Walnut Brandy Cake

Adapted from :pastry studio

The four blogs I followed faithfully when they were active were: The Wednesday Chef, Orangette, Rachel Eats, and :pastry studio, whose author, Gayle Gonzales, once wrote:

“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.”

The writing at :pastry studio is sensual; the photos are beautiful; and the recipes are spare, elegant, and they work. Gayle also wrote a beautiful e-cookbook, The Global Pastry Table, available on Kindle, Apple Books, and other eBook platforms.

All four of these bloggers went on to become published authors. I still return to their work often.

This cake is a favorite of mine. Rather plain—but not like Plain Jane. More like your favorite jeans: they fit perfectly and are comfortably broken in. It’s great to have hanging around the kitchen, but it won’t be there long. It’s eminently snackable at all times of the day and night.

It’s especially good around 4:00 p.m. with a cup of tea. After dinner, you can slice it into fingers and serve it with whatever ice cream sounds good to you—perhaps vanilla, coffee, or a nut-studded one (depending on the nuts you used in the cake). And maybe a small glass of brandy?

Walnut Brandy Cake
From :pastry studio

Serves 8 to 10

6 ounces unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar (I use Domino Golden)
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3 tablespoons brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup coarsely chopped toasted nuts—walnuts, almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Oil an 8½ x 4¼–inch loaf pan (a one-pound loaf pan). Cut a piece of parchment paper large enough to line the bottom lengthwise with a bit of overhang.

Toast the nuts. :pastry studio says 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 slowly add the sugar and beat in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next.

In a small bowl or cup, combine the brandy and vanilla.

In another small bowl, mix the flour, 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 mixture, followed by half of the brandy mixture. Beat to combine. Add another third of the flour, the remaining brandy mixture, and beat again. Add the last third of the flour and beat just until incorporated. Then switch to a spatula and fold in the nuts by hand.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

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