Nut cake with egg yolk glaze

The Chinese Walnut Cake with Egg Yolk Glaze has been in my recipe notebook for years. I make it when I crave something more classic, from the category of desserts that slice beautifully and hold up well. I never mix in chocolate at the end; I prefer the shiny yellow glaze, just as I knew it growing up. A 25x32 cm baking pan is essential for this recipe, as it spreads perfectly and doesn’t cause any trouble when slicing if it cools properly.

Quick Info

Total time: about 1 hour and 10 minutes (including cooling before slicing)
Preparation time: 20-30 minutes
Baking time: 20 minutes for the base + 10 minutes with the glaze
Servings: 20-24 pieces, depending on how you slice it
Difficulty: medium (involves whipping egg whites and glazing at the end)
Recipe type: classic dessert, suitable for platters or more traditional occasions

Ingredients

Base:
250 g soft butter, at room temperature
6 egg whites
1 pinch of salt
200 g flour
200 g granulated sugar
200 g ground walnuts (optional, lightly toasted beforehand)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 packets of vanilla sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder

Glaze:
6 egg yolks
200 g powdered sugar

Decoration (optional):
dark chocolate (grated or in curls)

Instructions

1. Take the butter out of the fridge at least an hour before to soften. Preheat the oven to 180°C (moderate heat).

2. Prepare a 25x32 cm baking pan with parchment paper. Make sure the walnuts are free of shell remnants (even the pre-shelled ones can have some). If you have time, lightly toast them, but be careful not to burn them. Let them cool and then grind them finely.

3. In a large bowl, mix the ground walnuts with cocoa powder, flour, vanilla sugar, and baking powder.

4. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until you achieve a stiff, glossy foam.

5. Using a mixer, cream the butter with the granulated sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes creamy. If you want to speed up the process, you can use powdered sugar, but the slightly grainy texture from the granulated sugar is not an issue here.

6. Start incorporating the dry mixture into the butter, using the mixer on low speed to avoid splattering. If it seems too dry and hard to combine, add 2-3 tablespoons of the egg white foam to help bind the mixture.

7. Once you’ve incorporated all the dry ingredients, stop the mixer and add the remaining beaten egg whites, gently folding with a spatula from the bottom up to avoid losing the air in the foam. Finally, give it a few seconds on low speed just to blend in any remaining unincorporated egg whites.

8. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and level the surface with a spatula.

9. Bake the base at 180°C for 20-30 minutes (20 minutes is usually enough for me). Check that it has risen and is not completely baked, as it will go back in the oven with the glaze.

10. While the base is baking, prepare the glaze: beat the egg yolks with the powdered sugar on high speed until they become pale and fluffy.

11. When the base is almost ready, take the pan out and pour the egg yolk glaze over it, trying to distribute it evenly from side to side. Smooth it out gently with a spatula where there are uncovered spots.

12. Return the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes, until the glaze sets and is subtly browned at the edges. Turn off the oven and let the cake sit for another 10 minutes with the door closed.

13. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing. For cutting, use a very thin-bladed knife or a special kitchen cutter – the glaze is fragile and cracks easily if you press with a thick knife.

14. If desired, grate some dark chocolate or make curls for decoration. I prefer to leave it simple, with just the yellow glaze on top.

Why I Make This Recipe Often

This cake holds up well for several days and doesn’t dry out too quickly. It’s relatively quick for a walnut dessert and doesn’t require complicated techniques. I love that it looks appealing even without decoration. The base remains dense and flavorful.

Tips and Variations

Tips

If you don’t have fresh walnuts, check them carefully to ensure they aren’t bitter.
Cool completely before slicing – otherwise, the glaze will crack.
Use parchment paper so you can lift the base without breaking it.

Substitutions

Walnuts can be replaced with hazelnuts or almonds, but the flavor will differ significantly.
Granulated sugar can be substituted with powdered sugar for the base if you're in a hurry.
White flour can be partially replaced (up to 50 g) with whole wheat flour if you prefer a denser base.

Variations

For a different look, you can mix the egg yolk glaze with a little cocoa or instant coffee for flavor.
The base can be made with less cocoa if you want a lighter color.

