Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 120 g walnuts, toasted and cooled
- 6 g baking powder
- 2 g baking soda
- 2 g ground cinnamon
- 3 g fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 115 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 80 ml whole milk, room temperature
Honey Glaze
- 120 g honey
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 15 ml water
- 15 g unsalted butter
Fruit Garnish
- 250 g strawberries, hulled and sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 414 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 45 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 27 g
- Sodium
- 319 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Cholesterol
- 82 mg
- Potassium
- 181 mg
- Calcium
- 93 mg
- Iron
- 1.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 36 mg
- Phosphorus
- 134 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 136 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 19 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.22 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.21 mg
- Niacin
- 1.4 mg
- Folate
- 64 mcg
- Water
- 59 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 0 mg
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and grease a 20 cm round cake pan with butter, lining the base with parchment paper.
Pulse the toasted walnuts in a food processor using 1-second bursts until finely ground into a crumbly meal without turning into paste.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground walnuts, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and fine sea salt until uniform.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar with an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until pale and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture along with the vanilla extract, beating with the electric hand mixer until fully emulsified.
Using a silicone spatula, gently fold the dry flour mixture and whole milk into the batter in alternating additions just until no dry streaks remain.
Spread the batter evenly into the lined 20 cm round cake pan using the silicone spatula, then bake at 175°C (350°F) for 32 to 35 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center emerges clean.
While the cake is baking, combine the honey, lemon juice, water, and unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer for 3 minutes until smooth and fluid.
Remove the baked cake from the oven, immediately prick the top surface across several spots with a toothpick or cake tester, and brush half of the warm honey glaze over the surface with a pastry brush.
Cool the glazed cake in the pan on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto the rack, peel off the parchment paper, and set upright to cool completely.
On a cutting board, trim the green hulls from the strawberries and cut them into thin slices using a chef's knife.
Arrange the sliced strawberries across the top of the cooled cake, then drizzle the remaining honey glaze evenly over the fruit and cake slices immediately before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes prior to grinding drives off dampness and imparts a deep, roasted flavor without walnut bitterness.
- Selecting a floral honey such as orange blossom or wildflower balances the earthy density of ground walnuts and complements the tart brightness of strawberries.
- Allow both the eggs and whole milk to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before starting so the butter emulsion does not curdle during mixing.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store cake in an airtight container. Keep sliced strawberries separate to prevent excess moisture from softening the cake crumb.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze unglazed cake securely wrapped in parchment and foil. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before applying fresh glaze. Do not freeze fresh strawberries.
Reheating: Serve at room temperature, or warm single slices in a preheated oven at 150°C (300°F) for 5 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Cake texture is dense, heavy, or rubbery
Cause: The batter was overmixed after flour addition, activating excess gluten, or walnuts were ground into oily butter
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked; serve in thinner slices alongside plenty of berries and glaze
Prevention: Fold dry ingredients with a gentle lifting motion only until combined; pulse walnuts in short bursts
Honey glaze sits on top of cake and pools rather than soaking in
Cause: The cake was allowed to cool completely before the initial glaze application, or insufficient holes were poked
Fix: Warm the glaze slightly in a saucepan, prick shallow holes with a toothpick, and gently brush on
Prevention: Apply the initial warm glaze while the cake is freshly pulled from the oven and warm
Berries release excess juice and make the cake soggy
Cause: Strawberries were arranged on the cake hours ahead of time with honey applied prematurely
Fix: Cannot unsoak cake; blot excess moisture with a paper towel and serve promptly
Prevention: Slice and arrange fresh strawberries right before plating
Cultural Context
Nut and honey cakes possess deep historical significance across Mediterranean and Levantine baking, from classical Greek karidopita to ancient Roman honey-nut loaves. Before refined cane sugar became commonplace, honey was revered as both the primary sweetener and an effective natural humectant that kept dense nut cakes moist in dry climates. Pairing this heritage combination with fresh seasonal strawberries introduces modern acidity that balances the rich, caramelized notes of the honey glaze.
