Celebrate National Baking Week (14-20 October) with some tasty sweet treats from California Walnuts.
From traditional classics like Carrot Cake Loaf, Walnut and Banana Breakfast Traybake and Lemon & Walnut Drizzle Cake, to a quick and alternative bake like Coffee & Walnut Mug Cake, or something a little more indulgent like a Sticky Toffee & Walnut Cake and Brownie Walnut Cookies, there’s a bake that everyone can enjoy!
Each recipe includes the mild, smooth and creamy taste of California Walnuts that also provide a delicious crunch. Walnuts are the only tree nut to contain a rich source of the plant-based omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), 2.7g/ 30g* and one handful offers 4.4g of protein and 1.4g of fibre[2].
Carrot Cake Loaf
Credit: For California Walnuts, by Luce Hosier
Serves: 8
- 325g plain flour
- 20g oats
- 2 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 100g light brown sugar
- 80g demerara sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 300ml dairy free milk
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 35g melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 125g (approx. 3 medium) carrots (grated)
- 100g crushed walnuts
- 50g raisins or sultanas
- For the frosting:
- 200g dairy free cream cheese
- 90g icing sugar
- Preheat the oven to 180c and line or grease a loaf tin.
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, light brown sugar, demerara sugar and baking powder.
- Now in a separate bowl combine milk, vanilla extract, melted coconut oil and maple syrup. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and combine.
- Add 75g of the crushed walnuts, grated carrot and raisins and fold them evenly through the mixture.
- Empty the mixture into the loaf tin and bake in the oven for approx. 45 to 50minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Whilst the loaf bakes whisk together the cream cheese and icing for the frosting and place it in the fridge.
- Allow the loaf to cool completely before removing from the tin, topping with frosting and scattering the remaining crushed walnuts on top. Slice and enjoy!
Prep: 5 minutes. Cook: 2-3 minutes. Makes 1
- 1 medium egg
- 2 tbsp milk
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp instant coffee
- 4 tbsp self-raising flour
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
- 25g California Walnuts, chopped
- Beat the egg in a 350ml heatproof mug with the milk and oil. Blend the coffee with 1 tsp boiling water and add to the mug with the flour, sugar and all but 2 tsp walnuts, mix well to combine.
- Microwave on full power for 2-3 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool.
- Sprinkle with reserved walnuts.
Cooks tip
Coffee essence work just as well as instant coffee. You can also serve with whipped cream and a dust of cocoa powder. Add these when sprinkling with the reserved walnuts.
If you’re baking for family or friends, then you can also try our traditional Coffee and Walnut cake > https://www.californiawalnuts.co.uk/recipes/coffee-and-walnut-cake-by-luce-hosier/
Walnut and Banana Breakfast Traybake
Credit: For California Walnuts, by Luce Hosier
Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 30 minutes. Serves: 9
- 175g walnuts
- 75g dairy free butter (melted)
- 150g oats
- 350g oat flour (blended oats into oat flour)
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 3 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 2 tablespoons of water left for 10
- minutes)
- 170ml dairy free milk
- 50g tahini
- 2 tablespoons of cacao nibs (optional)
- Dairy free yoghurt to serve
- Preheat the oven to 180c and line a rectangular baking tray with parchment paper.
- Begin by mashing the bananas and combining with the melted butter, vanilla extract, maple syrup,flax egg, dairy free milk and peanut butter.
- Next finely chop or blend 100g of the walnuts into fine crumbs. Add to a separate
- bowl along with the oats, oat flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder and cacao
- nibs. Combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and thoroughly combine before emptying
- into the baking tray and flattening down.
- Chop the remaining 75g of walnuts and sprinkle on top. Push them down gently
- into the mixture.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes before allowing to cool slightly and cutting into
- portions. Serve with some yoghurt and enjoy!
Lemon & California Walnut Drizzle Cake
Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 35-40 minutes. Serves: 8
- 100g California Walnut Pieces
- 125g butter, softened
- 125g caster sugar
- 2 lemons
- 3 medium eggs
- 150g self-raising flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- Preheat the oven to 180oC, gas mark 4. Grease and base line a 1 kg loaf tin.
- Place 50g walnuts in a food processor and blitz to a coarse powder, chop a further 25g
- Whisk the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Whisk in the zest of 2 lemons and then whisk in the eggs, 1 at a time. Fold in the flour, baking powder and prepared walnuts to give a smooth batter. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
- Just before the cake comes out of the oven, mix the juice of 1 lemon with granulated sugar. Chop the remaining 25g walnuts and stir into the syrup. Prick the cake with a skewer several times and drizzle over the lemon syrup. Allow to cool a little in the tin before removing then allow to cool completely.
Cooks tip
Try using a mixture of lemon and lime juice. This cake will keep for 2-3 days when wrapped in foil.
Sticky Toffee & Walnut Cake
Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 15-20 minutes. Makes: 12
- Butter for greasing
- 40g custard powder
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 medium egg yolks
- 500ml whole milk
- 50g California Walnuts, chopped
- 320g pack ready rolled puff pastry
- Preheat the oven to 220oC, gas mark 7. Butter a 12 hole muffin tin.
- Place the custard powder, sugar, ¼ tsp cinnamon and vanilla in a medium saucepan and blend in the egg yolks and milk. Gently heat until just boiling, stirring until thickened, stir in half the walnuts and set aside.
- Cut the pastry in half and place 1 half on top of the other, sprinkle with ¼ tsp cinnamon and roll up tightly from the long edge like a Swiss roll. Cut this into 12 equal slices.
- Flatten each pastry round with the palm of your hand and roll out to a 10cm circle then press into the prepared tin. Fill each with the custard.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.
- Allow to cool before removing from the tin and sprinkle with extra cinnamon and remaining walnuts.
Cooks tip: Great served warm with a little cream.
Brownie Walnut Cookies
Credit: For California Walnuts, by Luce Hosier
Serving: 16 cookies. Prep time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 18 minutes
Ingredients
- 140g dairy free butter
- 100g light brown sugar
- 100g caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons of dairy-free milk
- 200g dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 240g plain flour
- 15g cacao powder
- 140g chopped California Walnuts
- Sea salt flakes optional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180ºc and line 2 large or 3 small baking trays. Chop the dark chocolate into chunks and melt 50g of it. Put the melted chocolate to one side.
In a large bowl add the dairy-free butter, light brown sugar and caster sugar. Using an electric whisk to cream the ingredients together.
Add the vanilla extract, dairy-free milk and 50g of melted chocolate and whisk again until combined.
Now add the flour, baking powder and cacao powder and using a spatula combine well.
Save a handful of chopped California Walnuts and chocolate chunks and empty the rest into the mixture. Fold so they’re evenly scattered throughout.
Next split the mixture into approximately 16 balls and place them on the baking trays with plenty of space in between.
Flatten slightly and push the remaining chocolate and walnuts into the tops of the cookies.
Bake in the oven for 16-18 minutes and leave to cool slightly before sprinkling with sea salt flakes and enjoying!
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