Royal Walnut Cake (VIDEO Recipe)
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This Royal Walnut Cake is as pretty as it is irresistibly delicious! The Russian buttercream frosting made with sweetened condensed milk is tantalizingly good! Keep an eye on the whisk that mixes the cream – someone else will surely try to lick it! Ha! Truly it’s delicious and like no other buttercream you’ve tried before!
This recipe is sponsored by Fisher Nuts and the cake is loaded with toasted walnuts which infuse the cake with rich flavor. I kept the decorations simple so even if you’re not super skilled in the cake decor department, YOU CAN DO THIS!!
You could simplify it even more by omitting the ganache and just coating in finely chopped nuts all around which would be beautiful but I thought the ganache was a nice touch for the holidays and a flowing layer of chocolate sauce never hurt anyone! 😉
Big thank you to our friends at Fisher Nuts for sponsoring this recipe – I trust Fisher brand because they don’t use preservatives and are non GMO project verified! Its the nuts and only nuts – just like you had popped them out of the shell yourself, minus all the effort and blisters. lol. You’ll recognize the right nuts by their bold blue “Fisher” brand bags.
Watch How to Make this Royal Walnut Cake:
Since the frosting is a buttercream, it is best served at room temperature when the frosting is soft. You can make this cake even 2 days in advance, cover and refrigerate and then bring to room temperature before serving. I have this same cake in the freezer (saving it for Christmas!) I just love make-ahead desserts and if you’re into that sort of thing, you’ll be surprised this dessert is also freezer friendly!
Everything about this cake is good. Simple, but so good! I hope it makes your holiday’s more merry and bright!
Royal Walnut Cake (VIDEO Recipe)
Ingredients
For the Walnut Cake:
- 2 cups Fisher Brand Walnuts, halves and pieces
- 6 eggs, (large), room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
For the Russian Buttercream:
- 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, (2/3 of a 14 oz can)
- 2 egg yolks, (large)
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter , (3 sticks), softened at room temperature
For the Simple Cake Syrup (stir these ingredients together):
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 3 Tbsp rum, I used Bacardi golden rum*
For the Chocolate Sauce/ Ganache:
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate chips, (1/4 lb by weight, or 2/3 cup by dry measuring cup)
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
How to Make the Royal Walnut Cake:
- Toast 2 cups walnuts on a dry skillet over medium/high heat until fragrant and golden (5 minutes), tossing often. Cool to room temperature then finely chop or pulse in food processor.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line the bottoms of two 9" baking pans with parchment paper (do not grease the pan). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat eggs for 1 minute until foam. With mixer on, add 1 cup sugar in a steady stream then beat on high speed 8 minutes. Batter will be fluffy and a thick ribbon will form when you lift up batter.
- Whisk together 1 cup flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder and sift it into the egg mixture in 3 increments. Gently fold in 1/4 of your cooled chopped nuts and divide batter evenly between 2 prepared pans. Bake right away in fully preheated oven at 350˚F for 23-28 min(I find it's perfect at 25 min). Let rest in the pans 5 min then run a thin spatula or knife around the edges of pan to loosen cake and transfer cakes to wire rack to cool completely to room temp.
How to Make Russian Buttercream:
- In a small sauce pan, off the heat, whisk together 2 egg yolks, 3/4 cup condensed milk, 1 Tbsp water, and 1/2 tsp vanilla until smooth.
- Place over low heat. Continue stirring frequently and stir constantly as it starts to thicken – DO NOT BOIL. When it’s ready, it will be the consistency of uncooked sweetened condensed milk. Total time on the stove: 5-7 minutes. Remove mixture from heat and let custard cool completely to room temp. It will thicken more as it cools.
- Beat softened butter in a mixer with whisk attachment for 5 minutes on high speed until white and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add room temp custard mixture 1 heaping Tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed for a few seconds with each addition. Once all of the custard is incorporated, scrape down the bowl and beat another 2 minutes on high speed. Reserve 1 cup of cream and set aside (you'll use this to coat the top and sides of cake). Fold in 1/4 of your toasted cooled nuts into remaining big batch of cream.
Assembling the Walnut Cake:
- Line the edges of a cake platter with strips of parchment paper (this will make cleanup easier). Place first cake layer on the platter and spoon half of the syrup evenly over the top. Top with all of your walnut buttercream and spread evenly. Add the next cake layer and spoon the remaining syrup over the top. Coat the sides and top of the cake evenly with remaining 1 cup of buttercream.
- Apply the remaining finely chopped walnuts to the sides of the cake only, scooping it on with your hand and gently pressing for the nuts to adhere to the frosting. Now make your ganache (see below). Once ganache has rested 5-10 minutes, spread it evenly over the top of the cake, allowing some of it to drip down the sides of the cake. Let cake rest until ganache is set (you can refrigerate 30 min if desired).
How to Make Chocolate Ganache:
- Place 1/4 lb of chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. Pour 1/2 cup heavy cream into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. When it's just at a uniform simmer, pour over the chocolate chips ensuring chocolate is fully submerged in cream. Cover bowl with lid and let sit at room temp 15 min then whisk until a silky chocolate sauce forms. Let ganache rest 5-10 min to thicken slightly but still be loose enough to pour over the cake and drip down the sides.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fisher nuts. The opinions and text are all mine. I hope this beautiful walnut cake gives you great holiday inspiration!!
We are all about generous slices! I hope you and your family love this Royal Walnut Cake!
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I just finished making it. Came out just like I like it, not too sweet, but with a very good flavor, I bet it’ll be even better tomorrow. Thank you for sharinging the recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Mila!
