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    Home » Recipes » Cakes, Cupcakes & Cheesecakes

    Published: Feb 21, 2018 · Modified: May 22, 2021 by Paula Montenegro · Income from ads and affiliate links 9 Comments

    Maple Walnut Pound Cake

    Jump to Recipe

    I've been making this maple walnut pound cake for years, decades really, and it's still my favorite of its kind. It was about time I shared it with you guys again!.

    maple walnut pound cake on wire rack, two slices on wooden table

    Pound cakes in themselves are amazing with their dense, tight crumb.

    This has a hefty dose of ground walnuts in the batter which makes it even more interesting. As far as food pairing goes, this maple walnut cake is definite proof that those two are a fantastic match.

    I have a nice, constant obsession with piling up cookbooks and food magazines. When it comes to recipes, I put little marks to remember the ones I like. And I'm proud of my memory in remembering where they came from, even after decades. So I go straight to the place where I'm so certain the recipe is, completely sure of myself.

    Then spend the next three days going through every magazine I own, looking for an unmarked recipe I made years ago that I just have to take another look at because, suddenly, I feel it will be perfect to bake right now, like with this maple walnut cake. So much for the hours spent putting colored bits of paper everywhere.

     
    Maple Walnut Pound Cake on wire rack, sliced on wooden table

    I did find the recipe for the maple walnut cake I remembered, and it is a great one.

    Table of Contents Hide
    Origin of pound cake
    Maple Walnut Pound Cake

    Origin of pound cake

    Pound cake originated in France and was made with only four ingredients: butter, sugar, flour, and eggs. A pound of each! Can you imagine that? Heavy would be a big understatement I imagine. This was before ingredients like baking powder were discovered.

    It is the famous French cake quatre quarts (which means four quarts) due to the number of ingredients and the fact that it was a quarter (or pound) of each.

    Processor with ground walnuts

    Maple syrup (extracted from the maple tree) is not well known here (Buenos Aires). It sometimes makes an appearance at high-end supermarkets or specialty stores, but there's no certain availability. So, when I get my hands on a few bottles of the stuff I don't use them thoughtlessly. It's one of those flavors that's next to impossible to duplicate easily.

    Substituting it is fine in terms of texture, but that deep, smoky, not too sweet characteristic flavor would be missing.

    And I don't want a walnut cake. I want a maple walnut pound cake.

    As with most pound cakes, this one unmolds like a charm and keeps, well wrapped, like a dream.
    The glaze on top gives it another layer of maple flavor, which, in my opinion, there can never be too much.
    Maple Walnut Pound Cake on wire rack, wooden table, cut slice

    Other similar recipes you might like:
    Carrot birthday cake with maple frosting
    Candied pumpkin cheesecake with maple cream
    Chocolate swirl walnut pound cake
    Glazed walnut olive oil apple cake

    Let me know in the comments below if you make this recipe! I’d love to hear what you think about it. Thank you for being here, I appreciate it! Let’s connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

    If you like the recipes in this blog, consider subscribing and getting all new posts by email. As a thank you, we'll also send you a FREE recipe e-book and our Guide to Freezer Baking!

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    Maple Walnut Pound Cake

    Maple Walnut Pound Cake

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    A wonderful pound cake, chock full of ground walnuts and maple flavor.

    • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    • Yield: 8 slices

    Ingredients

    Units

    For cake:

    • 1 ¾ cups (215g) coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
    • 2 ¼ cups (315g) cake flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 ¼ cups (280g) unsalted butter, room tº
    • 1 ¼ cups (250g) sugar
    • 5 large eggs, at room temperature
    • ½ cup pure maple syrup
    • ¾ teaspoon maple flavoring (optional)
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

    For the glaze:

    • 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
    • 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
    • ½ teaspoon maple extract (optional for added flavor)
    • Walnut halves for decoration

    Instructions

    For cake:

    1. Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Butter and flour 12-cup Bundt pan.
    2. Finely ground walnuts in processor.
    3. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl
    4. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
    5. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
    6. Beat in maple syrup, maple flavoring (if using), and vanilla extract (batter may look curdled).
    7. Mix in dry ingredients. Fold in ground walnuts.
    8. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake cake until the top is golden and a tester inserted near the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
    9. Transfer pan to rack; cool cake for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
    10. Drizzle the glaze (below) and let it drip down. 
    11. Place walnut halves on top and wait until it dries before cutting and serving. 
    12. Store leftovers covered in plastic wrap for 2 days at room temperature and then refrigerate. 

    For glaze:

    1. Mix powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of syrup. 
    2. Add more syrup until you have the consistency of thick honey. The glaze should be creamy and smooth. 
    3. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for a few weeks. 

    Notes

    You can sub almonds for the walnuts, but it really is not the same.

    • Author: Paula Montenegro
    • Prep Time: 15
    • Cook Time: 60
    • Category: Cakes
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: International

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1/10
    • Calories: 800
    • Sugar: 42.3 g
    • Sodium: 161 mg
    • Fat: 53.4 g
    • Carbohydrates: 71.5 g
    • Fiber: 3.1 g
    • Protein: 15.2 g
    • Cholesterol: 167.9 mg

    Keywords: maple pound cake, walnut bundt cake

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @vintagekitchenblog on Instagram and hashtag it #vintagekitchenblog

    Adapted from an old Bon Appetit Magazine

    More Cakes & Cheesecakes

    • Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake
    • Red Velvet Bundt Cake
    • Chocolate Kahlua Cake
    • Cinnamon Bundt Cake

    About Paula Montenegro

    I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. The Ninja Baker says

      May 06, 2018 at 1:16 am

      Is it autumn in Argentina because I need an excuse to make this cake! Love the nutty goodness. Brilliant, Paula!

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        May 13, 2018 at 9:09 am

        Yes Kim, autumn, very rainy and humid!

        Reply
    2. Abbe@This is How I Cook says

      February 28, 2018 at 8:03 pm

      I love maple and I've made a maple pound cake too.It is ne of my favorites and now I can't wait to try your version with the walnuts! This sounds delightful Paula!

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        March 01, 2018 at 4:18 am

        Thanks Abbe!

        Reply
    3. Angie@Angie's Recipes says

      February 21, 2018 at 4:01 pm

      Heavenly! I need to bake one too!

      Reply
    4. David says

      February 21, 2018 at 11:30 am

      Wow - I have been in the mood for a bundt cake and I think this is the one. Although I might change to pecans because I have a ton of them (Christmas gift!) and I think they would be an okay substitute for the walnuts. What do you think?

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        February 22, 2018 at 2:30 pm

        I think pecans work even better? Or just as good at least. Nice gift, btw!

        Reply
        • David says

          February 25, 2018 at 8:01 pm

          The cake just came out of the oven and it smells amazing. Question - how much cream is in the glaze?

        • Paula Montenegro says

          February 26, 2018 at 7:29 am

          Well David, I guess you went ahead without me, haha, I'm late with the answer.
          I add 1 or 2 tablespoons. Thanks for the heads up, I will modify the recipe!

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    A baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe finder, sharing the best ones on this blog, with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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