1 lb (4 1/2 cups) walnuts
1 lb (4 1/2 cups) pecans
3 1/2 c Sifted all-purpose flour
2 ts Double-acting baking powder
1/2 ts Mace
1/4 ts Salt
3/4 c Milk
1/4 c Brandy or bourbon
3/4 lb (1 1/2 cups) butter
2 c Sugar
6 Eggs
OPTIONAL
3 tb Additional brandy or bourbon
-(up to 4)
makes 16 or more generous portions, each 2 or 3 thin slices. It is best to
make this cake the day ahead.
Adjust oven rack one-third of the way up from the bottom of the oven.
Preheat oven to 325 F. Butter a 10 x 4-inch tube pan. Line the bottom
with paper cut to fit. Butter the paper and dust all over lightly with
fine, dry bread crumbs. Or, if you use a 10-inch nonstick tube pan, either
line the bottom of the pan with baking pan liner paper (unbuttered), or
line it with wax paper and butter the wax paper.
Break or cut the nuts into large pieces. They should not be finely
chopped. Place the nuts in your largest mixing bowl, 6- to 8-quart
capacity. If you don’t have a very large mixing bowl, use a saucepan or
roasting pan instead.
Sift together flour, baking powder, mace and salt. Set aside. Combine the
milk and 1/4 cup brandy or bourbon and set aside. In large bowl of electric
mixer, cream the butter. Add sugar and beat for a few minutes, scraping
the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula. On moderate speed, add eggs
one at a time, beating until thoroughly incorporated after each and
scraping the bowl with the rubber spatula as necessary to keep everything
well mixed. Increase speed and beat for about 3 minutes until very light
and fluffy. Mixture might look curdled at this point – O.K..
On lowest speed alternately add the sifted dry ingredients in three
additions and the milk mixture in two, scraping the bowl as necessary with
the spatula and beating only until smooth after each addition. Pour the
batter over the nuts. Stir with a large wooden spatula or large wooden
spoon until the nuts are all coated with the batter. Turn into pan. Spread
the top level.
Bake for 1 3/4 hours or until a cake tester comes out dry. Remove from
oven and place cake pan on a rack. Sprinkle or brush optional brandy or
bourbon over top of hot cake. Let cake cool in pan for about 20 minutes.
Cover cake with a rack and invert to remove pan and paper. Cover with
another rack and carefully invert again to cool. Let cake stand overnight
before cutting. Cut with a very sharp knife into thin slices.
Recipe is from _Maida Heatter’s Book of Great Desserts_.
Yields
1 Servings