You’re so welcome, Mila. I’m glad to hear that.
I was very worried after tasting the buttercream, because all I could taste was butter. Once everything was assembled, my family loved the final result. I made 1/4 of the syrup because I found 1 cup of water made the cake layers too moist from the other recipe I used. In Canada, the sweetened condensed milk can is 300 ml 10.7 ounces) so I used the whole can. Thank you for another winner, my family said I could definitely make it again!
Good to hear that it was a success! Thanks for trying this recipe, I’m glad your family enjoyed the cake!
I tried this one. It came out soo well!! amazing Walnuty -chocolaty flavour
Awesome! Thanks for your great comments and feedback.
The cake came out good in the end, but my sponge cake layers tasted a little weird and plain, also the buttercream tasted too much like butter. Overall it was a great cake but im wondering what I did wrong for the next time.
Hi Natasha,
At what point in this recipe would you freeze it if you were making it in advance? Fully frosted with the chocolate ganache? Thank you
Hi Renee, I refrigerate first to get the cream and ganache to set, so it’s easier to cover with plastic wrap, then I put the entire decorated cake in the freezer 🙂 I hope that helps!
Super Yummy!! My family loves this cake. Thanks Natasha for these recipes.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new family favorite, Jasleen!
The recipe was easy to follow and it wasn’t as complicated as I thought, but I don’t think putting the walnuts in the batter is a good idea since it created a rye bread taste and was not that sweet. You really have to love walnuts to love this cake… overall not bad but won’t be making it again.
Hi Anastasia, I haven’t noticed a “rye bread taste” in this cake. Could your nuts possibly have been old or rancid?
Hi Natasha!
Can we use cashew nuts instead of walnuts in this recipe?
Thank you.
Hi Anjum, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work.
Thanks
Hello Natasha,
This recipe looks amazing. Can I add honey to this? If yes, how much? I’m trying to replicate a cake (called “Ideali”) I had at a Georgian restaurant. It was a delicious honey walnut cake with dulce de leche buttercream. It had three layers. Your recipe seems similar but without the honey.
Hi, since baking is so much a science, without experimenting, I can’t make that recommendation. Have you seen our Honey Prune Cake? It might be similar if there was honey in it.
Amazing! I made this yesterday. I followed the recipe almost exactly, substituting black walnuts for regular to amp the nutrition, and used heart shaped pans. I also covered top and sides of cake with reserved frosting and walnuts before ganache and walnut sprinkle on top. I would reserve more than just a cup of frosting next time, as the middle layer was very thick. It was messy, but so delicious. Thank you!
I bet this looks so darling in a heart-shaped pan! Thank yous o much for sharing this great feedback with us!
The Russian Buttercream
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk or (2/3 of a 14 oz can)
3/4 of a cup is 6 oz.
2/3 of 14oz. can equals 9.3 oz.
Something wrong here.
HI Cameron, I added US measuring cup measurements and oz measurements and I suggest using one or the other. The can measurement of 14 oz can be a weight measurement which doesn’t equate to a US measuring cup measurement. I hope that helps.
I don’t think there is anything wrong there.
1 cup of sweetened condensed milk is about 10.8 oz, not 8 oz. It’s heavy and dense so it’s not the weight of water. so when we talk about 3/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk, we’re talking about 8 oz of sweetened condensed milk by weight.
you can look it up on google if you’d like.
Hi Natasha, this looks absolutely delicious! However I noticed the recipe doesn’t include butter or oil in the cake…wouldn’t it make the cake too dry or hard?
Hi, a classic sponge cake doesn’t call for butter or oil. Those would make the cake more likely to deflate.
Thanks Natasha, trying this recipe this weekend 🙂
I hope you love this recipe, Isha!
Im a a huge fan of your cooking videos!!! This cake is fantastic.
I’m wondering if you had a recepie for French Silk pie with oreo crust😊 or any Croatian dish?
Thank you so much for that wonderful compliment! I have not tried it, but it sounds delicious! Thank you for that suggestion!
wow! That looks so yummy and tempting will try….Thanks for sharing Natasha
It is so so good! I hope you try this recipe soon!
Thank you so much for the recipe. It was my first time baking a birthday cake especially for my husband since he loves walnuts. It did take me the “whole” day to make it with my 11 month old baby but it was so worth it!!! Everyone loved it Thank you once again.
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m all smiles
I love it!!!!
Great to hear!
Hi Natasha thanks for the recipe. I made this cake and instead of buttercream i used custard in between layers. I had made this buttercream once before and i found it too heavy. To be honest i did not find any significan flavor by adding walnuts to the sponge cake. I toasted them as described in the recipe but really did not make much a difference compared to your simple biskvit sponge cake. This walnut sponge cake was indeed more dry and did not rise much. Anyways, the idea of putting walnut in cakes is exciting. So next time i will just bake the simple sponge cake and put coarse walnuts and custard in between layers.
This was a crowd pleaser!! My mom hates overly sweet and the ganache paired so nicely with the sweetness of the buttercream. I was totally skeptical about pouring the rum and water syrup on top, but it was amazing and made it so moist! An excellent recipe, thanks so much!!
So great to hear that everyone loved it! Thanks for your excellent review, I appreciate it.
Hello Natasha, you are so pretty and bubbly. I enjoy watching your videos that are so easy to follow. I have tried your banana cupcakes and they were a hit! Thank you. I just want to ask if what cream can I use instead of heavy cream in chocolate ganache? Thank you so much.
