Don't let layer cakes intimidate you - this Spiced Walnut Cake is designed for success with staple ingredients and simple techniques! It's filled with warm flavors and a slight crunch thanks to the spices, brown butter cream cheese frosting, and walnuts.
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This recipe is brought to you in partnership with my friends at Lifeway Kefir. The combination of kefir and sour cream creates an exceptionally soft crumb, while the aromatic blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger makes this cake absolutely irresistible!
Just like my spiced carrot cake, this walnut cake celebrates classic spice cake flavors with an elevated twist. The brown butter in the frosting adds a rich, nutty dimension that perfectly complements the walnuts throughout the cake!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Warm spices and toasted walnuts provide the perfect balance of flavors.
- Brown butter cream cheese frosting takes this cake to the next level.
- The semi-naked frosting style makes decorating approachable for any skill level (just like my almond cream cake)!
- It makes an elegant yet easy holiday dessert that will impress your guests at Christmas or other occasions!
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this delicious walnut cake:
Ingredient Notes:
- Unsalted butter: We're using room-temperature butter for the cake, but browning the butter for the cream cheese frosting!
- All-purpose flour: The foundation of our cake. For best results, measure by weight (see grams (g) in the recipe card below).
- Baking soda & baking powder: These leavening agents work together to create the perfect rise. Make sure they aren't expired!
- Ground spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger provide warm, aromatic flavors.
- Chopped walnuts: The star of the cake! These chopped nuts add a delicious crunch and nutty flavor.
- Lifeway Organic Plain Lowfat Kefir: This works with the sour cream to create a tender crumb.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Make it nut-free: If you don't like walnuts, feel free to swap them for pecans, a mixture of your favorite nuts, or leave them out entirely like in my spiced loaf cake recipe. The cake will still be deliciously spiced!
- Substitute the kefir: If you can't get your hands on kefir, you can replace it with buttermilk.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
How to Make This Walnut Cake
Quick Recipe Video
Step-by-Step Instructions
Brown the Butter
First, brown the butter for the frosting and let it cool while making the cake. Cook the butter in a nonstick skillet over low heat until brown bits form on the bottom (be sure to stir with a spatula frequently to prevent burning).
Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. I highly recommend weighing the flour in grams with a food scale!
Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes at medium speed with an electric mixer). Mix in the eggs, vanilla extract, and sour cream.
Combine
Alternately add the dry ingredients and kefir to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a few flour streaks remain.
Add Walnuts
Gently fold in the chopped walnuts using a spatula. This is the final stir, so make sure everything's well combined but careful not to over-mix.
Bake the Cakes
Divide the batter between three prepared 6-inch cake pans. Bake all on the middle rack in your oven at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean (about 20 minutes). Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Make the Frosting
Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then mix in the cooled brown butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until creamy and well combined.
Assemble the Cake
Once the cakes are completely chilled, layer them with the brown butter cream cheese frosting. Scroll down for a frosting how-to! 🌟
Frosting a Semi-Naked Cake
- Frosting a cake is always easier when the layers are cold and firm, so I recommend wrapping the layers and freezing them for at least an hour before frosting. You can skip this, but decorating may be a bit more difficult 😅
- Place a dab of frosting in the middle of your cake turntable or serving plate, and then place the first cake layer on top of it. This will help the cake stay in place as you frost it!
- Add a big spoonful of frosting on the cake and then spread it around evenly to create a ¼ - ½ inch thick layer. It doesn't have to look perfect!
- Walnut lovers: feel free to sprinkle extra nuts between each layer!
- Place the next cake layer on top of the frosted layer and gently press down all around to make sure it's secure and even. Spread a layer of frosting on top, and then repeat with the final layer.
- Working with small sections at a time, spread frosting around the sides of the cake. Once it's completely covered in a thin layer, run a flat edge (like a cake scraper or offset spatula) around the cake to scrape off excess frosting and create a smooth(ish) semi-naked look.
- Finish the top of the cake by gently scraping the frosting across the top from the edge to the middle. Sprinkle extra walnuts on top for a rustic look (and to hide any imperfections 😉).
Pro Cake Tips
- Room temperature ingredients are crucial for a properly mixed cake batter. Set out your eggs, butter, sour cream, and kefir about an hour before baking.
