August 26, 2013 by Lisa Samples
This post was sponsored by Fisher Nuts and I was supplied nuts and a gift card to facilitate my culinary masterpiece.
Ever since I was a little girl my Gramma (sometimes I called her Grams for short) made me a Toasted Walnut Cake for my birthday. I never wanted any other cake and I never like sharing it either. As a matter of fact every night before I went to bed I would hide the cake so that no one could eat it. Sounds extreme I know but unfortunately I had a close relative who had an eating disorder and one year she ate my cake. Anyway, through the years I knew one thing for certain, in December I would get a piece of my Grammas cake. It was the one and only time during the year that I got to have it and anyone who knows me knows just how much I LOVED this cake! I’m not a huge fan of frosting, but this frosting was lighter and less sweet than others. The cake was always moist and delicious but it was the filling between the two layers that left me craving this cake year round.
Gramma holding my oldest son, Ethan.
As I got older Gramma realized she wouldn’t be around forever and since she never wrote down recipes or measured anything she invited me over to watch her make it. I watched her create the masterpiece and recorded each of the ingredients but since she didn’t measure anything I could only guess as to the amount she used. Honestly, I didn’t take the whole thing that seriously because I just assumed Gramma would be around forever to make my birthday cake for me. I wish I had payed closer attention. I wish I had written down everything she did and saved it, but I didn’t. When I moved out of state in 1988 it was the last time I had my birthday cake and in November 2000 my Gramma passed away taking her recipe with her.
Over the last 25 years I have been trying to replicate her cake, but until now I haven’t even come close. When Fisher Nuts Brand reached out to me earlier this month and offered to send me some walnuts, almonds, and pecans I decided I would try again to figure out the right combination of ingredients for the cake. This time I incorporated the maple into the recipe and it gave it just enough to make me think that Gramma was smiling down on me for carrying on her famous birthday cake recipe. Here is the recipe for her Toasted Walnut and Maple Cake…
Toasted Walnut and Maple Cake Recipe
Recipe Type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Lisa Samples
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 to 8
This delicious cake was what my Gramma made for me every year on my birthday.
Ingredients
- Cake
- ½ cup shortening
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 free range eggs
- 2 ½ cups sifted flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ cup milk
Filling
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup chopped toasted walnuts (recommend Fisher Nut Brand)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 free range egg yolk
Instructions
Cake
- Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together at least 3 times and set aside. Beat together shortening, butter, salt and maple extract. Slowly add sugar until creamed together and fluffy. Add free range eggs and beat well until blended into batter. Alternate milk and flour mixture into batter beating continuously.
- Place a piece of wax paper inside of 8-inch layer cake pans to cover bottom. Spray with butter or baker’s non-stick spray. Pour batter into two pans equally. Bake at 375° for 20 – 25 minutes. Let cool before adding filling.
Filling
- Take walnuts and chop with food processor or place in a baggie and pound gently with potato masher or similar item to break nuts into small pieces.
- Spread chopped walnuts on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 350° for 10 minutes.
- In a double boiler dissolve brown sugar with salt, butter, and maple syrup beating continuously. Once the sugar is completely dissolved add egg yolk and cook until thickened beating constantly for up to 5 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and stir in toasted walnuts. Wait about 15 more minutes and then spread between layers of cake.
Frosting
- Be sure to use a Seafoam Frosting – substitute maple extract for vanilla.
If you are looking for some other great recipes that feature Fisher Nuts be sure to check out their Lemon Blueberry Loaf, Walnut & Blueberry French Toast Bake, Chocolate Raspberry S’mores, andButter Pecan Ice Cream. I am going to try the Butter Pecan Ice Cream recipe next week because it sounds delicious and would be the perfect compliment to my cake!
Lately I have been thinking about her a lot. I miss her. Gramma, this cake is for you.
Comments
Mary Happymommy says August 26, 2013 at 6:48 pm
I’d like to use Fisher Nuts to make carrot cake cupcakes.
- Elena says
August 26, 2013 at 7:56 pm
I use nuts to make muffins
- Elena says
August 26, 2013 at 8:01 pm
commented on this post:
https://www.lifewithlisa.com/iced-zebra-cake-dessert-recipe#comment-41149
- Amanda Sakovitz says
August 26, 2013 at 8:07 pm
I love to make cookies with them
- Jessica To says
August 26, 2013 at 8:24 pm
I like to use their walnuts in my banana bread.