Thank you Donna. I can’t think of any other substitute as heavy whipping cream is what worked with this recipe, I’m afraid it might turn runny if you try something else.
This is a great cake!
Just follow the directions exactly.
Once it’s all put together, it comes out beautifully.
Rita S
Hi Natasha
I made this cake and the batter was lovely, it looked great when it came out the oven. But it was VERY dry! I was sceptical about toasting the walnuts since they have a high fat content so usually don’t do this when baking with walnuts specifically. I was careful to fold the flour in also.
I tasted the sponge without the syrup and filling first, im just wondering if it relies on the syrup to bring it together and help with the moistness?
I may attempt again but skip toasting the walnuts to see what happens!
Hi Emily, this classic European sponge cake is supposed to be dry (there is no fat in the batter besides the egg yolk), so it relies on the syrup soaking for moisture.
It is really very delicious!!! I made it for my son’s birthday. Thank’s!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Birthday to your son!
It came out so well. I was a bit sceptical to bake cake without Oil or Fat. Thanks for the recipe
You’re welcome and I am glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the great review.
Natasha, the cakes don’t rise too high, do they? Thanks.
Hi Anna, I would say this cake has a standard rise.
If you want a strong walnut flavor, check your walnuts ahead of time and make sure they have a strong walnut flavor. I would also avoid the ganache. If those two steps don’t work, then this isn’t the dream walnut cake that I had in mind.
Walnuts are pretty mild in flavor – toasting them can also help to amp up their flavor.
Hi, can i use another brand??
Hi Marlene, of nuts? Ofcourse, you can use what you have on hand.
Hi Natasha! First of all, thank you for all your amazing recipes. And especially this royal walnut cake. This has been the best cake baking experience I have ever had. And my guests keep telling everyone about this cake. I have a question about the frosting. My son’s birthday coming up and he wants cupcakes. I wanted to use this Russian buttercream to frost cupcakes with addition of a bit of food coloring. Have you ever used it for piping? Just wondering how it behaves, if it would get runny fast or is it pretty much like regular buttercream? Thank you!!
Hi Natasha, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Hi Natasha. So I tried Russian buttercream on vanilla cupcakes. It pipes beautifully. However, buttery frosting like this with vanilla cupcake is not as amazing as walnut cake, which is definitely superior. Becauwe of the drier texture of cupcake Russian buttercream reminded me of eating bread with butter, although it tasted great. Perhaps I will try to moisten cupcakes with simple syrup next time. Thank you so much!!
Hi!
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I made the cake and it was delicious however the cake part wasn’t as fluffy as I would’ve liked… any advice?
Thanks so much!
Hi Sarah, the typical culprit is under beating the eggs and sugar since the cake relies on the volume of eggs and sugar to rise. Check out our sponge cake post with the tips we shared there to see where things may have gone wrong.
Hi Natasha, I liked the recipe, but for me a bit confusing, kindly make it more clear, as I want to make a routine for our daily snacks, please if you could send me a simpler recipe of cake with walnuts, I will be really grateful
to you and obliged.
Also, I have a question for rum what is the substitute of rum if we like to add in it.
Hi Shabana, you can just use a simple syrup of sugar water, or add a little lemon juice also for extra flavor. You can also use a light-colored juice, like white grape juice.
Hi! Can I bake this using smaller pans? Probably 8 inches or 6 inches? Or should I cut down the recipe?
Thank you.
Hi Laine, I have not tested this in a 6 or 8-inch pan to advise, I worry the batter will overwhelm and overflow the pan. If you happen to experiment please let us know how you like that but also keep in mind you may need to make less batter or divide between to smaller pans. I hope this is helpful.
Hi Shabana, I’m happy to answer your questions. Which part are you having trouble with?
Hi Natasha, I have a question about rum. How do you choose which rum to use for which recipe? Does it matter whether certain one’s used for baking and another one’s used for sauce or frosting? I would like to get one that’s “universal” what would you suggest?
I honestly have been buying the golden rum and just using it for all the baking. I think the dark and golden can be used interchangeably though so use what you have on hand.
Thank you Natasha for the easiest cake recipe. It was the most delicious cake. It took me 2 hours to make it. Fast and easy. Thank you!!!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Nina!
I made the Royal Walnut Cake for my dad’s birthday. It was a huge hit. Not only was it beautiful, but the flavor was amazing! Even my husband, who doesn’t like cake, loved it. I will definitely be making this again. It was easy to make just a little time consuming. Thank you Natasha
That’s so great Karla!! I’m so happy you found a new family favorite on our blog! Thank you for sharing that awesome feedback with me!
I apsolutely love your recepies easy to follow I was never a cake baker but now my family is enjoying many of your recepies. Thank you for all great videos and explanations. Tatjana from Canada.
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles!
This is probably a simple question for someone who bakes, but I want to make sure mine turns out like this masterpiece! Can I double this recipe for 2 cakes and bake them simultaneously without any problems? Any tips for cooking 2 cakes at once? Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Pavel, I haven’t tested this recipe by doubling so I am unable to advise. I imagine it would work, if you experiment please let me know how you like this recipe.
Hello,
The flavors on this cake are amazing.
Is there a way of turning this recipe into cupcakes? The cream and ganache would work perfectly. But do you have a solution for making the cake a bit more dense?
Thanks,
Anz
Hi Anz! I haven’t tested that but I think it could work with a little creativity. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
I want everyone not to make the same mistake that I did I served this cake to my guess without letting it come to room temperature for an hour and that was a big mistake because the icing was too hard the next day when I served leftovers to my family it was so much better at room temperature when the icing is soft
It tastes so much better at room temperature then chilled I would prefer it a little bit sweeter and I’m wondering if you think I could add one cup of Eagle brand milk instead of 3/4 cup
Yes! Thank you for sharing that with us, Jan!
