Dessert📍 All of RomaniaMedium🥗 Vegetarian🐟 Pescatarian💪 High-protein

Walnut and Chocolate Cake

Name: Walnut and Chocolate Cake
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 6 h
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Romanian
Ingredients: 6 eggs; 200 g sugar; 150 g flour; 100 g ground walnuts (lightly toasted in a dry pan); 1 tsp baking powder; 50 ml neutral vegetable oil; 1 tsp vanilla extract; a pinch of salt; 150 ml water; 100 g sugar; 2 tbsp rum extract (or 3 tbsp dark rum); 300 g dark chocolate (minimum 55% cocoa), chopped; 200 ml heavy cream (whipping cream); 200 g full-fat butter (82%), room temperature; 2 tbsp rum extract (or 2 tbsp dark rum); 100 g dark chocolate (for glaze); 50 ml heavy cream (for ganache glaze); walnut halves or coarsely chopped walnuts; dark chocolate shavings or curls

Walnut and chocolate cake is a classic of Romanian home patisserie, present at festive tables and celebrations for generations. The light walnut sponge layers are soaked with rum syrup and filled with a rich dark chocolate and butter cream. The result is a well-balanced cake with deep notes of toasted walnut and bittersweet chocolate that improves after a night in the refrigerator.

🍽️

Servings

⏱️

Prep

60 min

🔥

Cook

25 min

⏰

Total

5–6 h (cu răcire și frigider) / 5–6 h (with cooling and chilling)

🥘Ingredients

servings

Walnut sponge

Soaking syrup

Dark chocolate buttercream

Decoration

📝Preparation steps 🗓️Add to Meal Planner🎨Serving & Presentation

✅Dietary Compatibility

🥗Vegetarian🐟Pescatarian💪High-protein

🍽️

Yield

1 cake 24 cm, approx. 12 slices

📦Storage

❄️

Refrigerator

Store covered in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. The flavour improves after 24 hours.

🧊

Freezer

Baked and cooled sponge layers (unassembled, without syrup or cream) can be frozen for up to 1 month, tightly wrapped in cling film. Thaw at room temperature before assembling.

🥗Nutrition Facts

Values per slice (approx. 120 g)

🔥

Calories

440 kcal

🥩

Protein

8 g

🧈

Fat

28 g

🍞

Carbohydrates

42 g

🌾

Fiber

2 g

🍷Pairs Well With

🥂Espresso or Turkish coffee

🥂Cold milk or warm hot chocolate

🥂Red dessert wine (sweet Merlot or Port)

🥂Walnut liqueur or Amaretto

💡Variations

Walnut and salted caramel cake: replace the chocolate cream with a salted caramel and brown butter cream for a spectacular contrast with the walnuts

Walnut and coffee cake: add 2 tsp instant coffee to the ganache cream for a mocha note that harmonises with the walnuts

Walnut and white chocolate cake: replace the dark chocolate with quality white chocolate and add grated orange zest for a more delicate flavour