- Jennifer Marie says
August 26, 2013 at 8:29 pm
I like making fudge with them.
- Thomas Murphy says
August 26, 2013 at 8:38 pm
I like to make brownies with nuts in them.
- Tabathia B says
August 26, 2013 at 10:17 pm
I use them to make my cookies and put them on the top of my chocolate cakes
- Jessie C. says
August 26, 2013 at 11:22 pm
I like using nuts for baking.
- Mary Ambrosino says
August 27, 2013 at 6:34 am
I would definitely try your recipe.
- Lisa Brown says
August 27, 2013 at 8:23 am
I use nuts for baking, all kinds.
- Cynthia R says
August 27, 2013 at 12:18 pm
i like to make a pecan pie, thank you so much fisher and life with lisa!
- courtney b says
August 27, 2013 at 4:39 pm
keeps my kids quiet while we are watching tv! lol
- Barbara Montag says
August 27, 2013 at 6:01 pm
I like walnuts in a Strawberry Spinach Salad – thank you.
- Heather Hayes Panjon says
August 27, 2013 at 6:09 pm
I Like To Use Nuts For Baking, Cookies , Pies, Cakes And Brownies !
- Natalie J Vandenberghe says
August 27, 2013 at 11:22 pm
I use pecans and walnuts in my baking–I think nuts make everything taste better! and, I love to toast almonds and put them in salads. Thanks for the giveaway.
- rebecca shockley says
August 27, 2013 at 11:54 pm
I use them as a salty snacker at family event’s
- amy pugmire says
August 28, 2013 at 12:55 am
I love them on a good summer salad
- Ben G says
August 28, 2013 at 9:22 am
These make great snacks!
- Paula Tavernie says
August 28, 2013 at 9:29 am
My favorite use is in Cinnamon Rolls!
- Julie Lynn Bickham says
August 28, 2013 at 2:28 pm
I like to add fisher nuts to my oatmeal!
- Olivia says
August 28, 2013 at 2:35 pm
Thanks for posting your recipe. I am going to try it
- Wild Orchid says
August 28, 2013 at 2:50 pm
I love pecan pie!
Entered the rafflecopter as “Wild orchid”
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com - Cassandra Eastman says
August 28, 2013 at 3:36 pm
Would love to make the caramel, apple, pecan cheesecake!
- Kate F. says
August 28, 2013 at 3:44 pm
I like to use them in brownie recipes.
- Wendy Abbey says
August 28, 2013 at 4:28 pm
my favorite way to us them is straight out of the bag and into my mouth
- Shauntea Crutcher says
I would use them in my cookie recipes.
- Jacob LaFountaine says
August 28, 2013 at 8:11 pm
I like to add them to chocolate brownies to give them a bit of a crunch
- amber says
August 28, 2013 at 9:49 pm
my fave use is to make pecan pie
- Natalie U says
August 28, 2013 at 10:39 pm
Love the walnuts in an apple, walnut and blue cheese salad with raspberry vinaigrette
pedidentalasst at yahoo dot com - KAthy S says
August 29, 2013 at 12:10 am
I like to make Oriental Cole Slaw with Fisher Nut almonds.
- Laura J says
August 29, 2013 at 12:21 am
OH my favorite use it to put the Fisher walnuts in my banana bread!
- Jesselyn A/Jesstinger says
August 29, 2013 at 1:54 am
My hubby is a great lover of nuts – and I use them all – all of the time, especially in baking and for snacking…
… but I’d have to say that we probably enjoy them best and most of all in SALADS. (Especially salads that include fresh and/or dried fruits and cheese – especially blue, goat and feta.
I swear and/or promise that I am (all too) human and am NOT a spammer (I don’t even like or eat the stuff…. ; – )
- Rebecca Orr says
August 29, 2013 at 6:06 am
Caramel apple pecan cheesecake.
- Kelly D says
August 29, 2013 at 6:58 am
I like adding walnuts to brownies, but the entree recipes on their site look great, like the Cashew Crusted Salmon.
