Honey Walnut Cake with Chocolate Glaze Recipe
Honey walnut cake is an aromatic bake that’s perfect for autumn and winter, when you crave something more substantial. Honey and nuts give it a deep flavour, and a thin layer of chocolate on top adds a touch of elegance. It’s something between gingerbread and brownie, but in a typically Polish version with plenty of walnuts.
It combines the richness of honey and walnuts with a simple chocolate glaze, giving you a cake that feels festive yet is quick to prepare. The texture is moist and slightly dense, perfect for cooler days.
Chef's tips
Use good-quality honey with a distinct flavour – it really comes through in the finished cake. Lightly toasting the walnuts intensifies their aroma and makes the cake even more fragrant.
How to serve
Serve on a dessert platter alongside fresh orange slices or a bowl of whipped cream. It’s also great cut into small bites for a holiday dessert table.
Ingredients
- wheat flour - 250 g
- honey liquid or gently warmed - 150 g
- sugar - 80 g
- butter melted and cooled - 120 g
- egg at room temperature - 3 piece
- walnuts roughly chopped - 120 g
- baking powder about 1.5 teaspoons - 8 g
- ground cinnamon about half a teaspoon - 3 g
- milk - 80 ml
- dark chocolate for the glaze - 100 g
- 30% cream for the glaze - 80 ml
- salt pinch - 1 pinch
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, top–bottom heat. Line a baking tin about 20×30 cm with baking paper.
- Roughly chop the walnuts with a knife. You can lightly toast them in a dry pan for 3–4 minutes, stirring until fragrant, then let them cool.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the sugar and beat with a mixer for 3–4 minutes until the mixture is paler and slightly fluffy.
- Add the melted, cooled butter, honey and milk, and mix briefly on low speed until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and a pinch of salt, and mix.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula or mixer on the lowest speed just until combined.
- Add the chopped walnuts and gently mix with a spoon so they are evenly distributed in the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level the top.
- Place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for about 25–30 minutes, until the top is springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out dry.
- Remove the baked cake from the oven and leave it in the tin to cool completely.
- Prepare the glaze: heat the cream in a small saucepan until hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat, add the broken chocolate and stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Pour the slightly cooled but still fluid glaze over the cooled cake and spread evenly over the top. Leave for 30–40 minutes until the glaze sets, then cut the cake into squares.
Storage
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 4–5 days. If refrigerated, let it come to room temperature before serving so the texture softens and the flavours open up.
This cake always reminds me of long autumn evenings, when the smell of honey and nuts fills the kitchen. It’s simple enough for a weekday, but with the chocolate glaze it looks special enough for guests.
