Whole Wheat Walnut Cake

As much as this blog is about baking and eating and just smiling. I have to tell you about this new book I got. Many of you may have it or have heard of Melissa Clark . I am literally obsessed with her and her book and the stories behind her recipes.

The best part is that each recipe has a story about it  letting you into her life and now I pretty much want to be her best friend...I know weird...right?

Well, the whole wheat walnut bread she has in her book is something really special. I made mine into a sandwich and added some whipped cream cheese and ate it with a giant smile. The same smile I get when reading Melissa's book! You have to love the stories and joy that comes from food...Smile!

Whole Wheat Walnut Cake
From In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite: 150 Recipes and Stories About the Food You Love

This cake recipe is so easy. You don't need to cream butter and get tons of equipment dirty. The whole wheat flour makes the cake more like a brown bread. I added a walnut streusel filling as suggested to add more texture and crunch to the bread. However alone without the walnuts would be just as easy and tasty. Our family sampled the bread with peanut butter, cream cheese and even ricotta cheese. All were lovely.

1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup buttermilk or plan yogurt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter melted

Walnut Cinnamon Streusel Topping (optional)
1 and 1/3 cup chopped
6 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons 1/2 stick of butter cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

To make the streusel use your fingers to combine the walnuts, flour, butter and sugar and salt in a small bowl.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan

Using a whisk combine sugar, buttermilk or yogurt, vanilla and cinnamon. Add the eggs one at at time and whisk until incorporated.

In another bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk the dry mixture into the wet mixture until no longer lumpy.

Using a spatula a fold the melted butter into the batter in three additions

Pour the batter into the pan. If using the walnut cinnamon topping, Pour half the batter into the pan add half of the streusel filling. Pour the rest of the cake batter on top. Then add the remaining streusel mixture to the top.

Bake until a cake tester comes out clean about 50 to 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for about 5 to 10 min then turn out on a rack and let cool.  Enjoy!

Time to get Dirty!