- Amanda J says
August 29, 2013 at 8:23 am
I love making granola or topping salads with them!
- gregg deering says
August 29, 2013 at 8:48 am
I use them on cakes.
- Debra S says
August 29, 2013 at 9:22 am
We eat nuts! I keep them out all the time for us to snack on. I put them into our waffles. I put nuts into my banana bread, either walmuts or pecans. We make sticky Pecan buns! I love walnuts in my brownies. Wow, I use a LOT of nuts.
- Lisa Samples says
August 29, 2013 at 9:47 am
I love walnuts in brownies too!
- Matthew says
August 29, 2013 at 9:42 am
I would use the nuts for different variations of Banana Bread…
- Yona says
August 29, 2013 at 10:46 am
I love using nuts in making pies.
- Mary Beth Elderton says
August 29, 2013 at 10:46 am
I love to sprinkle Fisher Nuts on salads several times a week. I also add nuts to things like fried rice.
- Kim Henrichs says
August 29, 2013 at 10:53 am
I absolutely love their pecans! I use them in my mini chocolate chip cookies always.
- Kim Kihega says
August 29, 2013 at 11:00 am
I like to add them into cakes and pies!
- Dana Rodriguez says
August 29, 2013 at 11:16 am
That cake might be my best way!TYSM for sharing~looks delicious!I pinned it
- BETH CLARK says
August 29, 2013 at 11:18 am
In baking and salads
- Adrianne B says
August 29, 2013 at 11:27 am
I would like to use them to make Pecan-Encrusted Honey Salmon.
- Jennifer says
August 29, 2013 at 11:28 am
I like to use them with brownies!!
- Diana Stanhope says
August 29, 2013 at 12:01 pm
I like them in my yogurt.
- debbie campbell says
August 29, 2013 at 12:22 pm
I make banana bread with walnuts
- Sharon Kaminski says
August 29, 2013 at 12:59 pm
favorite use is in the german chocolate cake frosting
- Jen says
August 29, 2013 at 1:16 pm
I like them most for baking cookies.
- Darlene Carbajal says
August 29, 2013 at 1:30 pm
I would just eat them as a snack.
- steve weber says
August 29, 2013 at 1:43 pm
I put them on ice cream sundaes.
- kim burnett says
August 29, 2013 at 2:01 pm
I use nuts to make muffins
- Candice says
August 29, 2013 at 2:40 pm
I put cashews in stir fry dishes and use walnuts in cookies.
- Donna L says
August 29, 2013 at 2:43 pm
I just eat them right out of the bag. It’s my favorite snack.
- Dianne McVetty says
August 29, 2013 at 3:14 pm
My favorite thing is to eat the Fishers Deluxe Mixed Nuts as a snack or use when I make Party Mix for Christmas. Thanks.
- Kristen says
August 29, 2013 at 3:20 pm
I like to put walnuts in my oatmeal.
- Kathie Leveson says
August 29, 2013 at 3:48 pm
I like toasted almonds with green beans as a side dish
- Mary M. says
August 29, 2013 at 4:01 pm
I use walnuts when I cook a banana nut cake with cream cheese frosting.
- Amy Orvin says
August 29, 2013 at 4:24 pm
I love adding them to brownies.
- melissa call says
August 29, 2013 at 4:46 pm
I like using in baking
- Denise Welch says
August 29, 2013 at 5:17 pm
Baking, Cookies , Pies, Cakes And Brownies and eatting them by the hand full
- Danizilla says
August 29, 2013 at 5:18 pm
I like them in almond shortbread cookies
- Beckee says
August 29, 2013 at 5:30 pm
I love to candy te pecans and put them on salad!
- Patty Broderick-White says
August 29, 2013 at 5:40 pm
I like them to make muffins, cakes, and cookies!
- Carl says
August 29, 2013 at 5:52 pm
wow
- Chrystal D says
August 29, 2013 at 6:02 pm
I like making banana nut bread!
- Kelly Nicholson says
August 29, 2013 at 6:02 pm
Leave a comment below letting me know what you favorite use is for Fisher Nuts
cookies and cakes
- Natalie says
August 29, 2013 at 7:06 pm
I use them in oatmeal!
