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Moist chocolate walnut cake on glass cake stand with a bowl of walnuts in front.
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Moist Chocolate Walnut Cake

This Moist Chocolate Walnut Cake is topped with chocolate ganache frosting and is rich, soft and packed with nutty goodness!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword 6 cupcakes, 8 inch cake, basic chocolate cake, chocolate cake, donuts, walnuts
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 8 slices
Calories 671kcal

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 cup (150g) plain all-purpose flour, scooped & leveled
  • 1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder, or Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp instant coffee powder
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt, or Kosher salt
  • 125 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup golden or white caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature, (approx. 55g-60g in shell)
  • 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Chocolate Ganache

  • 200 g plain dark chocolate block, use a quality dark chocolate
  • 200 ml heavy cream/thickened cream, or canned coconut cream
  • 1/2 cup walnuts

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat oven to 180ºC (356ºF). Line a round 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, and set aside. NOTE: Alternatively, if you have a non-stick pan, liberally grease it with melted butter and dust it with a light layer of cocoa. This will leave your finished cake with smooth sides.
  • In a medium size mixing bowl, add flour, cocoa, baking powder, coffee, and salt. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, using either electric hand beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attached, add softened butter to the bowl.
  • Beat butter for a few seconds to break it up and it begins to turn creamy. This makes it easier on your beater when the sugar is added.
  • Add sugar. Beat with the butter for 2 minutes until pale and creamy. Scraping down the sides as needed.
  • Add eggs one at a time, beating for 10 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the sides as needed.
  • Pour in milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat for 15 seconds until well combined. Scrape down the sides again.
  • Add half of the dry flour mixture and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides and add the remaining flour. Beat until incorporated, ensuring not to over-beat, just until the flour has combined then turn off the beater.
  • Add finely chopped walnuts and fold gently until dispersed throughout the batter, ensuring not to over-mix. If you over-beat, the cake can turn tough and dense after baking.
  • Pour into the lined pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean and it’s golden all over.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes.
  • Carefully remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache

  • Break chocolate down into squares and place it into a small heat-proof bowl.
  • Pour cream into a small pot and gently warm over low heat.
  • Heat cream until warm and steam starts to come off the surface and small bubbles begin to appear around the edges, do not let it come to a boil. Remove from heat.
  • Pour warm cream over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes.
  • Gently stir the chocolate into warm cream until well combined and smooth.
  • Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes until it has thickened up to a spreadable consistency. Or pop it in the freezer or refrigerator until it firms up. Keep a close eye on it though, once it thickens it will turn solid quite quickly, at which point, it will be difficult to spread.
  • Spread frosting over the cooled cake.
  • Arrange walnuts on the frosting around the edges of the cake or sprinkle them over.
  • Set aside and allow frosting to set.
  • Slice into triangles and enjoy!

Notes

 
  • Use a non-stick baking tin: For extra insurance, I always love to grease my tin with a layer of butter and dust a layer of cocoa. Tap out the excess and pour in the cake batter. This will leave your cake with smooth sides.
 
  • Refrigerated ingredients must be at room temperature before making your chocolate cake: Cold ingredients will not emulsify and blend properly with the rest of the ingredients.
 
  • Do not over-mix the cake batter: It will result in a tough and dense textured cake after baking.
 
  • For the frosting, do not let the cream come to a boil: It will burn/scold your chocolate.
 
  • Pop the ganache in the freezer: While it cools down, the ganache will thicken faster in the freezer or the fridge while you stir it occasionally.
 
 
  • Store cake in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 3-4 days. Transfer to the refrigerator after a few days if needed to keep it fresh from humid temperatures. 
 
  • Freeze the cake by allowing it to completely cool after baking. Do not add the ganache frosting. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap it again in tin foil. Freeze it for up to 3 months. 
 
  • Thaw the cake by removing it from the freezer and placing it in your refrigerator, it’s wrapped up, for a full 24 hours to slowly thaw. 

Nutrition

Calories: 671kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 514mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 857IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 5mg