Hello Natasha,
I am just about to start the assembly of this beautiful looking cake. I am planning on serving it for New Year’s Eve. How far ahead can it be made and kept in the refrigerator before serving? Thank you and Happy New Year.
Hi Christine, you can make it now and serve it New Year’s Eve. This cake even freezes well.
Hi Natasha! I’m going to make this cake for New Year’s Eve for about 12-13 people. Would you recommend to use 10-inch baking pan? If yes, should I increase the proportions?
Hi Inessa, I haven’t tried this in a 10″ pan so I won’t be able to give you exact advice on that but I would increase the proportions for a 10″ cake or the cake will be short.
I don’t remember how I came across this recipe, but I’m so glad I did! It looked beautiful and sounded delicious and I already had everything on hand, so that made it the winner of my “what to make for a special Christmas dessert”. It came out perfect and everyone loved it! I was happy to find a frosting that’s not loaded with powdered sugar. The subtle sweetness is nice with the richness of the nuts and butter. We were discussing after dinner different variations, like lemon or orange in place of rum or even adding a layer of jam in the center. Definitely a keeper – thanks!
You’re so welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Can rum be substituted for anything else?
Thank you
Hi Dee, you could use a simple sugar water syrup and add a little lemon or vanilla to taste, or just leave it at the simple syrup.
Can’t wait to bake this cake for Christmas! But first I wanted to ask if I could use sgushenka for the buttercream frosting…I feel it should be alright, but my friend told me it tastes way different than the brands in the supermarket and I don’t want to mess up. Just want to make sure considering theres a lot of family to impress with this cake haha.
Hi Diana, yes as far as I know, it is just the same thing as sweetened condensed milk. I haven’t noticed a difference.
This cake is absolutely fabulous. Very delicious, perfect texture, the layers hold together just right, look and taste professional. Not as sweet as American cakes usually are, so flavors are a bit more subtle.
Thank you for that wonderful feedback Eric!!
Thank you so much Natasha for all your detailed step by step instructions, tips, advice and videos! I never would had attempted to make this incredible cake without it all as it gave me the confidence to try. Your amazing just like all your recipes!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful commment, Shania! I’m happy you enjoyed this!
Made it today and it came out beautifully. Not sure if I messed up on the quantities but ended with more chocolate sauce then I needed. Not a big concern since I just dipped some cookies in it 😂
Question, this was a practice run for my son’s first birthday. For the actual birthday I want to decorate it with some colours can the Russian icing be piped to look like grass so I can place some safari anamial in it ?? Any suggestions ??
Thanks Asia
I think that would look so great! I’d assume using a pipping tip for grass would be best. I’d love to know how this works out for you!
Yum 😋 yum 😋 yum 😋!!!! I’ve made this cake over and over agin for parties and holidays and then I even got asked to make it for a wedding! This is mouthwatering!!!!!! 💦💦💦 Everyone loves this cake! I love that it’s not too sweet and just perfect 👌!!! And the nuts….. ohhhhhh I love nuts in almost anything I bake and this cake is just loaded with them! This is definitely one of my favorites!!!!
That’s so awesome!
Hi Natasha,I baked your walnut cake today for my husband’s birthday and it’s absolutely amazing!!I baked it in one cake pan for 50 min on 165 degrees/fan and then I made some vanilla buttercream frosting because I didn’t have any condensed milk. I highly recommend this recipe if anyone needs to make a fluffy and delicious walnut cake🌟.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Just made it last night, so far everyone loves it. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
That’s so great! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I made your royal walnut cake and the cake turned out well however the Russian buttercream ended up tasting and having the consistency of butter and the cream looked just like yours. It seems that their is too much butter in the recipe. Is this correct?
Hi Gabby, it is a different type of buttercream compared to American buttercream which tends to be super sweet. This one is not quite as sweet so the butter does come through more in the flavor.
Hello, I loved the cake! It was so good. You mentioned that you can freeze it. Do you freeze it with the ganache on top?
Rita
Hi Rita, yes, I refrigerate first to get the cream and ganache to set so it’s easier to cover with plastic wrap then I put the entire decorated cake in the freezer 🙂
Hello Natasha, how do you defrost it? Thanks -Natalia-
Hi Natalia, I let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then bring it to room temperature for a few hours for the cream to soften.
This is one of my favorite cakes! It is surprisingly easy and absolutely delicious! Thank you for all of your wonderful and creative recipes!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe as much as I do! Thanks for following and sharing your great review!
Ooopsss! I just saw your note below splash of vanilla or lemon juice if I don’t want to use rum. 🙂
So glad you found it! 🙂 I hope you love the cake!
Sorry I just realised there isn’t any butter being used for the cake. Will it be fine if I add butter to it?
Hi Endarah, I used butter in my chocolate sponge cake but keep in mind butter can make a cake more likely to deflate. If you choose to experiment, make sure the butter is completely at room temp and bake right away or it can deflate. Fold it in at the end just until blended and do not overmix.
Hey Natasha. Could I make this day in the morning and serve it in the evening? Or does it have to stay in the fridge overnight?
There is no need for it to sit overnight unless that is your preference. We normally let it rest for about 30 minutes to an hour in the fridge.
Hi, Natsha!