- Sheila K. says
August 29, 2013 at 7:17 pm
I like to make a mix of nuts and dried cranberries and eat them as a snack!
- D SCHMIDT says
August 29, 2013 at 8:00 pm
I love to add them to quick breads and I would love to make Black Raspberry Walnut Torte
- mo says
August 29, 2013 at 8:11 pm
In my ice cream!!!! any nut will do!!
- Chelsea Haga says
August 29, 2013 at 8:14 pm
I would use the nuts to put on as toppings for my greek yogurt! Yum.
- Christy says
August 29, 2013 at 8:32 pm
I like to make fresh pesto
- Linda G. says
August 29, 2013 at 9:22 pm
I like to use the nuts in my brownies and chocolate chip cookies
- Colleen Boudreau says
August 29, 2013 at 9:29 pm
Cookies!
- Betty says
August 29, 2013 at 9:31 pm
love to make banana bread and cookies with Fisher nuts
- Jenna D says
August 29, 2013 at 10:36 pm
I like to add the nuts to the top of my brownies
- FRANK S says
August 29, 2013 at 11:59 pm
snacks
- Tammy Woodall says
August 30, 2013 at 12:28 am
I like to put them in my oatmeal.
- sandra davis says
August 30, 2013 at 12:59 am
i love baking cookies with nuts, my favorite being chocolate chip cookies with pecans.
- Tammy Woodall says
August 30, 2013 at 1:08 am
I left a comment on your Recipe for Honey Barbeque Chicken. URL: https://www.lifewithlisa.com/recipe-honey-glazed-barbecue-chicken#comment-41509
- Sarah Cool says
August 30, 2013 at 1:24 am
i love baking with the walnuts i make a pumpkin walnut bread and i make fudge with walnuts yum!
- Susan Christy says
August 30, 2013 at 1:53 am
I love Fisher Pecans in my brownies.
- Susan Christy says
August 30, 2013 at 1:54 am
Follow you on Pinterest
- Catalina K says
August 30, 2013 at 6:46 am
I like to add Fisher Nuts to my oatmeal breakfast and my green leaf salads.
- Josephine Greco says
August 30, 2013 at 8:14 am
Great prize!
- tracey byram says
August 30, 2013 at 9:40 am
I like using Fischer pecans to make pecan twirls.
- Tara says
August 30, 2013 at 9:53 am
ice cream pie!
- katy says
August 30, 2013 at 10:00 am
I love to use nuts in salads and in my cookies.
- manekeniko says
August 30, 2013 at 10:27 am
I make banana bread once in a while. Crushed nuts are also yummo on top of ice cream.
- Sara M says
August 30, 2013 at 10:44 am
I like to put tons of walnuts in my banana bread, zucchini bread, & in chocolate chip cookies!
- Lesley F says
August 30, 2013 at 11:14 am
I like making coffee cake using them
- Steve Stone says
August 30, 2013 at 12:09 pm
I put them in brownies
- Stacy says
August 30, 2013 at 5:12 pm
I eat walnuts by the handful as a snack, as well as throwing them into salads and into brownies.
- dv8 says
August 30, 2013 at 6:07 pm
I’m a fan of pecan pie.
- Jackee says
August 30, 2013 at 6:36 pm
I like to put them on food for a crunch, especially rice dishes.
- Carl G says
August 30, 2013 at 8:45 pm
I use them in making Banana Nut Bread!
- liz says
August 30, 2013 at 8:46 pm
peanut casserole
- Lisa Samples says
August 31, 2013 at 5:47 pm
Never heard of peanut casserole before…do you have a recipe?
- Amy Lee says
August 30, 2013 at 11:01 pm
Pecan pie is my favorite!
- kolpin says
August 31, 2013 at 9:51 am
i’d use them to either sprinkle in a salad or coat a piece of tilapia with them.
rafflecopteR: daniel
- kim s says
August 31, 2013 at 10:07 am
I like to make homemade trail mix with Fisher nuts! Thank you 🙂
- Patricia Wojnar Crowley says
August 31, 2013 at 11:02 am
I ike sprinkling them on my salad or eating them as a snack!
