This recipe for Hungarian walnut torte or dios torta (DEE-oosh TOORR-taw) is from Dorothy Bardoczi. Some people toast their walnuts before they grind them, but this recipe doesn't call for it. Dorothy bakes this sponge cake in a tube pan, but we prefer to use three (8-inch) round cake pans.
Ingredients
For the Walnut Sponge:
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12 large eggs, separated
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3/4 cup sugar
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1 cup finely ground walnuts, more for garnish
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1/4 cup cake flour
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1 tablespoon baking powder
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1 tablespoon lemon zest
For the Chocolate Buttercream:
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5 large egg yolks
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1 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
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1/2 cup milk
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4 ounces German sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
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1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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1 cup (8-ounces) unsalted butter, softened
For Garnish
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Chocolate curls
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Coarsely chopped walnuts
Steps to Make It
To Make the Sponge
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Gather the sponge cake ingredients.
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Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a 10-cup tube pan or 3 (8-inch) round pans with cooking spray. If desired, line 8-inch pan bottoms with parchment paper circles and again lightly coat with cooking spray.
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Beat the egg yolks with sugar for 15 minutes with a hand mixer or in the bowl of as stand mixer until light in color.
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Add nuts and mix thoroughly.
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Sift together flour and baking powder, and mix into batter until thoroughly incorporated. Set aside.
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In a new bowl, beat egg whites with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer on high, until stiff peaks form.
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Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk batter to lighten it.
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Then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites, trying not to deflate the volume. Fold in zest.
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Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake for 25 minutes or until edges are just beginning to brown. Don't overbake.
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Cool the cake in pan a few minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To Make the Chocolate Buttercream
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Gather the buttercream ingredients.
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In a double boiler over low heat, cook egg yolks, confectioners' sugar, and milk until thick, stirring throughout.
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The mixture is done when it coats a wooden spoon and leaves a trail when you run your finger through the mixture on the spoon. Remove from heat.
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Mix the egg mixture with the cooled melted chocolate and vanilla. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
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Mix the softened butter using an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixture, with the cooled egg and chocolate mixture, until light and fluffy.
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Once the cake is cool, place some frosting on the top of one to create a sandwiched layer.
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Stack the cakes and frost completely. Garnish with chocolate curls or nuts, if desired.
Tip
- In making the frosting, make sure the melted chocolate is cooled to room temperature otherwise, the butter will melt and the frosting will be soupy and will need to be refrigerated before using.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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478 | Calories |
33g | Fat |
35g | Carbs |
13g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 12 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 478 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 33g | 42% |
Saturated Fat 15g | 73% |
Cholesterol 323mg | 108% |
Sodium 250mg | 11% |
Total Carbohydrate 35g | 13% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 4% |
Total Sugars 30g | |
Protein 13g | |
Vitamin C 1mg | 4% |
Calcium 156mg | 12% |
Iron 2mg | 12% |
Potassium 206mg | 4% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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