Pomegranate Walnut Cake
By America's Test KitchenPublished on November 17, 2021
Yield
Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients
Cake
2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) cake flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ¾ teaspoon salt 1½ cups walnuts, toasted16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened1½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) granulated sugar 4 large eggs, room temperature½ cup whole milk, room temperature2 teaspoons vanilla extractCandied Walnuts
⅔ cup walnuts, toasted2 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 tablespoons water 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses ¼ teaspoon saltFrosting
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 20 pieces and softened2¼ cups (9 ounces/255 grams) confectioners' sugar ⅛ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons heavy cream 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup pomegranate seedsInstructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in bowl.
- Process walnuts in food processor until finely chopped, about 1 minute; transfer to bowl. Process butter, sugar, eggs, milk, pomegranate molasses, and vanilla in now-empty processor until mostly smooth, about 30 seconds (mixture may look slightly curdled). Add flour mixture and pulse until just incorporated, about 5 pulses. Add walnuts; pulse until just combined, about 5 pulses. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 24 to 28 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours.
- Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Bring all ingredients to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until water evaporates and sugar mixture coats nuts and looks glossy, about 5 minutes. Transfer walnuts to prepared sheet and spread into even layer. Let cool completely, about 10 minutes.
- Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add sugar and salt and mix on medium-low speed until most of sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Add cream, pomegranate molasses, and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.
- Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread half of frosting evenly over top, right to edge of cake. Top with second cake layer and press lightly to adhere. Spread remaining frosting evenly over top, right to edge of cake, leaving sides of cake exposed. Arrange candied walnut halves in ring around edge of cake. Spread pomegranate seeds in even layer inside ring of walnuts, covering all of exposed frosting. Serve.
for the cake
for the candied walnuts
for the frosting
Yield
Serves 10 to 12Ingredients
Cake
2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ cups walnuts, toasted
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup whole milk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Candied Walnuts
⅔ cup walnuts, toasted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
¼ teaspoon salt
Frosting
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 20 pieces and softened
2¼ cups (9 ounces/255 grams) confectioners' sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup pomegranate seeds
Ingredients
Cake
2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ cups walnuts, toasted
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup whole milk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Candied Walnuts
⅔ cup walnuts, toasted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
¼ teaspoon salt
Frosting
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 20 pieces and softened
2¼ cups (9 ounces/255 grams) confectioners' sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup pomegranate seeds
Ingredients
Cake
2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ cups walnuts, toasted
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup whole milk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Candied Walnuts
⅔ cup walnuts, toasted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
¼ teaspoon salt
Frosting
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 20 pieces and softened
2¼ cups (9 ounces/255 grams) confectioners' sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup pomegranate seeds
Why This Recipe Works
We thought this pairing of walnuts and pomegranates would also shine in a sweet application and set our sights on creating an elegant layer cake. We fortified a buttery yellow cake with tangy pomegranate molasses and a full cup and a half of finely chopped walnuts; toasting the walnuts deepened their flavor for an unmistakable presence. We tested a few frosting options, but the winner was a simple American buttercream flavored with more pomegranate molasses. We topped the cake with jewel-like fresh pomegranate seeds and stunning quick candied walnuts.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in bowl.
- Process walnuts in food processor until finely chopped, about 1 minute; transfer to bowl. Process butter, sugar, eggs, milk, pomegranate molasses, and vanilla in now-empty processor until mostly smooth, about 30 seconds (mixture may look slightly curdled). Add flour mixture and pulse until just incorporated, about 5 pulses. Add walnuts; pulse until just combined, about 5 pulses. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 24 to 28 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours.
- Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Bring all ingredients to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until water evaporates and sugar mixture coats nuts and looks glossy, about 5 minutes. Transfer walnuts to prepared sheet and spread into even layer. Let cool completely, about 10 minutes.
- Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add sugar and salt and mix on medium-low speed until most of sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Add cream, pomegranate molasses, and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.
- Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread half of frosting evenly over top, right to edge of cake. Top with second cake layer and press lightly to adhere. Spread remaining frosting evenly over top, right to edge of cake, leaving sides of cake exposed. Arrange candied walnut halves in ring around edge of cake. Spread pomegranate seeds in even layer inside ring of walnuts, covering all of exposed frosting. Serve.
for the cake
for the candied walnuts
for the frosting
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