I developed my Italian Walnut Cake from pantry staples and a simple technique that produces a tender, moist crumb and rich, nutty flavor.

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I keep going back to my Soft Italian Walnut Cake, a thing I make when I want something honest and a little surprising. As a food blogger, I still get a small thrill when the ground walnuts fold into the batter and the lemon zest peeks through, brightening each bite.

Friends ask if it’s the same Italian Walnut Cake their grandma made, and I usually laugh and call it my go-to Walnut Cake Recipe because it’s simple but never boring. Soft, nutty, with a texture that makes you pause and think, it’s one of those desserts that quietly wins you over.

Ingredients

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Walnuts: good fats and protein, add texture and toasty slightly bitter flavor.
All purpose flour: give structure, carbs for heft, can make cake a bit dense.
Granulated sugar: sweetens, feeds eggs for lift, adds browning and tender crumb.
Eggs: provide protein moisture and structure, help cake rise and hold shape.
Butter: adds rich flavor and tenderness, make crumb soft and satisfying.
Milk: lightens batter, adds moisture and slight creaminess, balances dry ingredients.
Lemon zest: bright citrus lift, cuts richness, gives aroma without extra liquid.

Ingredient Quantities

200 g walnuts, finely ground, about 2 cups

120 g all purpose flour, about 1 cup

200 g granulated sugar, about 1 cup

3 large eggs, room temperature

100 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (about 7 tbsp)

120 ml whole milk, about 1/2 cup

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Zest of 1 lemon (optional but it brightens the flavor)

1/4 tsp fine salt

About 12 walnut halves for the top, optional

Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 175 C (350 F) and grease and line a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pan with parchment, or grease and flour it well.

2. Optional but nice: spread 200 g walnuts on a baking sheet and toast 5 to 7 minutes until fragrant, cool, then finely grind in a food processor so you have about 200 g finely ground walnuts.

3. In a bowl whisk together 120 g all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp fine salt, the lemon zest from 1 lemon, and the ground walnuts so dry stuff is evenly mixed.

4. In a separate large bowl beat 3 large room temperature eggs with 200 g granulated sugar until pale and a bit thick, about 2 to 3 minutes by hand or 1 minute with a mixer.

5. Stir 100 g melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter, 120 ml whole milk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract into the egg and sugar mixture until combined.

6. Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients gently until just combined, do not overmix or the cake will be dense. The batter will be reasonably thick.

7. Pour batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and press about 12 walnut halves on top if using. Tap the pan once on the counter to settle the batter and remove big air bubbles.

8. Bake in the preheated oven about 35 to 45 minutes, start checking at 30 minutes; it’s done when the top is golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven bakes unevenly.

9. Let the cake cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar. If you dust too early the sugar will melt.

10. Serve at room temperature, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Tip: room temperature eggs and slightly cooled butter help the batter emulsify better, and to boost walnut flavor briefly toasting the nuts makes a big difference.

Equipment Needed

1. 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan plus parchment paper (or grease and flour the pan)
2. Baking sheet for toasting walnuts
3. Food processor or spice grinder to finely grind the walnuts, optional but handy
4. Two mixing bowls (one large for eggs, one medium for dry ingredients)
5. Electric hand mixer or a sturdy whisk (you can beat by hand if you want)
6. Digital kitchen scale and measuring spoons/cups
7. Rubber spatula for folding the batter and smoothing the top
8. Wire cooling rack and a toothpick or cake tester
9. Oven mitts and a kitchen timer (or your phone)

FAQ

Q: How do I know when the cake is done? A: Bake at about 175 C (350 F) for 30 to 40 minutes in an 8 or 9 inch pan, until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Let it cool 10 minutes in the pan then turn out, it finishes firming up as it cools.

Q: Can I swap the walnuts for another nut or make it nut free? A: You can use equal weight of ground almonds or hazelnuts, the flavor and texture will change though. For nut free, replace the walnuts with an equal weight of extra all purpose flour plus a little extra milk if the batter seems too thick, but the cake wont have the same moist, tender crumb.

Q: My batter looks too thick, is that ok? A: A little thick is normal because of the ground walnuts, but it should still be spoonable and pour slowly. If it seems like concrete, add 1 to 2 tbsp milk at a time until it loosens a bit.

Q: How should I grind the walnuts? A: Pulse in a food processor until finely ground but stop before it turns into walnut butter, scrape the bowl often. If you overprocess you'll get oil and a greasy batter.