- Don't over-mix the batter once you add the flour - this can lead to a tough cake texture.
- Line the bottom of your greased cake pans with a parchment paper round. This makes it super easy to flip the cooled cake out of the pan and peel off the parchment.
- If the cake tops are domed, you can carefully cut the tops to make them even. It's easiest to do this after they've chilled.
- If the frosting becomes too soft while decorating, pop the cake in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to firm it up.
Common Questions
Yes! The cake layers can be baked ahead of time and frozen for up to 1 month. The assembled cake can be made 1-2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
While you can use regular softened butter, browning it adds an incredible nutty flavor that makes this cake special.
This is typically from over-measuring the flour or over-baking the cakes. Use a scale to weigh your dry ingredients in grams and take the cake out of the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.
You can search for kefir near you at lifewaykefir.com. If you still can't find any, feel free to replace it with buttermilk!
Storage
Refrigerator
Store the frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezing Instructions
Individual slices can be wrapped well and frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Did you try this recipe?
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Thank you!
-Kayla
📖 Recipe
Spiced Walnut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- (3) 6-inch round cake pans greased and lined with parchment paper rounds
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Measuring spoons
- Offset spatula recommended
- Electric mixer recommended
Ingredients
Spiced Walnut Cake Batter
- ¾ cup (170.25 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream room temperature
- 1¾ cups (218.75 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup (120 g) chopped walnuts plus more for decorating (optional)
- ¼ cup (59.15 ml) Lifeway Organic Plain Lowfat Kefir room temperature
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
Brown the Butter (for the frosting)
- Place the butter in a pan over low-medium heat. Stir until the brown bits form on the bottom and it releases a nutty aroma.
- Transfer to a heatproof container and let it cool to room temperature while making the cake layers.
Making the Cakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 6-inch round cake pans with baking spray and line the bottoms with round sheets of parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and creamy (about 3 minutes). Stir in the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream.
- Gradually mix ½ of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, followed by ½ of the kefir. Repeat just until all of the dry ingredients and kefir are incorporated into the batter.
- Fold in the walnuts. Be careful not to over-mix - stop stirring as soon as everything is combined.
- Evenly distribute the cake batter into the 3 prepared cake pans and smooth the tops out as much as possible with a spatula.
- Bake all 3 cakes on the oven's middle rack for 20-30 minutes.You may want to rotate the pans halfway through if they aren't baking evenly. They're done when the tops are light brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes and then carefully flip them out of the pans, peel off the parchment paper, and set them on a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Once cooled completely, wrap each cake separately in plastic wrap and set them in the freezer for at least 1 hour before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Mix the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in the cooled brown butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar and mix very well.
Assembling the Cake
- Place 1 cake layer on a turntable or plate and spread ¼-½ inch of frosting on top. Add chopped walnuts if you'd like. Then stack the next layer and repeat.
- Spread frosting on the sides to fill the gaps between the cake layers. Then, spread more frosting along the sides & top and use a cake scraper or offset spatula to smooth it out. Decorate with walnuts and enjoy!
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Emily says
Could this recipe be turned into cupcakes?
Kayla Burton says
Hi Emily! I haven't tested this but I think it would work!
Luzmaria Diaz says
Oh my wow! I am a sucker for anything walnut, and this cake did not disappoint! Plus the ingenious brown butter cream cheese frosting had people lining by my kitchen hoping for a lick of my whisk! The cake is moist and it is packed with amazing flavor that makes you just want to snuggle on the couch watching your favorite fall movie or show while eating it. It is the ultimate comfort dessert. I am not a big fan of American cakes but this one is certainly an exception that I am happy I took a chance on, y'all will not regret it!
Kayla says
This makes me so happy, thank you Luzmaria!! 🙂 So glad you and your family enjoyed it!
ROXANNE says
Do you think this recipe could take adding a cup and a half of mashed banana's? I'm always looking for a good banana cake recipe.
Kayla says
Hi Roxanne! No, I wouldn't recommend adding mashed bananas to this recipe. However, I do have a banana cake recipe if you'd like to give it a try! https://brokenovenbaking.com/chocolate-chip-banana-bundt-cake/