I was wondering what can get for my boyfriend this year and i came across this and fell in love at once. I’m so gonna make this for him next week but I don’t have any rum at home. Could you suggest something else instead of rum, please? thanks 🙂
I can’t thank you enough for this recipe. I made this cake today for my husband’s birthday and it was a big hit. Everybody loved it. It’s one of if not the best cake I’ve ever tasted. God bless you Natasha <3
You’re welcome Fatine! I’m glad to hear how much you enjoy this recipe. Thanks for sharing your excellent review with other readers!
Hi.
I never used a cake syrup before. do you have to put that in the recipe? could I make the cake without it?
Susan
Hi Susan, with this classic sponge cake, the moisture and flavor comes from the syrup and I always add a syrup when making this particular base.
OMG — been studying this recipe for a holiday/ birthday cake. Kitchen conundrum:: I set the condensed milk mix in sink to cool and accidentally ran water into it!! thankfully, it cooled enough where I could run off the water and then reheated, and cooled it. It worked ok. Cake is gorgeous, delicious. These steps are not that daunting. I did it. Thanks!
You’re welcome Martin! I’m glad to hear the recipe was a success! Thanks for sharing 🙂
How do I store the cake if I want to make the layers today, then put cream tmrw, and then eat on Sunday?
Hi Sveta, you can do that – make the layers the first day then frost the following day and refrigerate until serving. Bring it to room temperature at least an hour before serving. I have also fully assembled and refrigerated this cake for a few days and it was still great. The frosting keeps well and nothing in this cake is easily perishable.
Hi so excited to try this recipe! would it be ok if I assembled
It today and then serve it 3 days ltr? Will it still be good?
Sel, you can do that – just make sure to bring it to room temperature at least an hour before serving. I have also fully assembled and refrigerated this cake for a few days and it was still great. The frosting keeps well and nothing in this cake is easily perishable.
Hi Natasha! Would it make a difference if i use pecans instead of walnut?
Amy, it won’t 😬
Hi Natasha. Is 1/2 teaspoon baking powder enough for 1 cup flour or can I use 1 teaspoon. Also, can I use this buttercream for the Ukrainian layered Medivnyk cake.
Hi Olga, the baking powder doesn’t make a big difference and I have found that 1/2 tsp was enough to help it rise a little more evenly. This cake relies on the volume of the eggs and sugar for leavening so it is critically important to adequately beat the eggs and sugar. I think this frosting is too buttery to be absorbed into the layers of a layered medivnyk cake. You can get some more ideas for layered cakes by viewing our spartak layered cakes here, or our medovik layered cake here.
Omg!!! This cake, I’m not much of a baker but made this cake 2 times in two weeks. It is supper easy to make and is so so so so good!! I don’t think I’ll ever want to try making any other cake 😁 that’s how good this is.!
That’s awesome! I’m happy to hear how much you love this recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review Anastasia!
I have made this cake before, and I love it–it is so delicious! Always a hit especially with my husband. I have to make this cake for a bigger crowd this weekend, and I’m wondering if I can bake it instead of a cake pan to use like a casserole dish? How would that work? Any advice?
Hi Lana, you will probably have to double the cake base if you want it to be a tall and impressive cake. Here is the strawberry cake that I created in a 9×13 pan. I hope that helps!!
Hi Natasha! Instead of using rum – do you think I could use the same syrup you use in your tiramisu recipe (coffee/sugar, omit rum). Do you think it’d be a good taste?
Hi Anna, I think that would work fine. You could even omit the rum and do a simple syrup of sugar and water and it would still taste good, but yes I do think this could work well as a coffee infused cake. If you try it, let me know how you like it! 🙂
Just bought everything to make a few of these for my son’s birthday.. I am considering making them 5 days in advance and freezing. Does the consistency of the cake or frosting change at all after defrosting? Any additional tips for freezing? I was thinking to put on a cake platter with lid and freeze that way..?
Hi Katie, the consistency seemed almost identical to me when I defrosted it. Whatever container you place it in, make sure it is airtight so it doesn’t absorb any freezer smells and to keep the extra moisture out. You can defrost in the fridge overnight or at room temperature if you need it ready sooner.
Thankyou 🙂
You’re welcome Katie!
I froze these cake layers previously, and now in the past few days I made the filling and ganache and finished assembling this cake. So I was finally able to try it. I can safely say it is one of the nicest cakes I have ever had the pleasure of eating! It is lovely to look at, and picky husband could find no fault, either! Imagine that! LOL So once again I will hunt down a piece of this later today and indulge in something so enjoyable!
That’s great! I’m so glad to hear how much you and your family enjoy the recipe! Thanks for following and sharing your excellent review Carol!
I can always depend on your recipes to turn out to perfection, and this cake is no exception. It is an absolute show stopper! I searched through so any recipes trying to decide on a cake to make and decided on this one. Boy oh boy, I can hardly wait to try it.It is beautiful!
I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying my recipes Carol! Please let me know what you think of this one! 🙂
My family and I LOVE this recipe. I made it couple of time. It’s my family’s favorite cake and even my aunt that doesn’t really eat sweets like it. So thanks you Natasha for this amazing recipe. We really LOVE LOVE IT.
You’re welcome Juliya! I’m happy to hear how much everyone enjoys the recipe! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
Thank you so much for posting such delicious recipes! Very yummy cake and the recipe is easy to follow. I have one question though…how come your cake layers always stay so perfectly straight? Mine look great once I take them out of the oven but once they rest a bit they tend to collapse…
Hi Julia, I would suggest beating the eggs 3 minutes longer and see if that helps. Also, flip your cake over onto a wire rack when it comes out of the oven and it will cool straight with the base being the top. I hope that makes sense 🙂
I am wondering if there is something I can use in place of the rum in the syrup?
