Sugared Walnut Pound Cake


Categories: Recipes


Sinkology is proud to present Emily Schuermann, our food-loving guest blogger who runs Food for a Year. Emily is here to share some recipes she has created exclusively for the Sinkology blog that reflect her view of a copper sink: simple, timeless, affordable, and beautifully rustic.

If you are looking for something new for your Thanksgiving dessert table – I have just the thing! This simple pound cake recipe is so moist and flavorful, lending itself to multiple variations depending on the season. For this particular recipe, I decided to add a layer of brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts to the bottom of 2 loaf pans and top with a warm buttery glaze – because walnuts and Thanksgiving seem to naturally go together!



Close-up of a sliced, glazed walnut cake on a cooling rack.


The key to a light and airy, moist pound cake is to whip the eggs and sugar (using a mixer) until the mixture is thickened – similar to the consistency of Greek yogurt.



Sticks of butter, eggs, and walnuts arranged on a wooden cutting board.


Once the sugar and eggs thicken, add the room temperature butter sticks and whip until incorporated. Next add sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla and mix.



A mixing bowl containing eggs and sugar, ready to be mixed.
A mixing bowl with cake batter and partially melted butter, next to a paddle attachment.
A mixing bowl with cake batter, lemon zest, and a dollop of sour cream.


Many flavors can be substituted rather than adding vanilla and lemon zest, including almond extract, orange zest, chopped maraschino cherries, coffee liqueur, chocolate chips. However, for fall I can’t help but think of walnuts and cinnamon, so I stuck with a traditional pound cake and topped it with sugary spiced walnut topping.

While the oven is preheating, I lined the bottoms of my prepared loaf pans with a single layer of walnuts and toasted them in the oven for 5 minutes.



A loaf pan with walnuts at the bottom, next to a half-cup measuring cup filled with brown sugar.


Combine dry ingredients and lightly whisk to allow everything to evenly incorporate. Then add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, mixing on medium speed to incorporate. Make sure to scrap the sides and bottom to ensure even mixing.

After the walnuts have toasted and the batter is combined, evenly sprinkle ½ c brown sugar and ½ t cinnamon atop the walnuts in each loaf pan.



A loaf pan filled with a crumbly mixture, next to a container of cinnamon and scattered walnuts.


Pour batter evenly between the two loaf pans and bake in the preheated oven. If using a light-colored aluminum loaf pan, baking time is about 1½ hours. If using a dark-colored metal pan or a glass pan, cooking time may need to be adjusted.



Two loaf pans filled with cake batter, next to a few scattered walnuts on a kitchen towel.


A freshly baked loaf cake in a pan, cooling on a rack.


After the pound cake loaves are set in the center and have turned a medium golden color, remove them from the oven. Run a knife around the edges. Then invert onto a cooling rack.

While the loaves are cooling, prepare the butter glaze by combing the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium flame. Melt the butter and dissolve the sugar by stirring constantly. Make sure not to bring the glaze to a boil.



Pouring glaze over a nut-topped cake on a cooling rack.


Remove the loaves from the pans and return to the rack, walnut side up. Pour half of the glaze over each warm loaf. Allow the glaze to soak in before serving.



A glazed walnut cake on a cooling rack with glaze dripping down the sides.


The sugary butter glaze has bits of crystalized sugar throughout and adds a wonderful crunch to the cake. 



Close-up of a glazed walnut cake with a slice missing, resting on a cooling rack.


Sugared Walnut Pound Cake

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

  1. 6 eggs
  2. 3 c pure cane sugar
  3. 3 sticks salted butter, room temperature
  4. 1 c sour cream
  5. zest of 1 lemon
  6. 2 t vanilla
  7. 3 c all purpose flour
  8. ¾ t baking soda
  9. ¾ t sea salt
  10. 2 c walnut halves, divided (toasted)
  11. 1 c brown sugar divided
  12. 1 t cinnamon, divided

Butter glaze

  1. ¾ c  sugar
  2. ½ c butter
  3. 2 t water
  4. pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300°. Prepare two loaf pans by greasing and dusting with flour. ((I spray liberally with Baker’s Joy)).
  2. Combine dry ingredients (flour baking soda & salt) and set aside.
  3. In a stand mixer, add 6 cracked eggs, one at a time. Mix on medium speed until eggs thicken. Add sugar and mix another minute. Add remaining ingredients and mix until combined, taking care to scrape the sides to ensure even mixing.
  4. Sprinkle half of the walnuts into the bottom of each loaf panned lightly toast for 3-5 minutes. Once the walnuts are lightly toasted, sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar over the walnuts.
  5. Pour cake batter evenly between 2 prepared loaf pans and place in preheated oven. Bake for 1½ hours or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
  6. When baking time is complete, allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes before inverting it on a cooling rack. Allow to cool inverted for 5 to 10 more minutes. Tap the pan to help release.
  7. While the cake is cooling, combine glaze ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium flame. Stir until melted and hot (do not let the glaze boil).
  8. Release cakes from loaf pans. Leaving the walnut side facing up, pour the butter glaze over the pound cake loaves & serve.
  9. Makes 2 9″x5″ loaves

By Emily Schuermann

Adapted from Food for a Year





Close-up of a glazed walnut cake with a slice missing, resting on a cooling rack.
Pouring glaze over a nut-topped cake on a cooling rack.
A loaf pan filled with a crumbly mixture, next to a container of cinnamon and scattered walnuts.
A loaf pan with walnuts at the bottom, next to a half-cup measuring cup filled with brown sugar.
A glazed walnut cake on a cooling rack with glaze dripping down the sides.
Close-up of a glazed walnut cake with a slice missing, resting on a cooling rack.





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If you have any additional questions during your search for the perfect copper, fireclay farmhouse sink or crafted stainless steel sink, our Sinkologists are here to help. Contact us or follow us on FacebookHouzzPinterestInstagram, or TikTok for more helpful tips and design ideas.


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If you have any additional questions during your search for the perfect copper, fireclay farmhouse sink or crafted stainless steel sink, our Sinkologists are here to help. Contact us or follow us on FacebookHouzz, Pinterest, Instagram, or TikTok for more helpful tips and design ideas.