Free and Easy Bake-Along #23 : Honey Walnut Cake

hmm think this is the first time I baked with such large amount of honey >.< The cake turns out very well!! moist and lovely honey fragrant, even my boy loves it and asked for a slice every other day :D :D

Seems like Lena & Joyce having some problems on grinding the walnuts. But I do not encounter much problem with my Braun Food Processor, I do not even added some flour as I've forgotten about it :P and grinded the toasted walnuts with short pulse. It is the same theory when making the ground almonds for macarons, over grinding will cause the nut oil to seep out and it will become pasty.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups walnut pieces, toasted
• 130gm plain flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 170gm unsalted butter
• 120ml honey
• 30gm sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 orange zest
• 1/2 tsp vanilla paste
• 10 nice walnut, toasted and 2 tbsp honey for garnish

Method

• Grind the walnuts in a food processor with 1/2 cup of the flour until very fine. In a medium bowl, combine the ground nuts, remaining flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Cream butter, honey & sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition. Beat in zests & vanilla paste.
• Using a spatula, fold in flour mixture until fully incorporated.
• Spread the batter evenly in the lined 8" cake pan. Bake in the preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 40 to 45 mins, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a cake rack to cool.
  
• While the cake is cooling, toast the ten walnut halves on a sheet pan for 8 minutes. Add the 2 tablespoons of honey and stir until the walnuts are coated. Garnish the edge of the cake with the honey coated walnut.
  

Recipe adapted form About.com Home Baking