups broken walnuts
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
12 whole large walnut halves (as garnish)
FOR THE CHOCOLATE-WALNUT BUTTER CREAM ICING:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons strong coffee
4 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup broken walnuts

TO MAKE THE CAKES:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans.

Cut the butter into cubes in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add the sugar and beat until creamy.

In a separate bowl, sift together the 3 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Toss the broken walnut pieces with the unsifted tablespoon of flour and set aside.

Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, beating well after each egg is added.

Combine the milk with the vanilla and almond extracts. Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk mixture to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Add the floured walnut pieces and continue to beat until well blended. Spoon equal portions of the batter into each loaf pan.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean. Let the pans cool, then turn out the cakes onto a rack.

TO MAKE THE ICING:
In a double boiler, combine the chocolate and coffee for the icing and heat, stirring often, until the chocolate is melted and blended with the coffee.

In a mixing bowl, combine the yolks, salt, and sugar. Set this bowl in a basin or large stockpot of simmering water and beat rapidly with a wire whisk until the mixture runs from the whisk in a ribbon.

Add the chocolate mixture to the yolk mixture. Continue to beat over the simmering water. Gradually add the butter a little at a time. Remove the bowl from the heat and continue to beat, using a wooden spoon, until the icing thickens and becomes spreadable. Beat in the walnuts and beat until smooth and a bit lighter.

Spread the top of each cake with the icing, and garnish the tops with the walnut halves.

Makes 2 loaf cakes
Source: In The Kitchen with Bob by Bob Bowersox