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Whole Buckwheat and Walnut Cake

17/11/2023

Here is the recipe for a delicious whole buckwheat and walnut cake, a rustic preparation with an intense flavor that combines mountain tradition with a touch of crunchiness provided by the walnuts. This sweet treat is ideal for an energetic snack or to finish a meal with a sweet but not too heavy note.

Ingredients

  • 200 g of whole buckwheat flour
  • 100 g of chopped walnuts
  • 100 g of butter at room temperature
  • 150 g of brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 packet of baking powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon (untreated)
  • Icing sugar (for decoration, optional)

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
  2. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with the brown sugar until fluffy.
  3. Separate the yolks from the whites. Add the yolks one at a time to the creamed butter and sugar, mixing well after each addition.
  4. Combine buckwheat flour, chopped walnuts, baking powder, salt, and grated lemon zest into the cream. Mix well until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.
  5. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, and gently fold them into the previous mixture, using a spatula and moving from bottom to top to not deflate them.
  6. Pour the mixture into a previously buttered and floured cake tin (or lined with parchment paper).
  7. Bake the cake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. If desired, once cooled, you can sprinkle the cake with icing sugar.

Curiosity

Buckwheat is not a true cereal, but a seed of a herbaceous plant belonging to the Polygonaceae family, and is gluten-free. In mountainous areas, such as the Alps or the Apennines, buckwheat has been cultivated for a long time due to its resistance to cold climates and poor soils. The flour obtained from it is characterized by a distinctive and slightly bitter taste, often used in traditional preparations like pizzoccheri and Valtellina’s flatbread.

This cake pairs very well with a cup of tea or a glass of dessert wine. Enjoy your meal!

Whole Buckwheat and Walnut Cake