Black Walnut Cake

Name: Black Walnut Cake
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup black or English walnut pieces; 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1 1/2 cups sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 1/3 cups buttermilk

By Ian Knauer

May 11, 2012

My grandmother came up with ways to use all of the black walnuts we get at the farm, where the trees grow like weeds. They're literally tough nuts to crack (my grandfather would drive over them with his tractor). Regular English walnuts are a less labor-intensive and milder substitute. My Aunt Janet sent me a copy of my grandmother's original handwritten recipe, which I've modified only slightly. This is a dense cake and doesn't need a frosting, but a scoop of ice cream makes it even better.

Recipe notes

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