Traditional Walnut Custard Cake from My Mother’s Kitchen

A Memory in Layers

This is one of those recipes you don’t change you simply treasure it and pass it on with love. Walnut Cake is not just a dessert. It’s a memory in layers.

A recipe from the yellowed pages of my mum’s old notebook, written with a hand that knew how to create flavours that linger forever. She would make it for family celebrations, birthdays and special occasions. It was her signature cake delicate, fragrant, rich. Guests adored it. They’d ask for it again and remember it long after.

Now, when I make it, time seems to pause. I almost hear her laughter from the kitchen again, the rustle of her apron, the soft clink of a wooden spoon on the edge of a bowl.

That’s when I know, I’ve kept her with me.

In the cake.

In the scent.

In every bite.

Sponge

• 8 eggs, separated

• 8 tbsp caster sugar

• 6 tbsp self raising plain flour

• 10 tbsp ground walnuts, plus extra for sparkling

Cream Filling

• 4 egg yolks

• 4 tbsp caster sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla sugar

• 4 tbsp cornflour

• 500 ml milk

• 250 g unsalted butter (I used Lurpak)

• 100 g icing sugar

• 300 g ground walnuts

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the 8 egg whites in large bowl and, using an electric hand whisk, beat until they hold soft peaks. Then add the caster sugar and 8 egg yolks, whisking really well between each addition until thoroughly incorporated.

2. Add the flour and ground walnuts, then fold in gently with a wooden spoon. Divide the mixture between 2 x 20cm round cake tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 mins or until the cake has a nice golden colour.

3. While it is baking, make the cream filling. Mix the egg yolks with the caster sugar, vanilla sugar and cornflour, then add 200ml of milk. Boil the remaining milk, mix everything together.

4. Cook the cream filling over a very low heat for 2 mins, then remove and leave on the side to cool down. When cool, mix the butter with the icing sugar and ground walnuts in a bowl, then add them to the cream filling.

5. Cut both cakes horizontally through the centre. Spread each layer with the cream and sandwich together, then spread some cream around and on the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the extra walnuts. Leave in the fridge overnight to set. Serve.

Tips

• Once the sponge batter is ready to be poured into the tins, you’ll have approximately 368g per tin.

• Always check your sponge with a toothpick after around 20 minutes it should come out clean. Adjust baking time according to your oven.

• After baking, allow the sponge to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

If you ever make this cake, may it fill your home with warmth and stories just like it did in mine.

Make the Most of Leftover Egg Whites

Recipes That Are Waiting for You

This recipe leaves you with 4 leftover egg whites (from the filling). Give or take one more or less, here are a few sweet ideas for how to put them to good use;

Amaretti

Italian Almond Biscuits. Crispy on the outside, soft in the centre a perfect way to use up egg whites and fill your home with a lovely scent.

Coconut Delights

Quick and easy, flourless, full of flavour and perfect with a cup of afternoon tea.

French Apple with Meringue Topping

Delicate, fragrant and elegant the kind of dessert you’ll love to whip up when you’ve got spare egg whites and a little time.

Honey Biscuits (Lebkuchen)

Perfect for that one leftover egg white no waste, just taste.

In the next chapter of my series “My Favourite Recipes in the Magazine,” I’m sharing a recipe for Salty Fingers – those crispy little treats that disappear faster than you can put them on the table. Children adore them and I remember them from my own childhood, when the smell of freshly baked sticks would fill our house and signal that something special was being prepared.

Check out other recipes from the series

My Favourite Recipes in the Media

If you try this recipe, I’d love to see your version.

Tag me @smikiscorner and share the love.

Majkina Žito Torta

Starinski recepti imaju dušu. Ovo je jedan od onih koje ne menjaš samo pažljivo čuvaš i s ljubavlju prenosiš dalje. Žito torta nije samo desert. To je uspomena u slojevima. Recept sa požutelih stranica mamine sveske, pisan rukom koja je znala kako se prave okusi koji ostaju zauvek.

