Authentic German Walnut Cake Recipe in 75 Minutes

1) 3 cups of all-purpose flour
2) 1 cup + 8 tbsp of granulated sugar
3) 1 cup of pork lard at room temperature
4) zest from a lemon
5) 10 g/0.35 oz of baking powder
6) 10 g/0.35 oz of dried yeast
7) 250 ml/9 fl oz + 200 ml/7 fl oz of cold cow milk
8) 2 eggs
9) 400 g/14 oz of ground walnut core
10) 2 tbsp of semolina
11) some caster sugar for garnishing

1) put the flour into a larger bowl, then add 1 cup of sugar and pork lard
2) grate zest from a lemon in the bowl
3) put baking powder and yeast in 250 ml/9 fl oz of milk, then combine well the ingredients until everything is dissolved and wait about 5 minutes
4) in the meantime, combine ingredients from the bowl by rubbing them just like in the video
5) break and add one egg and the milk into the bowl, then combine again ingredients
6) when the dough is smooth, flour a worktop, place dough on it, and knead it for 1-2 minutes
7) divide the dough into 3 equal parts and stretch them into sheets with a length that fits into the tray you are using
8) boil 200 ml/7 fl oz of cow milk, then add 8 tbsp of sugar and stir to dissolve it
9) when the sweetened milk is bubbling, add ground walnut core gradually while stirring energetically
10) add semolina and combine well ingredients until you get a smooth walnut cream
11) wait until the walnut cream cools to room temperature
12) place about 1/3 of the walnut cream filling over a dough sheet into a thin layer, just like in the video
13) roll the dough sheet and fill as tight as possible, then seal the ends
14) place the German walnut cake into a baking-paper coated tray, then continue identically with the remaining dough sheets and walnut filling
15) break one egg into a glass and beat it up by fork, then brush the walnut beigli all over
16) place the tray in the preheated oven at 180 C/360 F and wait until the homemade walnut cake is golden on top and sides
17) take the tray out from the oven and wait until the cake is completely cold before slicing it up as desired
18) sprinkle over this ground walnut cake abundant caster sugar (optional)

➡️ One of the most popular German cakes is the German walnut cake, which is dense, chewy, and has a strong walnut flavor. The cake is typically topped with whipped cream and nuts and can be served as a dessert or as part of a larger German dessert table. For a festive touch, some serve it with a bowl of fresh berries on the side. You can also drizzle the dessert with German syrup, which is a thick mixture of sugar, lemon juice, and water. Traditionally, the German walnut cake is made with eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and usually some kind of dried fruit. The most common type of fruit used for the German walnut cake is cherries, but apples, peaches, and berries are also used.

📖 Read more about beigli origins here.

➡️ When we think of German desserts, we often imagine dense layers of chocolate cake or rich pies. But Germany has a traditional bakery culture that is actually quite different from that of other Western countries, with a wide variety of cakes, cookies, and pastries. From stollen and lebkuchen to apple pandowdy and pfeffernüsse, traditional German cakes have been pleasing palates for centuries. Since most German desserts are baked fresh, they have a reputation for being soft, fluffy, and delicious.