Hi Michelle, If you prefer to keep it liquor free, you can just use a simple syrup of water and sugar. It will still taste great 🙂
Hi Natasha, could I potentially cover this cake with fondant? I am wondering if it is firm enough to hold (as a two tier). Thank you!
Hi Jelena, I haven’t tried that but this is a fairly soft cake so I’m not sure if fondant would be too heavy for it. I think it would work but I honestly don’t work with fondant so I can’t say for sure :). Sorry I’m totally not helpful with your question!
Natasha thank you for your recipes this cake is the best I’ve ever tried!
You’re welcome Miriam! I’m so glad to hear how much you love this recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Dear Natasha. I love your website and have tried so many of your recipes. .. they always turn out exactly as expected. .. delicious!!! I have just finished this Royal Walnut cake for a birthday tomorrow. It looks amazing. Thank you for putting such fabulous recipes up everyday that are easy to follow and taste and look so good. Xx l think I love you
LOL! I’m so happy to hear how much you love the recipes! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review and comments Beatrix!
Your page and recipes are amazing. I am Slovak (2nd generation). My daughter was brought up Slovak and my daughter-in-law is Latvian. I am sharing your recipes with them. My granddaughter, in her mind is Slovak, and is following in my footsteps when it comes to baking.
Thank you so much for following Mary! Please let me know what you and your family think of the recipes! 😀
Hi Natasha
I am out of butter 🙁 is there anything else I can use for the cream?
Hi Elizabeth, you would have to use an entirely different frosting since this one really relies on the butter to work…
Hi Natasha, I don’t have two 9” pans can I use a 1 (10-Inch) Springform pan for this recipe?
Hi Hirah, your cake won’t be as tall and you will only be able to get 2 layers but you can put the full batter into the springform and bake about 30 minutes.
Hello thank you for this recipe. I am preparing this cake for my mom’s birthday but we don’t drink alcohol. Anything else to substitute that sauce to add to the two cakes. Thank you
Hi Sarah, you can just use a simple syrup of sugar water, or add a little lemon juice also for extra flavor. You can also use a light colored juice, like white grape juice.
Hi Natasha:) I tried to make this cake yesterday night and put it in the fridge for next day. It’s been sitting out from the fridge for the past two hours but cream it’s not that soft? Also I didn’t like the taste of rum any other alternatives maybe? I will give it on more try to this cake. Also how long does it take for the cream to come back? Thank you
Hi Mariam, a butter cream does firm up in the refrigerator and softens once it has reached room temperature again. If you prefer to keep it liquor free, you can just use a simple syrup of water and sugar or add a splash of lemon to it for more flavor.
I was wondering if can use gluten free flour for the recipe?
Hi Bianca, I haven’t tested it but several of my readers have reported great results making the sponge cake base with gluten free flour 🙂
Yes,using gluten free flour should work fine.just have to eat the cake within 2days though,otherwise it will get hard(which is very common using gluten free flours).cheers
The buttercream, is it allowed to be made in advanced and stored in fridge? If so, how much in advance? Thank you!
Hi Julie, that would work except you will have to bring it back to room temperature and then whip it until softened. Since you can’t whip it with the nuts, I would leave them out and fold the nuts in after re-whipping your frosting.
Thank You! Would you know how many days its good for to sit in fridge until ready to use?
Hi Julie, I would keep it in the refrigerator up to 2 days before serving for maximum freshness. I have also frozen the entire cake for a month (it would probably last up to 3 months) and it thawed and tasted great after freezing also. Just a tip for freezing – make sure you refrigerate the cake first for the frosting to firm up and it will be easier to package in the freezer 🙂
I’m not sure if it’s just me but is it a mistake that the recipe (the printer version) mentions adding sugar twice when making the batter??? Awesome recipe by the way! Loving it so far!
You’re totally right! It should say beat eggs 1 min until foamy then add 1 cup sugar gradually. I’ve fixed it. Thank you so much for catching that!! 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I don’t have walnuts, but have a plenty of pecans. Do you think I can substitute? Usually it works, like in carrot cake.
Thanks
Maria
Hi Maria, I think pecans would work great 🙂
Hi Natasha, I just discovered your website and loved reading your recipes. I am of Russian background as well but can only boast of borscht, piroshki and blini in my repertoire…I came to America when I was 10, very long ago. Your walnut cake looks fantastic and I will try it. Can you tell me which part of the Ukraine you are from? My mother came from Slaviansk. All the best, Xenia
Welcome to my blog!! I’m so happy you discovered it :). I am from Krivoy Rog, Ukraine 🙂
I made this one couple of times for our family parties, and every time it was a hit! Love every bite of it!
I’m so glad you and your family love the recipe! 🙂 Thank you for sharing your amazing review! 🙂
Natasha, love your website and recipes! I want to try this cake this weekend so for religious purposes I don’t drink alcohol what do you think I could use instead of rum? Thanks
You can substitute by making a simple syrup with water, sugar and lemon juice and it will work well 🙂 You can also use juice or just sugar water if you prefer 🙂
You can buy substitute rum flavoring in any grocery store at baking aisle.
Natash I must say you are a great teacher your instructions are precise and clearly stated I love your recipes great job.
Thank you Sharon! I appreciate the great compliments and I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipes! 🙂
I haven’t heard of Russian butterceam, but it does sound delicious! Pinned and shared! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! This cake is heavenly, let me know what you think if you decide to make it please!
hi natasha:) we don’t have any rum. do you think it will still taste good if i don’t add rum?