- Julie Harris says
August 31, 2013 at 12:10 pm
I like to crush them and sprinkle on the top of a healthy stir fry
- Annemarie Z. says
August 31, 2013 at 1:30 pm
I love to use them when I bake cookies!
- Julie says
August 31, 2013 at 1:46 pm
in brownies thanks
- April Yedinak says
August 31, 2013 at 2:35 pm
I like to use them in baking. Especially muffins.
- Robert says
August 31, 2013 at 3:43 pm
Cookies, lots of cookies
- kelley wood says
August 31, 2013 at 5:01 pm
i like to put them in baked goods esp brownies 🙂
- Selinda says
August 31, 2013 at 5:43 pm
applesauce walnut cake!
- Jennifer T. says
August 31, 2013 at 5:50 pm
I love to make pecan sandies.
jtmagmom73(at)gmail(dot)com - Alycia says
August 31, 2013 at 6:13 pm
I use them to make granola!
- Lisa Neutel says
August 31, 2013 at 7:11 pm
I love to make pecan pie with fisher nuts pecans
- Linda W. says
August 31, 2013 at 7:13 pm
I use nuts for baking.
- Michelle Spayde says
August 31, 2013 at 7:40 pm
I love putting nuts on fresh salads.
- Stephanie MacDonald says
August 31, 2013 at 8:08 pm
making cookies!!
- Stephanie Grant says
August 31, 2013 at 8:15 pm
I use them in my Banana Split Cake
- laurie says
August 31, 2013 at 8:38 pm
I MAKE PIES WITH THEM
- Michelle C says
August 31, 2013 at 9:14 pm
I like using the walnuts for making fresh apple cake. Thanks for the chance to win!
mrsmchappell at gmail dot com - michele says
August 31, 2013 at 9:43 pm
chocolate chip banana nut bread!
- Holly Storm-Burge says
August 31, 2013 at 10:30 pm
My homemade Pecan Pie!
- Nataly Carbonell says
August 31, 2013 at 11:04 pm
almond cookies
Mary Happymommy 
Elena 
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Jessica To 
Jennifer Marie 
Thomas Murphy 
Tabathia B 
Jessie C. 
Mary Ambrosino 
Lisa Brown 
Cynthia R 
courtney b 
Barbara Montag 
Heather Hayes Panjon 
Natalie J Vandenberghe 
rebecca shockley 
amy pugmire 
Ben G 
Paula Tavernie 
Julie Lynn Bickham 
Olivia 
Wild Orchid 
Cassandra Eastman 
Kate F. 
Wendy Abbey 
Shauntea Crutcher 
Jacob LaFountaine 
amber 
Natalie U 
KAthy S 
Laura J 
Jesselyn A/Jesstinger 
Rebecca Orr 
Kelly D 
Amanda J 
Debra S 
Matthew 
Mary Beth Elderton 
Kim Henrichs 
Kim Kihega 
Dana Rodriguez 
BETH CLARK 
Adrianne B 
Jennifer 
Diana Stanhope 
debbie campbell 
Sharon Kaminski 
Jen 
Darlene Carbajal 
steve weber 
kim burnett 
Candice 
Donna L 
Dianne McVetty 
Kristen 
Kathie Leveson 
Mary M. 
Amy Orvin 
melissa call 
Denise Welch 
Patty Broderick-White 
Chrystal D 
Kelly Nicholson 
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Sheila K. 
D SCHMIDT 
mo 
Chelsea Haga 
Christy 
Linda G. 
Colleen Boudreau 
Betty 
FRANK S 
sandra davis 
Sarah Cool 
Susan Christy 
Catalina K 
Josephine Greco 
tracey byram 
Tara 
katy 
Lesley F 
Steve Stone 
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dv8 
Jackee 
Carl G 
liz 
Amy Lee 
kolpin 
kim s 
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Julie Harris 
Annemarie Z. 
Julie 
April Yedinak 
Robert 
kelley wood 
Selinda 
Jennifer T. 
Alycia 
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laurie 
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lifewithlisa says:
August 26, 2013 at 1:41 pm
Toasted Walnut and Maple Cake Recipe
My favorite cake in the world, made for me every year on my birthday by my Gramma – Toasted Walnut and
