Nut, almond, and pomegranate seed cake
I made this cake on a day when I craved something simple, but with a different twist from classic recipes. I had some ground walnuts, leftover almonds from another dessert, and half a pomegranate. What I ended up with was a cake with a nice texture, airy, slightly moist, and the pomegranate seeds give it an interesting accent.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes (at 165°C)
Servings: 10-12 slices
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe type: dessert for any day or for morning coffee
Ingredients
6 eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons sparkling water
2-3 tablespoons ground walnuts
6 tablespoons flour
1 pinch of salt
1/2 packet baking powder
1 vial almond essence
20 g almond flakes
seeds from 1/2 pomegranate
1 tablespoon carob powder
Preparation method
1. Separate the eggs, putting the egg whites in a larger bowl and the yolks separately.
2. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and gradually add 3 tablespoons of sugar. Continue mixing until you get a stiff foam, like for meringue.
3. Beat the yolks with the other 3 tablespoons of sugar, add the baking powder, and mix until the mixture becomes lighter in color and increases in volume. Add the sparkling water, almond essence, and ground walnuts. Mix on low speed until combined.
4. Stop the mixer. Start incorporating the egg white foam and flour into the yolk mixture: add one tablespoon of beaten egg white and one of flour, gently mixing with a wooden spoon. Continue until everything is combined.
5. Prepare a loaf pan, greasing it with oil and dusting it with flour.
6. Pour half of the mixture into the pan. In the other half, add the tablespoon of carob powder and mix gently.
7. Sprinkle the almond flakes and pomegranate seeds over the white part in the pan.
8. Finally, drop the carob mixture over the white part in spoonfuls, without leveling it out.
9. Place the pan in the oven, on the middle rack, at 165°C for about 40 minutes. Test with a toothpick – when it comes out clean, it’s done.
10. Remove the cake from the pan after it has cooled slightly, then let it cool completely on a rack.
11. Slice and serve.
Why I make this recipe often
I like it because it’s not at all fussy, and the ingredients are readily available. It keeps well for a few days and doesn’t dry out quickly. The almonds and pomegranate add extra texture and flavor without needing expensive ingredients.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Don’t overmix after adding the flour and egg whites, so you don’t lose the air in the mixture.
- If you’re using pomegranate, choose well-ripened seeds that are not sour.
Substitutions
- You can use cocoa powder instead of carob if you don’t have it on hand.
- Almond flakes can be replaced with other sliced or coarsely chopped nuts.
- Instead of almond essence, you can use vanilla, but the taste will be different.
Variations
- You can add grated orange or lemon zest for extra flavor.
- Pomegranate seeds can be omitted if you don’t have them or don’t like the texture.
Serving ideas
- It goes well with coffee or tea.
- It can be dusted with sugar after cooling or served with a spoonful of plain yogurt on the side.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can the cake be made without carob?
Yes, you can skip this step or use cocoa for the colored part of the batter.
2. Can I add more walnuts?
Yes, but if you exceed 3 tablespoons, the cake will be denser. You can adjust to your preference, but don’t overdo it.
3. Do the pomegranate seeds remain crunchy after baking?
They remain quite firm, they don’t completely soften. If you don’t like this texture, you can add them only at the end when serving.
4. Can it be made in a round pan?
Yes, if you don’t have a loaf pan, it works in a round pan of 22-24 cm. Adjust the baking time slightly if the batter is taller.
5. Can it be stored in the fridge?
Yes, the cake keeps well for 2-3 days in the fridge, but it loses some freshness after that.
Nutritional values
Estimation for one slice (out of 12 slices):
Calories: 130-150 kcal
Proteins: 4-5 g
Carbohydrates: 18-20 g
Fats: 5-6 g
Estimated values, may vary depending on the size of the eggs and the amount of walnuts/almonds used. It is a moderately caloric cake, with some natural fats from walnuts and almonds.
Storage and reheating
The cake keeps well at room temperature, covered, for 2-3 days. If you want to keep it longer, place it in the fridge in a container. It’s not the kind of cake that requires reheating, but you can microwave a slice for 10-15 seconds if you want it slightly warm. It doesn’t lose its texture and doesn’t become rubbery if stored correctly.
This cake is suitable for days when you want a simple dessert with a good texture and some crunch or tartness from the pomegranate. It’s quick to make and versatile enough to adapt based on what you have in your pantry.