Q: Can I make this ahead, and how do I store it? A: Yes, it keeps well. Store wrapped airtight at room temp for 2 to 3 days, or in the fridge up to 5 to 7 days. For longer keep, freeze whole or sliced wrapped tight for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge.

Q: Any baking tips to keep it soft and not crumbly? A: Use room temp eggs, dont overbake, and fold ingredients gently. Grease and line the pan, press optional walnut halves on top before baking for a nicer look, and dust powdered sugar after cooling.

Soft Italian Walnut Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Walnuts: swap with ground almonds or finely chopped hazelnuts, same weight as the walnuts. Toast them briefly for more flavor, it makes a big difference.
All purpose flour: use cake flour by weight for a softer crumb, or a cup for cup gluten free flour blend if you need no gluten. If your gluten free blend has no binder add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum.
Unsalted butter: replace with an equal weight of neutral oil like sunflower or canola oil, 100 g oil for 100 g butter. Olive oil works too but will change the taste a bit.
Whole milk: swap with buttermilk or plain yogurt thinned with water 1 to 1, or use any plant milk like oat or almond milk 1 to 1. If you use buttermilk add about 1/4 tsp baking soda to help the rise.

Pro Tips

1) Toast the walnuts first and let them cool completely before grinding. Pulse until fine but stop before they turn oily and paste like, you want a mealy texture not nut butter, it really boosts the flavor.

2) Use room temperature eggs and the melted butter should be only slightly warm. Cold eggs or hot butter will wreck the emulsion, so things mix smoother and the cake rises better.

3) Fold gently and dont overmix. With nut meal the batter feels thick, thats normal. Overworking it makes a dense, chewy cake so stop as soon as the streaks are gone.

4) Let the batter sit for 10 to 15 minutes after mixing so the walnut meal hydrates, it gives a better crumb. Cool the cake in the pan briefly then move it to a rack and only dust sugar when totally cool, otherwise the sugar will melt.

Soft Italian Walnut Cake Recipe

Recipe by Toni Baldesera

0.0 from 0 votes

I developed my Italian Walnut Cake from pantry staples and a simple technique that produces a tender, moist crumb and rich, nutty flavor.

Servings

servings

Calories

311.79

kcal

Equipment: 1. 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan plus parchment paper (or grease and flour the pan)
2. Baking sheet for toasting walnuts
3. Food processor or spice grinder to finely grind the walnuts, optional but handy
4. Two mixing bowls (one large for eggs, one medium for dry ingredients)
5. Electric hand mixer or a sturdy whisk (you can beat by hand if you want)
6. Digital kitchen scale and measuring spoons/cups
7. Rubber spatula for folding the batter and smoothing the top
8. Wire cooling rack and a toothpick or cake tester
9. Oven mitts and a kitchen timer (or your phone)

Ingredients

200 g walnuts, finely ground, about 2 cups
120 g all purpose flour, about 1 cup
200 g granulated sugar, about 1 cup
3 large eggs, room temperature
100 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (about 7 tbsp)
120 ml whole milk, about 1/2 cup
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon (optional but it brightens the flavor)
1/4 tsp fine salt
About 12 walnut halves for the top, optional
Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 175 C (350 F) and grease and line a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pan with parchment, or grease and flour it well.
Optional but nice: spread 200 g walnuts on a baking sheet and toast 5 to 7 minutes until fragrant, cool, then finely grind in a food processor so you have about 200 g finely ground walnuts.
In a bowl whisk together 120 g all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp fine salt, the lemon zest from 1 lemon, and the ground walnuts so dry stuff is evenly mixed.
In a separate large bowl beat 3 large room temperature eggs with 200 g granulated sugar until pale and a bit thick, about 2 to 3 minutes by hand or 1 minute with a mixer.
Stir 100 g melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter, 120 ml whole milk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract into the egg and sugar mixture until combined.
Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients gently until just combined, do not overmix or the cake will be dense. The batter will be reasonably thick.
Pour batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and press about 12 walnut halves on top if using. Tap the pan once on the counter to settle the batter and remove big air bubbles.
Bake in the preheated oven about 35 to 45 minutes, start checking at 30 minutes; it's done when the top is golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven bakes unevenly.
Let the cake cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar. If you dust too early the sugar will melt.
Serve at room temperature, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Tip: room temperature eggs and slightly cooled butter help the batter emulsify better, and to boost walnut flavor briefly toasting the nuts makes a big difference.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.