Hi Alina, yes that will work great 🙂
Hi Natasha!
I prepared this cake for my sister’s 50th birthday. It was my first cake ever and everyone loved it! And two days later, as a suprise from my husband, I got my own KitchenAid mixer, also my first ever 🙂
So thank you fror your great recipes – I’m gonna try even more now.
I’m so happy for your success and how fun to get a new mixer!! I’m sure you’ll grow to love it. It makes baking easier for sure! 🙂
Hi Natasha. I made this cake on several occasions . it so easy to make it following your directions. My husband normally doesn’t like anything with chocolate, but he really liked this cake and constantly talks about this cake ( how good it was ))) and what really surprised me my mother in law who tasted probably every single cake in a world said that it was the one of the best ones she tasted , and added that this cake was probably very hard to make. thank you for the awesome recipe !!
You’re welcome! This cake is so decadent. I am happy to hear how much your family enjoys it!!
Hi, I guess we here in Europe need some specification about what is “cup” …especially when backing cakes. Thank you for your recipies!
Hi Oksana, here’s a good general reference but 1 cup of flour is about 120 to 125 grams.
Hi Natasha! The recipe looks amazing but I am confused that there is no buttter or oil in the cake, is it like this or am I missing something🤔 Thanks for the help
Hi Shamia, the classic European sponge cake does not require butter or oil. The eggs provide the fat content and act as a leavening when whipped properly.
Hi Natasha, I am going to make this cake for my grandmas birthday, but I have just one pan. Can I bake it in one and then cut it in half? Probably the baking time will need to be adjusted.. Or is it better to bake one half, get it out of the pan and bake the second half? Thanks 😊 Looks amazing! Cant wait to try it..
Hi Timea, I think you could make it work if you had a tall pan like a springform pan with 3″ tall walls. It would overflow 1 pan. Also, this cake needs to be baked right after the flour is folded in. If you let half of the batter sit on the counter, it will deflate and not rise properly. If you wanted to bake in a regular 9″ cake pan, I would suggest cutting the recipe in half and making it twice, or borrow a second cake pan from a neighbor to save yourself some trouble :). Happy birthday to your grandma!! 🙂
Thank you very much Natasha. the cake turned out amazing, grandma loved it, and it was a huge success. 🙂 (shared on Instagram #natashaskitchen). As I realized I wouldn’t fit in 2 pans in my small European oven even if I wanted to, I went with a tall, 9,5″ springform pan, with a little less than 3″ walls. I left it in the oven for 40 minutes and thankfully it didnt overflow. it was just perfect! thanks again for this great recipe.
That is fantastic! I’m so glad it was a huge success! Thank you for sharing your awesome review!
Quick question, could I cut the 2 cake(biskvit) layers in half to make 4 and put frosting in between each or would I not have enough frosting?
Thanks in advance
Hi Tanya, you could have enough frosting if you just divide that center frosting into 3 but you would have pretty thin layers of cream between. I liked the impressive look of 1 thick layer of cream but either way it would taste good and I often cut these cake layers in half to make 4 layers 🙂 Enjoy!
Made this cake as a delicious present for my mom who’s birthday happened to be on 24 December! All relatives were gathered and everyone loved it!!! Now, this weekend is my grandmother’s birthday and she asks the same cake 😉 (no more cakes from russian stores:))))
Thank you so much for the recipe, Natasha! May God bless you!
That’s so great Alla! I love hearing reviews like this. Thank you for sharing and God bless you! 🙂
I need help! The ganache ran on one side but no where else. The whole cake looks sloppy. And by the way, this is the first Russian cake I’m making 😳 And tomorrow I have guests! How do I make it look presentable and not a disaster???
It sounds like your ganache did not firm up properly. Did you follow the proportions as written out, measuring the chocolate chips correctly? Also, did you use heavy whipping cream and not just regular whipping cream? And finally, did you wait long enough for the ganache to firm up so that it’s not watery? Based on how you’ve described it, I would scrape away any excess chocolate and sprinkle all over with finely chopped nuts to cover the surface of the cake.
Yes. That is what I will do. Cover all the disaster sides with nut powder. Thank you so much!
Everyone loved the cake! Thank you for the recipe. And I covered the uneven sides with a mixture of toasted walnuts and crushed graham crackers. It looked fabulous!
Oh I’m so glad to hear that!! And the idea of adding crushed graham crackers is brilliant! Happy 2017 to you and your family!
Hello!! Im always trying out your cakes!!! Alot of your salads and main courses also!! This cake was a HIT!!! I made your cherry Christmas cake for the same party. That was also amazing!! Thank you for the great recipes. Will tag you on FB for pics as no instagram (: Thank you again!!!
Ksusha, thank you for such a rave review on the cakes and you are very welcome 😬!
Hi Natasha!
My chocolate ganache never thickens like yours. Any helpful tips? I also use milk chocolate chips.. could that be the reason why? Thanks!!
It’s a possibility – I’ve never tried it with milk chocolate. Also, are you weighing the chips and measuring them correctly, plus are you using HEAVY whipping cream rather than just whipping cream? The higher fat content makes a difference in how it thickens. You might try a Tablespoon or 2 less of the cream and see if that solves the problem.
Can I use pecans with walnuts? Or shouldn I just get 2 cups of walnuts?
Hi Oksana, I think pecans would work fine for this recipe if you wanted to substitute.
I made this cake for our family Boxing Day get-together and it was fabulous. Everyone loved it. Thank you for sharing it with us!