Serving Ideas

It slices best when cold, into square or rectangular pieces.
It can be served on platters with assorted desserts or packaged for transport.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does the egg yolk glaze stay soft or harden?
It hardens on the surface but remains slightly creamy underneath if you don’t bake it too long. If you leave it in the oven too long, it becomes dry and cracks easily when sliced.

2. Can I use just the mixer without a spatula to incorporate the egg whites?
For an airy texture, it’s recommended to fold with a spatula. At the end, just a few seconds with the mixer are enough to blend everything.

3. Can I use margarine instead of butter?
The recipe can technically work with margarine, but the taste and texture will change; I only recommend it if necessary.

4. Is toasted walnut necessary?
No, but if you have time to lightly toast them, it enhances the flavor. Be careful not to burn them.

5. What should I do if the glaze cracks when slicing?
Make sure the cake is completely cool and use a knife with a thin blade. If it still cracks, slice with decisive movements without pressing down.

Nutritional Values

Approximately, one slice (out of 24) has about 210-230 kcal. Main macronutrients per slice: 3-4 g protein, 16-18 g carbohydrates, 14-15 g fats. These values are approximate and depend on how large you cut the portions and if you add chocolate decoration.

Storage and Reheating

Store in the fridge, covered, for up to 4-5 days. Do not reheat. The glaze can soften if kept at too high a temperature, but it remains firm in the fridge. It slices best after it has cooled completely. If you need to transport it, keep the pieces in boxes with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.

1. Take the butter out of the fridge in advance to soften it. 2. Line the baking tray with parchment paper. 3. Carefully remove the walnut kernels from their shells, which often break even in vacuum-sealed packages. I crack the walnuts a day in advance because it can be a tedious process. If you wish, you can toast them lightly without burning and then grind them finely once cooled. 4. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients: walnuts + cocoa + flour + vanilla + baking powder. 5. Preheat the oven to 180°C (moderate heat). 6. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are very stiff. 7. In a large bowl, beat the butter with the granulated sugar until the sugar dissolves. If you want it to go faster, use powdered sugar instead of granulated. 8. Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter, starting at a low speed to avoid splattering until fully incorporated. If it becomes too dry, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of the beaten egg whites to make mixing easier. 9. Stop the mixer, pour all the egg whites over this mixture, and fold gently with a spatula using an up-and-down motion. To better incorporate, give a few quick pulses with the mixer at the end; any egg white fragments will disappear, and it's ready! 10. Pour into the lined tray and level with a spatula. 11. Bake at 180°C (moderate heat) for 20-30 minutes; it doesn’t need to be fully baked. For me, it took 20 minutes. 12. While the base is baking, prepare the glaze: beat the egg yolks with powdered sugar until they turn pale and double in volume. 13. When the base is almost done, take it out of the oven and immediately pour the yolk mixture in ribbons from one end to the other, then spread it in places where it doesn’t cover the base. 14. Return the tray to the oven and bake until the glaze sets, about 10 minutes, but watch closely; if it starts to brown subtly at the edges, turn off the heat and leave it in the oven for another 10 minutes. 16. Let the cake cool. 17. Cut it with a kitchen cutter or a knife with an extremely fine blade; otherwise, the glaze will crack and break into shards. DECOR: I prefer it plain, without chocolate on top, simple, yellow, and beautiful. If you wish, you can grate chocolate on top or melt it and mix it with a tablespoon of palm oil or 2-3 tablespoons of milk and draw thin lines as inspired; the skilled ones imagine Chinese ideograms. May it be helpful to you! It cuts perfectly cold with the cutter or a very thin-bladed knife; otherwise, the glaze breaks. Tray dimensions: 25x32cm.

 Ingredients: DOUGH: 250 g soft butter, at room temperature, 6 egg whites, a pinch of salt, 200 g flour, 200 g granulated sugar, 200 g ground walnuts (optional, you can toast them slightly), 2 tablespoons cocoa, 2 packets of vanilla sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder. ICING: 6 egg yolks, 200 g powdered sugar. DECORATION (OPTIONAL): dark chocolate.

 Tags:  nut cake egg yolk glaze