Mama ju je spremala za slave, rođendane i posebne prilike. Bila je njen specijalitet, omiljena među gostima nežna, mirisna, bogata. Tortu su tražili i pamtili. Danas, kad je ponovo pravim, imam osećaj da vreme stane. Kao da se iz kuhinje opet čuje njen smeh, šuškanje kecelje i zvuk drvene kašike na ivici činije. Tad znam sačuvala sam je.

U torti.

U mirisu.

U svakom zalogaju.

Biskvit

• 8 jaja

• 8 kašika šećera

• 6 kašika brašna

• 1 kesica praška za pecivo

• 10 kašika mljevenih oraha

• 1 kesica vanilin šećera

  
  

Fil

• 500 ml mleka

• 4 žumanjca

• 4 kašike šećera

• 4 kašike gustina

• 1 kesica vanilin šećera

• 300 g mljevenih oraha

• 250 g putera

• 100 g prah šećera

Priprema

Za biskvit umutiti belanjca sa oba šećera u čvrst sneg, dodati žumanjca, zatim brašno pomešano s praškom za pecivo i mljevene orahe. Podeliti smesu u dva okrugla kalupa promera 20cm, obložena papirom za pečenje. Peći na 180°C oko 20 minuta ili kad lepo zarumeni. Ohladiti i svaku koru preseći po sredini, dobićete četiri tanke kore.

Fil 

Od potrebne količine mleka odvojiti 200 ml a preostalo staviti da zakuva. Umutiti žumanca sa šećerom, dodati gustin, vanilin šećer i tih 200 ml mleka koje smo odvojili. Tu smesu ukuvati u provrelo mleko, kuvati fil uz neprestano mešanje na laganoj vatri dok se ne zgusne. Ohladiti.

Krem 

Omekšali maslac umutiti sa prah šećerom, dodati ohlađeni fil i mljevene orahe. Dobro sjediniti.

Finalno 

Filovati koru po koru, na svaku staviti fil a zatim premazati i celu tortu, odozgo posuti mljevenim orasima. Ohladiti pre služenja. Najlepša je kad odstoji preko noći.

Ako napravite ovu tortu, neka i vaš dom ispuni toplinom i pričama baš kao što je ispunila moj.

Saveti

• Kad je biskvit spreman da se izlije u kalupe, pripremljene biskvitne smese biće otprilike oko 368g za svaki kalup.

• Svakako proverite sa čačkalicom za kolače dali je biskvit pečen nakon pomenutih 20-ak minuta. U mojoj rerni je to dovoljno ali vi svakako prilagodite vreme pečenje vašim rernama.

• Pečeni biskvit izvadite iz rerne da se prohladi 10-ak minuta, zatim ga izvadite iz kalupa na žicu za hlađenje da se skroz ohladi.

  
  

Ideje: Šta s belanjcima iz fila?

Od ovog recepta preostaje nam 4 belanjca (iz fila). Uz jedno više ili manje, evo nekoliko slatkih ideja kako da se iskoriste;

Amaretti

Italijanski badem keksići. Hrskavi spolja, mekani iznutra odličan način da iskoristiš belanjca i zamirišeš kuću.

Pahuljasti keksić od kokosa

Jednostavni i brzi, bez brašna, puni ukusa i savršeni uz popodnevni čaj.

Francuska pita s jabukama i bademima

Prhka, mirisna i elegantna, desert koji ćete zavoliti iz prve.

Medenjaci

Za njih ti je dovoljno samo jedno belanjce, idealno kad ostane baš to jedno “višak” iz drugog recepta.

U sledećem nastavku serijala "Moji omiljeni recepti u magazinu" donosim vam recept za Slane štapiće, one hrskave zalogaje koji nestaju brže nego što ih iznesete na sto. Deca ih obožavaju a ja ih pamtim još iz svog detinjstva, kada je miris tek pečenih štapića punio našu kuću i značio da se sprema nešto posebno.

Pogledajte i druge recepte iz serijala

Moji omiljeni recepti u medijima

Ako isprobate ovaj recept, volela bih da vidim vašu verziju.

Tagujte me na Instagramu @smikiscorner