Walnut Brandy Cake

Adapted from :pastry studio

The four blogs I followed when they were published were: The Wednesday Chef, Orangette, Rachel Eats, and Pastry Studio, who said 

I favor outlaw pastry - simple, fresh, custom, minimally sweet handmade objects of desire formed in an open space where nothing comes between the art and the practice.

from about :pastry studio

The writing there is sensual; the pictures are beautiful; and the recipes are spare, very, elegant, and they work!

This cake is a favorite of mine. Rather plain. But not like Plain Jane - more like your favorite jeans - they fit perfectly and are broken in. It's great to have this hanging around your kitchen. But it won't be there for long because it's eminently snack-able at all times of the day and night.

It's particularly good around 4:00 p.m. with a cup of tea. After dinner you can cut a slice into fingers and serve it with whatever ice cream sounds good to you - perhaps vanilla, coffee, or a nut-studded one (depending on what nuts you used in the cake).

And maybe a small glass of brandy?

Walnut Brandy Cake

Adapted from :pastry studio

6 ounces unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar - I use Domino Golden 

3 large eggs at room temperature

3 tablespoons brandy

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup coarsely chopped toasted nuts - walnuts, almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Oil an 8-1/2 x 4-1/4" loaf pan (a one-pound loaf pan). Cut a piece of parchment paper large enough to line the bottom of the pan lengthwise with a lengthwise overhang.

Toast the nuts. :pastry studio stays the nuts can be toasted "in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, until they are only slightly darkened and give off a toasty aroma." I stir them at the 5-minute mark.

Cream the butter, then add the sugar slowly, and beat in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until flight and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time. Don't add the next egg until the one before it is incorporated into the batter.

Put the milk in a small bowl or cup and add the vanilla and brandy.

In another small bowl mix the flour with the baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Then sift this mixture onto a piece of aluminum foil.

Add a third of the flour mixture to the butter and egg batter followed by half of the milk mixture, and beat together. Then add another third of the flour mixture and the other half of the milk mixture, and beat again. Finally, add the last third of the flour mixture, and beat until it's just incorporated into the batter. At this point switch to mixing the batter by hand, folding the nuts in after a minute.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and bake until a cake tester comes out clean. This will take 45 to 50 minutes depending upon your oven.

Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack. After about 30 minutes, remove the cake from the pan and let cool.