My father-in-law loves having nuts in cakes. In fact whenever I made cakes using the ready-to-mix cake mixes, he always wanted me to add some cashew-nuts or raisins in them. So when I tried to make a cake from scratch, I wanted it to have loads of nuts. The truth is, I did go overboard the first time by adding whatever variety of nuts I could find in the kitchen. I remember putting sunflower seeds as well. 😉 The cake turned out perfect and everyone loved it, especially Dad. 😀

So if you like nuts, you should definitely try this recipe. You can add any variety of nuts. I normally add cashew-nuts and pecans as well. It tastes amazing when served with hot chocolate sauce. 🙂

Mixed Nuts Cake

INGREDIENTS:

• All-purpose Flour – 1½ cup
• Baking Soda – ¼ teaspoon
• Baking Powder – 1¼ teaspoon
• Unsalted Butter – 125 grams (½ cup at room temperature)
• Caster Sugar – 1¼ cup (275 grams)
• Eggs – 3 (room temperature)
• Milk – ½ cup (room temperature)
• Lemon Rind – finely grated – 1 teaspoon
• Lemon Juice – 1 tablespoon
• Pistachios – finely chopped – 2 tablespoon
• Walnuts – finely chopped – 2 tablespoon
• Almonds – finely chopped – 2 tablespoon

Nut Topping:

• Pistachios – coarsely chopped – 2 tablespoon
• Walnuts – coarsely chopped – 2 tablespoon
• Almonds – coarsely chopped – 2 tablespoon

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat the oven to 180º C for 10 minutes. Butter and line the baking pan with baking paper.
• Combine the coarsely chopped nuts for the topping in a bowl.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.
• Combine butter, lemon rind and sugar by beating with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs to this mixture one at a time, beating well between additions.
• Stir in the flour mixture and milk in two batches, starting and ending with flour. Stir in the lemon juice and finely chopped nuts.
• Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared baking pan. Level the surface with a wet spatula. Spread the nut topping on the leveled cake.
• Bake the cake for 30 – 40 minutes. If the top begins to brown faster, cover the cake loosely with aluminium foil. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the cake cool on a wire rack.
• Smaller cakes can be baked in 25 – 30 minutes. Cupcakes will be baked in 15-20 minutes.

(Recipe adapted from Marias Menu)