I am glad your family enjoys it as much as mine does! Thank you for sharing Carla 🙂
Made this cake for our family Christmas dinner! Everyone loved it! I was worried that the cream would taste way too buttery, however in the cake, you couldn’t even taste the butter! Thanks again for such a delicious recipe! 🙂
I am so happy to hear that! This cake recipe IS so decadent!
Wow omg mmmmm yummm Natasha my mouth is watering right now lmao BTW great job on the video such a natural on camera definitely gotta make this sometime for chanukah thanx for keeping us all up to date merry Christmas happy hols stay warm cheers darlin
Tzivia, thank you for such a nice compliment, you are the best! 😬
Awwww sweet hun cannot wait to try my hand @ this cake
HI Tzivia, Thank you and I hope you love it!! I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend and I want to wish you a very happy New Year!!
Hi I have a question when you freeze your desserts when do you defrost them like I’m planning to make a cake can I defrost it day of or the day before?
Hi Ruslana, it would work to defrost it the morning of your dinner but to be safe, I put it in the refrigerator the night before and now it’s sitting at room temperature for 4 hours since I want the buttercream to soften before tonights big dinner.
K do you think a souffle cake would taste good if frozen too, I wonder if it will affect that type of cake.
I’ve never tried freezing a soufflé cake, so I can’t say how that would work. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
Thank you for your quick reply. Merry Christmas to you guys.
Never mind found the rest of the recipe once i refreshed my page. weird. Sorry about that!!
Oh good! It must have gotten stuck – I’ve seen that happen before. Thank you and I hope you love the cake! 🙂
I’m making this cake right now and for some reason not fully understanding the directions. in the assembly of the cake section, it says to first spoon over the syrup and than the buttercream. What syrup though? I am not seeing the rest of the recipe? Please let me know. Also, I can’t play the video for some reason, says error
Hi Vitaliya, please see the ingredients list:
“For the Simple Cake Syrup (stir these ingredients together):
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 cup warm water
3 Tbsp rum – I used Bacardi golden rum*”
I’m not sure why the player is showing an error – that is strange! What browser and device are you using (desktop, phone, chrome, safari?) I’m not getting an error message but I’d like to figure out what the problem is and get it fixed right away! Thank you for letting me know! In the mean time, if you are still having trouble, try watching it over on our youtube channel.
Hi Natasha! Thank you for all your wonderful work! Just made this cake for Christmas and it will be delicious I’m sure! I’m not someone who bakes, but the video and thorough instructions made it very doable! Now I feel like a proper Ukrainian woman, who can bake a cake! 😉 Merry Christmas to you!
That’s awesome! 🙂 Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi Natasha,
Since I noticed you like to use condensed milk, I just came across a Chocolate Glaze using:
⅔ cup condensed milk and 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped. Stir condensed milk and chocolate in a pot over medium-low heat until melted and shiny.
I haven’t used it yet, but I will give it a try for sure.
Ady
Wow that does sound nice!! If you try it first, let me know how you like it 🙂
Hi Natasha, another masterpiece! Thanks so much. Question: is the sponge pliable? I’m looking for a Buche recipe with walnuts,in and out.
Thank you for that amazing compliment! The sponge is pliable :). I do have this Buche posted but it doesn’t have nuts inside, but I do think it could be adapted since it is basically the same sponge cake base. I hope that helps!
HI Natasha,
Thanks for the Post,
You have done a good recipe that I likes , can I taste it? cant wait !!
its so yummy.
hope to read Your next Post.
Best of luck
😉
Thank you Jack! Merry Christmas 🙂
Oh no! Not vinegar! But Vanilla!!! Or any citrusy juice like white grape juice or apple juice…
made this for my husband’s birthday today, i was looking to make him something he really likes 🙂 this is so good. i never get disappointed with your recipes 🙂 love Natashas kitchen 🙂
I am glad you enjoyed it as much as I do Claudia! Thank you 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for such a wonderful review and Happy Birthday to your husband!! 🙂
Do you freeze it all assembled and decorated? Or just the individual cake layers and then assemble it after it thaws?
You can do it either way. I have the entire cake in my freezer 🙂 and I’m going to thaw it at room temperature for our family Christmas dinner. You can also freeze just the cake layers before applying any syrup or frosting. I place a sheet of parchment between the layers and wrap loosely but fully in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer, making sure nothing is sitting on top of it or it will get deformed (speaking from experience) ;). The the cake layers and assemble when you’re ready for it :). I love having this sponge cake in the freezer for quick cake making! I hope that’s helpful!
How long will it last pre-assembled in the freezer? Do you simply put it in a large enough tupperware?
I can’t wait to try this!
Hi Lamia, yes, it lasts 2 to 3 months. You can put it in a large tupperware. I put it on a plastic platter, wrapped fully in several layers of plastic wrap and froze it. It’s much easier to wrap it without damaging the cake if the cake is refrigerated and firm first.
Yummy. This cake is SOO good Natasha! Great job on decorating. I’m intimidated by choclate glaze and u made it look easy!
It IS so easy Anna and so very decadent! Thank you for sharing your review!
That cake looks absolutely BEYOND, Natasha! Merry Christmas =)
It is so decadent, you would love it! Merry Christmas to you too Sara!
I love walnut and this recipe is so easy and seems delicious! best part i found is the video section and i have noted down all the ingredients to try it later. when i was watching the video i was thinking to skipping the rum and found it in your note that i can replace it easily with vinegar. thank you so much 🙂 i will let you know after making one 😀
It is delicious! Merry Christmas 🙂