Lower East Side Nut Cake Recipes

LOWER EAST SIDE NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Lightly coat 2 (9-inch) square cake pans with nonstick vegetable spray. Line the bottoms with baking parchment. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together 3 times. Stir in the matzo meal and chopped hazelnuts. Form a well in the center and add the oil, egg yolks, cream, hazelnut liqueur, and butter. Mix until just blended.
• In a clean, dry mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites with the pinches of salt and cream of tartar until creamy, foamy and barely able to hold peaks. While sprinkling on the remaining cup of sugar whisk until the consistency of stiff shaving cream.
• Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture, then fold in the remainder of the whites. Spread the batter in the prepared pans and bake for 20 minutes or lightly tanned, the center springs back when lightly pressed and a cake tester comes out clean. Set the pans on a rack to cool. This cake is very delicate. Remove from the pans, and trim even. Place the cake onto a plate, parchment side up, and spread a layer of raspberry jam on the cut side of one layer. Flip the other layer on top and spread more jam on top.
• Ganache Frosting: Put the chocolate in a small bowl. Over medium heat, bring the cream to a scald. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Working from the center out, gently stir with a whisk to melt and blend. Continue stirring until smooth. Let cool for 30 minutes until spreadable
• Frost the cake and comb the top decoratively.

EASY LAYERED NUT SQUARES (GERBEAUD CAKE)

Steps:

• Prepare filling first:.
• Combine grated nuts, sugar, grated lemon rind, lemon juice and vanilla.
• Taste, and add more sugar if desired. Mixture should feel damp.
• Set aside.
• Place honey in squeeze bottle if you have one and if you don't have one just set honey to the side.
• Prepare dough:.
• Sift flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking soda and salt into mixing bowl.
• Cut in butter as for pie dough.
• Add egg, egg yolks, crumbled yeast and sour cream and blend well.
• Knead together well.
• Assembly:.
• Divide dough into four pieces.
• Roll between sheets of waxed paper to fit 9"x13"x2" baking pan.
• Place in greased pan.
• Now squeeze about 2 tablespoons of honey over the dough, as evenly as possible.
• Dump 1/3 of the nut mixture onto this and spread over the honey laced dough layer.
• Press down lightly with palm so nuts adhere to honey drizzled dough layer.
• Repeat with next layer.
• After nut mix is placed over third layer place last layer of dough over that.
• Put to the side to rest for one hour.
• It won't raise much.
• Bake in 350 degree F oven for about 45 minutes. Check after 35 minutes.
• When cool cut into squares or diamond shapes.

NORTHERN LOUISIANA NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Move an oven rack to lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10 x 4-inch tube pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pan with fine dried bread crumbs. Set aside.
• Place walnuts and pecans into a very large mixing bowl or roasting pan.
• Combine flour, baking powder, mace and salt in another bowl. Whisk to combine.
• Combine milk and 1/4 cup brandy or bourbon in another bowl. Set aside.
• Cream butter in large bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugar and beat at moderate speed for two or three minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating each until incorporated. Increase speed and beat until light and fluffy.
• On low speed alternately add flour mixture in three additions and milk mixture in two, beating only until smooth after each addition. Pour batter over nuts and mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until nuts are coated with batter. Turn batter into prepared pan, smoothing top to even.
• Bake for 1-3/4 hours or until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Transfer cake to a cooling rack. While cake is still hot brush top with 1/4 cup brandy or bourbon. Let cake cool in pan for 20 minutes. Cover cake with a cooling rack and invert to remove paper. Invert again and cool in upright position. Let cake age for 24 hours before serving. Yield: 16 servings.

NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Place all ingedients in mixing bowl and mix for 20 minutes.
• Place in greased bundt pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

FRANKLIN NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten eggs and 3 cups flour with baking powder and salt added. Mix remaining 1 cup of flour with chopped nuts and chopped candied fruits. Mix into batter and add vanilla. Grease, flour, and line a large tube pan. Pour mixture into pan. Bake at 250 for 3 hours. Let cool for an hour. Remove from pan and place in a covered container with a glass of sherry, so the cake and wine "get to know each other". Let sit for 4 days until the sherry flavor permeates the cake. Slice thin.