Orange Walnut Cake with Brown Sugar Rum Syrup

Orange Walnut Cake with Brown Sugar Rum Syrup

Ingredients

Orange Walnut Cake :

• 21⁄ 2 cups toasted walnuts
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Grated zest of 1 large orange
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3⁄4 cup walnut oil
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 21⁄ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 11⁄ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1⁄ 2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Brown Sugar Rum Syrup :

• 2⁄ 3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄ 3 cup dark rum
• 1⁄ 3 cup fresh orange juice

Cooking Instructions: 

1. Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
2. Butter and flour a 10- to 12-cup fluted tube pan and tap out the flour.
3. To make the cake, combine the walnuts, 1⁄4 cup of the granulated sugar, and the orange zest in a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Pulse about six times until the walnuts are very finely chopped, but not a powder. 
4. Whisk the remaining 3⁄4 cup of granulated sugar with the eggs, oil, and honey in a bowl until combined. 
5. Sift together the flour, baking powder,  baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the center. 
6. Pour in the egg mixture and whisk, adding the boiling water as you whisk. (Do not pour the boiling water directly onto the egg mixture, or the eggs may curdle.) 
7. Stir in 2 cups of the chopped walnut mixture, reserving the remaining chopped walnuts. Spread in the pan.
8. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
9. Let cool on a wire cake rack for 20 minutes. Invert and unmold onto the cake rack.
10. Meanwhile, make the brown sugar–rum syrup. Bring the brown sugar, rum, and orange juice just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often to help the sugar dissolve. Cook at a low boil until slightly reduced, about 8 minutes.
11. Place the warm cake on the cake rack over a rimmed baking sheet. In three applications, allowing about 5 minutes between each for the cake to absorb the syrup, brush the warm cake with the syrup. 
12. Pour any glaze in the baking sheet back into the saucepan, and brush over the cake. 
13. Place the cake on the rack over a clean plate, and press handfuls of the reserved chopped walnut mixture evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Gather up any walnuts that fall onto the plate, and press onto the cake. Let cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve.