Welcome, fellow baking enthusiasts (and soon-to-be enthusiasts)! There’s something undeniably comforting and utterly delicious about a classic pound cake. Its dense, moist crumb and rich flavor make it a timeless favorite. But what if we told you we could elevate that classic to new heights with a delightful nutty crunch? Get ready to bake our incredible Walnut Pound Cake Recipe. This isn’t just any recipe; it’s one of the most easy baking recipes you’ll find, specifically designed with comprehensive baking tips for beginners in mind. We’ll walk you through every step, ensuring your first (or fiftieth!) pound cake turns out perfectly moist, flavorful, and studded with toasted walnuts. Say goodbye to store-bought and hello to homemade bliss!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Gather your ingredients! For the best results, ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This helps them emulsify better, leading to a smoother batter and a more tender cake.
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 2 ½ | cups |
| Baking Powder | 1 | teaspoon |
| Salt | ½ | teaspoon |
| Unsalted Butter (softened) | 1 ½ | cups (3 sticks) |
| Granulated Sugar | 2 | cups |
| Large Eggs (room temperature) | 5 | |
| Vanilla Extract | 2 | teaspoons |
| Whole Milk (room temperature) | ½ | cup |
| Chopped Walnuts | 1 | cup |
| Powdered Sugar (for dusting, optional) | 2 | tablespoons |
Step-by-Step Instructions: Bake Your Perfect Walnut Pound Cake
Follow these detailed steps carefully, and you’ll be enjoying a delicious slice of walnut pound cake in no time. We’ve included plenty of tips to guide beginners through each stage!
Step 1: Prepare Your Oven and Pan
Before you even think about mixing, let’s get ready! Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). For pound cakes, a slightly lower temperature allows the cake to bake through evenly without browning too quickly on the outside. Next, prepare a 10-12 cup Bundt pan or a 9×5 inch loaf pan. You’ll want to generously grease it with butter or non-stick baking spray, then lightly flour it. To flour, sprinkle a tablespoon of flour into the greased pan, then tilt and rotate the pan to coat all surfaces. Tap out any excess flour. This step is crucial for preventing your cake from sticking and ensuring a clean release.
Step 2: Whisk Together Dry Ingredients
In a medium-sized bowl, combine your 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine them. Beginner Tip: Sifting your dry ingredients is even better! It helps to aerate the flour, preventing lumps and ensuring a lighter, more uniform texture in your finished cake. Set this bowl aside for later.
Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), add your 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) of softened unsalted butter. If your butter isn’t soft enough, you can microwave it for 10-15 seconds, but be careful not to melt it! Beat the butter on medium speed for about 1-2 minutes until it’s light and creamy. Now, gradually add your 2 cups of granulated sugar to the butter. Continue beating on medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes, or until the mixture is very light in color and fluffy. This process, known as “creaming,” incorporates air into the butter and sugar, which is vital for the cake’s tender crumb and rise. Common Mistake: Not creaming long enough! This can lead to a dense cake.
Step 4: Add Eggs and Vanilla
With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the 5 large eggs, one at a time. After each egg, beat well until it is fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula frequently to ensure everything is mixed evenly. Once all eggs are in, add the 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and mix until just combined. The mixture might look slightly curdled after adding eggs – don’t worry, this is normal! Keep mixing until it smooths out as much as possible.
Step 5: Incorporate Dry and Wet Ingredients Alternately
Now it’s time to bring everything together! With the mixer on low speed, add about one-third of your dry ingredient mixture to the butter-egg mixture. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Then, add half of your ½ cup of whole milk and mix until just incorporated. Repeat this process: add another third of the dry ingredients, then the remaining milk, and finally the last third of the dry ingredients. Beginner Tip: Always start and end with dry ingredients. This helps create a stable emulsion and prevents the batter from separating. Overmixing at this stage develops gluten, which can make your cake tough. Mix only until no streaks of flour remain.
Step 6: Fold in the Walnuts
Take your 1 cup of chopped walnuts. If you’re worried about them sinking to the bottom of the cake, you can toss them with a tablespoon of the reserved flour from Step 2. This creates a barrier that helps them suspend in the batter. Gently fold the walnuts into the batter using a spatula. Do this by hand to avoid overmixing and crushing the walnuts too much. Just a few folds until they are evenly distributed.
Step 7: Fill the Pan and Bake
Pour the batter into your prepared Bundt or loaf pan. Use your spatula to spread it evenly and gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 60-75 minutes for a loaf pan, or 70-90 minutes for a Bundt pan. Baking times can vary greatly depending on your oven, so keep an eye on it!
How to Check for Doneness: The cake is done when a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached. If the top is browning too quickly, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil for the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
Step 8: Cool and Serve
Once baked, remove the cake from the oven. Let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes. This cooling period allows the cake to firm up, making it easier to remove from the pan without breaking. After 15-20 minutes, carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack and lift off the pan. Let the cake cool completely on the wire rack before slicing. Why complete cooling? Slicing a warm pound cake can result in a gummy texture. Once cool, you can dust it with powdered sugar for a simple, elegant finish. Slice and enjoy your homemade Walnut Pound Cake!
Tips & Tricks for Pound Cake Perfection
Mastering pound cake is all about understanding a few key principles. Here are some extra tips to ensure your Walnut Pound Cake is always a showstopper:
- Room Temperature Ingredients are Non-Negotiable: This is perhaps the most important tip! Softened butter and room temperature eggs and milk emulsify (mix smoothly) much better, creating a homogeneous batter that traps air more efficiently. This leads to a lighter, more tender crumb.
- Measure Accurately: Baking is a science! For best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh your flour (1 cup of all-purpose flour is typically 120-125 grams). If using measuring cups, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a straight edge, rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can compact the flour and lead to a dry cake.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Once you add the flour, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make your pound cake tough and chewy instead of tender and moist.
- Pan Preparation is Key: Always grease and flour your pan thoroughly. For Bundt pans with intricate designs, consider using a baking spray specifically designed for baking (which often contains flour).
- Oven Calibration: Ovens can vary widely. If you frequently bake, investing in an inexpensive oven thermometer can help you ensure your oven is truly at the temperature you set.
- Storage: Store leftover pound cake tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, slice the cake and freeze individual slices in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Flavor Variations: Feel free to experiment! You could add a touch of almond extract with the vanilla, or swap out walnuts for pecans. A lemon glaze (powdered sugar + lemon juice) makes a lovely addition.
Essential Baking Tools
Having the right tools makes baking a breeze! Here are some essentials you’ll need for this recipe, with links to help you find them:
- Mixing Bowl (a set of various sizes is very useful)
- Whisk (for dry ingredients and light mixing)
- Baking Pan (a 10-12 cup Bundt pan or 9×5 inch loaf pan)
- Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons (for accurate ingredient measurement)
- Spatula (for scraping bowls and folding ingredients)
- Electric Mixer (handheld or stand mixer)
- Wire Rack (for cooling the cake)
Nutrition Information (Estimated per slice, 12 slices per cake)
Please note: These are approximate values and can vary based on specific ingredient brands and preparation methods.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 450-500 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 50-55 g |
| Protein | 6-8 g |
| Fat | 25-30 g |
| Fiber | 1-2 g |
| Sugar | 30-35 g |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Why are my walnuts sinking to the bottom of the cake?
A: This is a common issue! The best way to prevent walnuts (or any heavier add-ins) from sinking is to toss them with about a tablespoon of the dry flour mixture before folding them into the batter. The flour creates a slight barrier that helps them suspend more evenly throughout the cake as it bakes.
Q2: My pound cake turned out dry and dense. What went wrong?
A: There are a few culprits for a dry and dense pound cake:
- Overmixing the batter: Once you add the flour, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, leading to a tough, dry texture.
- Too much flour: If you’re scooping flour directly from the bag, you might be compacting it, leading to more flour than measured. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off, or better yet, weigh it with a kitchen scale.
- Oven temperature too high: A higher temperature can cause the cake to bake too quickly, drying out the edges before the center is done. Ensure your oven is accurately calibrated.
- Ingredients not at room temperature: Cold ingredients don’t emulsify well, resulting in a less airy batter.
Q3: Can I substitute other nuts for walnuts?
A: Absolutely! This recipe is very versatile. Pecans are a fantastic substitute and will give the cake a slightly different but equally delicious flavor. Almonds or even a mix of nuts would also work well. Just make sure they are roughly chopped.
Q4: How should I store leftover pound cake to keep it fresh?
A: To keep your pound cake fresh and moist, store it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can slice the cake and freeze individual slices (or the whole cake) for up to 2-3 months. Wrap well in plastic wrap and then in foil to prevent freezer burn. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Q5: Can I make this a lemon walnut pound cake?
A: Yes, that’s a wonderful idea! To add a lemon twist, you can incorporate 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon zest into the butter and sugar creaming step. You could also make a simple lemon glaze by whisking powdered sugar with a few tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and drizzling it over the cooled cake.
Happy Baking!
And there you have it – your complete guide to baking a beautiful, delicious, and perfectly moist Walnut Pound Cake! We hope this detailed, beginner-friendly recipe has given you the confidence to tie on your apron and get baking. Remember, every great baker started somewhere, and each cake you bake is a step forward in your culinary journey. Don’t be afraid to experiment, and most importantly, have fun in the kitchen.
We’d love to hear how your cake turns out. Share your baking triumphs and any questions in the comments below. Happy baking, and enjoy every single slice of your homemade masterpiece!