Walnut Cake with White Mountain Cream and Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup Walnut meats, chopped (Original recipe calls for ⅓ cup.)
• 0.25 cup Brandy (For soaking walnuts, referred to as 'fruit' in the original text.)
• 1.75 cups All-purpose flour (Inferred ingredient for a complete cake recipe.)
• 1.5 cups Granulated sugar (Inferred ingredient for a complete cake recipe.)
• 1.5 teaspoons Baking powder (Inferred ingredient for a complete cake recipe.)
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt (Inferred ingredient for a complete cake recipe.)
• 0.5 cup Unsalted butter, softened (Inferred ingredient for a complete cake recipe.)
• 1 cup Milk (Inferred ingredient for a complete cake recipe.)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (Original recipe mentions 1 teaspoon vanilla, incorporated into the cake batter.)
• 4 large Large egg whites (Original recipe calls for 'Whites 3 eggs', scaled up slightly for a standard cake size.)
• 1.5 cups Granulated sugar (For White Mountain Cream frosting.)
• 0.5 cup Water (For White Mountain Cream frosting.)
• 0.25 teaspoon Cream of tartar (For White Mountain Cream frosting, helps stabilize egg whites.)
• 3 large Large egg whites (For White Mountain Cream frosting.)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (For White Mountain Cream frosting.)
• 4 ounces Semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (For chocolate glaze.)
• 1 tablespoon Unsalted butter (Optional, for a smoother, shinier chocolate glaze.)

Instructions

1. 1Chop the walnut meats into small pieces. In a small bowl, combine the chopped walnuts with the brandy. Stir to ensure all walnuts are covered. Let stand at room temperature for several hours to allow the walnuts to absorb the brandy. This step is referred to as 'Cover fruit with brandy and let stand several hours' in the original recipe, with 'fruit' referring to the walnuts.
2. 2Grease and flour a 9-inch deep cake pan. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
3. 3In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (for the cake), baking powder, and salt until well combined.
4. 4In a separate medium bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for the cake) until well combined.
5. 5Gradually add the wet ingredients from the medium bowl to the dry ingredients in the large bowl, mixing on low speed until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
6. 6In a clean, dry bowl, whip the 4 large egg whites (for the cake) with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
7. 7Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter until just combined. Then, fold in the brandy-soaked walnuts. The original recipe states 'Mix ingredients in order given', which we interpret as incorporating these elements into the prepared batter.
8. 8Pour the batter into the prepared deep cake pan. Bake in the preheated oven for fifty minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The original recipe specifies 'bake in deep cake pan fifty minutes'.
9. 9Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then, invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely. This can take up to an hour.
10. 10While the cake cools, prepare the White Mountain Cream. In a small saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (for frosting), 1/2 cup water, and cream of tartar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat without stirring, until the syrup reaches 240°F (115°C) on a candy thermometer, or the soft-ball stage (a small amount dropped into cold water forms a soft, pliable ball).
11. 11In a large, clean bowl, whip the 3 large egg whites (for frosting) with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer still running, slowly and carefully pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream into the egg whites. Continue beating on high speed until the frosting is very thick, glossy, and forms stiff peaks, about 5-7 minutes. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting).
12. 12Once the cake is completely cool, spread the White Mountain Cream evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Let the frosting set for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or until a light crust forms. The original recipe states 'Cover with White Mountain Cream, and as soon as frosting is set'.
13. 13In a small microwave-safe bowl or a double boiler, melt the chopped semi-sweet chocolate with the optional unsalted butter until smooth. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
14. 14As soon as the frosting is set, spread the melted chocolate as thinly as possible over the White Mountain Cream. Allow the chocolate glaze to set for about 15 minutes before serving. The original recipe states 'as soon as frosting is set, spread as thinly as possible with melted chocolate'.