Best enjoyed with a cup of coffee or aromatic tea, this is one of my much-loved cakes and has certainly won the recognition throughout the years as becoming the distinctively characteristic, “Moi” cake. You can substitute walnuts for pecan nuts without risking the recipe’s gorgeousness.
My Favourite Orange Walnut Cake
Ingredients:
230 g butter, unsalted
2 cups white sugar
3 medium sized eggs, at room temperature
2 cups all purpose white flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup yogurt, whole milk and Greek
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (or any orange flavoured liqueur)
1½ cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon orange zest, finely grated
Method:
1.Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F). Grease a bundt cake pan with softened butter and sprinkle some flour to cover the pan.
2. For the batter: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, at a medium-high speed, until pale and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Add the eggs, one by one, beating well in between each addition.
3. Flour mixture: In a separate bowl sift together the all purpose flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.
Yogurt mixture: In a smaller bowl mix together the yogurt, vanilla and Grand Marnier.
4. At a reduced speed gently add the flour mixture to the batter, alternating with the yogurt mixture. Fold in the chopped walnuts and orange peel, and mix for a minute at a low rhythm until walnuts and orange peel blend into the mixture.
5. Pour the batter into the greased and floured bundt pan. Bake in the oven for 1 hour.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 to 30 minutes before turning over on your serving plate. Place cake right side up. When cool, dust with icing sugar.