Walnut Cake

Name: Walnut Cake
Ingredients: 1 cup Granulated sugar (Originally '0.5 seer' (approx 0.5 lb). Converted to volume.); 1 1/2 cups Semolina (Soji) (Originally '0.5 ratal' (0.5 lb). Converted to volume.); 2 cups Walnuts (Originally '0.5 ratal' (0.5 lb). Fresh, shelled.); 1 1/2 cups Almonds (Originally '0.5 ratal' (0.5 lb). Shelled.); 1 cup Butter (Originally '0.5 ratal' (0.5 lb). Pure butter.); 1 3/4 cups All-purpose flour (Originally '0.5 ratal' (0.5 lb) mill's number 1 wheat flour.); 6 whole Eggs (Fresh eggs.); 2 teaspoons Vanilla essence (Originally '2 small spoons'.); 1 tablespoon Butter (for greasing) (Quantity estimated for greasing the mold.); 1 cup Icing sugar (For decoration. Quantity estimated.)

This rich, historical Parsi-style walnut cake combines the nutty depth of fresh walnuts and almonds with the unique texture of semolina and wheat flour. The preparation involves a distinct method of folding stiff egg whites into the batter in stages, resulting in a dense yet tender crumb perfect for tea time. Finished with a classic sugar icing, it offers a delightful balance of buttery richness and aromatic vanilla.

Ingredients

1 cup Granulated sugar (Originally '0.5 seer' (approx 0.5 lb). Converted to volume.)
1 1/2 cups Semolina (Soji) (Originally '0.5 ratal' (0.5 lb). Converted to volume.)
2 cups Walnuts (Originally '0.5 ratal' (0.5 lb). Fresh, shelled.)
1 1/2 cups Almonds (Originally '0.5 ratal' (0.5 lb). Shelled.)
1 cup Butter (Originally '0.5 ratal' (0.5 lb). Pure butter.)
1 3/4 cups All-purpose flour (Originally '0.5 ratal' (0.5 lb) mill's number 1 wheat flour.)
6 whole Eggs (Fresh eggs.)
2 teaspoons Vanilla essence (Originally '2 small spoons'.)
1 tablespoon Butter (for greasing) (Quantity estimated for greasing the mold.)
1 cup Icing sugar (For decoration. Quantity estimated.)

Instructions

1Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly crush or grind the walnuts into a fine texture. Peel the almonds (blanch if necessary) and grind them as well. Grease a round cake tin with butter and line it with buttered white paper.
2Separate the egg whites from the yolks. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks (stiff froth).
3Take half of the beaten egg whites and place them in a tinned vessel (or large mixing bowl). Add the ground almonds, ground walnuts, sugar, and vanilla essence. Mix well. Then, add the egg yolks and mix thoroughly using a wooden stick or large wooden spoon.
4In the bowl containing the remaining half of the egg whites, gradually mix in the flour and semolina little by little until combined. Add this mixture to the main batter (the nut and yolk mixture) and stir until everything is uniformly combined into a single batter.
5Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, filling it about three-quarters full. Bake in the preheated moderate oven (350°F/175°C) until the cake is a nice red-golden color and cooked through, approximately 45 to 50 minutes.
6Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool. Once cool, trim the top surface to make it level if necessary. Prepare icing sugar (mix with a little water or milk to form a paste) and spread it over the top and sides of the cake.