I made this cake on a day when I craved something simple, but with a different twist from classic recipes. I had some ground walnuts, leftover almonds from another dessert, and half a pomegranate. What I ended up with was a cake with a nice texture, airy, slightly moist, and the pomegranate seeds give it an interesting accent.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes (at 165°C)
Servings: 10-12 slices
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe type: dessert for any day or for morning coffee
Ingredients
6 eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons sparkling water
2-3 tablespoons ground walnuts
6 tablespoons flour
1 pinch of salt
1/2 packet baking powder
1 vial almond essence
20 g almond flakes
seeds from 1/2 pomegranate
1 tablespoon carob powder
Preparation method
1. Separate the eggs, putting the egg whites in a larger bowl and the yolks separately.
2. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and gradually add 3 tablespoons of sugar. Continue mixing until you get a stiff foam, like for meringue.
3. Beat the yolks with the other 3 tablespoons of sugar, add the baking powder, and mix until the mixture becomes lighter in color and increases in volume. Add the sparkling water, almond essence, and ground walnuts. Mix on low speed until combined.
4. Stop the mixer. Start incorporating the egg white foam and flour into the yolk mixture: add one tablespoon of beaten egg white and one of flour, gently mixing with a wooden spoon. Continue until everything is combined.
5. Prepare a loaf pan, greasing it with oil and dusting it with flour.
6. Pour half of the mixture into the pan. In the other half, add the tablespoon of carob powder and mix gently.
7. Sprinkle the almond flakes and pomegranate seeds over the white part in the pan.
8. Finally, drop the carob mixture over the white part in spoonfuls, without leveling it out.
9. Place the pan in the oven, on the middle rack, at 165°C for about 40 minutes. Test with a toothpick – when it comes out clean, it’s done.
10. Remove the cake from the pan after it has cooled slightly, then let it cool completely on a rack.
11. Slice and serve.
Why I make this recipe often
I like it because it’s not at all fussy, and the ingredients are readily available. It keeps well for a few days and doesn’t dry out quickly. The almonds and pomegranate add extra texture and flavor without needing expensive ingredients.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Don’t overmix after adding the flour and egg whites, so you don’t lose the air in the mixture.
- If you’re using pomegranate, choose well-ripened seeds that are not sour.
Substitutions
- You can use cocoa powder instead of carob if you don’t have it on hand.
- Almond flakes can be replaced with other sliced or coarsely chopped nuts.
- Instead of almond essence, you can use vanilla, but the taste will be different.
Variations
- You can add grated orange or lemon zest for extra flavor.
- Pomegranate seeds can be omitted if you don’t have them or don’t like the texture.
Serving ideas
- It goes well with coffee or tea.
- It can be dusted with sugar after cooling or served with a spoonful of plain yogurt on the side.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can the cake be made without carob?
Yes, you can skip this step or use cocoa for the colored part of the batter.
2. Can I add more walnuts?
Yes, but if you exceed 3 tablespoons, the cake will be denser. You can adjust to your preference, but don’t overdo it.
3. Do the pomegranate seeds remain crunchy after baking?
They remain quite firm, they don’t completely soften. If you don’t like this texture, you can add them only at the end when serving.
4. Can it be made in a round pan?
Yes, if you don’t have a loaf pan, it works in a round pan of 22-24 cm. Adjust the baking time slightly if the batter is taller.
5. Can it be stored in the fridge?
Yes, the cake keeps well for 2-3 days in the fridge, but it loses some freshness after that.
Nutritional values
Estimation for one slice (out of 12 slices):
Calories: 130-150 kcal
Proteins: 4-5 g
Carbohydrates: 18-20 g
Fats: 5-6 g
Estimated values, may vary depending on the size of the eggs and the amount of walnuts/almonds used. It is a moderately caloric cake, with some natural fats from walnuts and almonds.
Storage and reheating
The cake keeps well at room temperature, covered, for 2-3 days. If you want to keep it longer, place it in the fridge in a container. It’s not the kind of cake that requires reheating, but you can microwave a slice for 10-15 seconds if you want it slightly warm. It doesn’t lose its texture and doesn’t become rubbery if stored correctly.
This cake is suitable for days when you want a simple dessert with a good texture and some crunch or tartness from the pomegranate. It’s quick to make and versatile enough to adapt based on what you have in your pantry.