Light fluffy walnut filled sponge is delicately fragranced with rosemary in the cutest mini bundts. These little cakes are then topped in yogurt glaze and home-made honey walnut praline. Walnut, rosemary and honey are a dreamy combination and needs to be tried out! You’re going to love these Walnut Praline Mini Bundts! I know I did!
The temperature here is currently really cooling down outside and this cold weather has me wanting to cook with all the nuts and all the herbs that I can get my hands on. Nuts in baking add the most amazing taste but don't forget herbs.
Rosemary and thyme have to be my two favourite herbs to bake with as they impart an incredible taste to cakes and desserts. In the next couple of weeks I’ll be sharing Chocolate cupcakes with a rosemary buttercream. The buttercream makes the taste out of this world. Incredible! Watch this space!
Walnut Praline Mini Bundts: Sponge
I’ve used a basic sponge batter for this recipe with the addition of greek yogurt to provide the moisture. To achieve a light fluffy sponge I like to beat the butter (room temp butter is imperative) and sugar for at least three minutes.
If necessary, time it. It feels like a long time but doing it for this length of time allows the sugar to push little air pockets into your butter thus allowing it to become light and fluffy. Once in the oven those air pockets will work their magic with the leavened (baking powder) and create a light and fluffy sponge.
Nuts and herbs
As previously mentioned, I like to add both herbs and nuts into my baking. And on top of that they work incredibly together, in both savoury and sweet dishes.
I didn’t want the rosemary to over power the nutty taste, I wanted it there more as a lingering after thought on your palette. I recommend finely chopping it as the rosemary leaves can be quite tough plus we want the subtle taste to infuse into the sponge.
As for the walnuts. I coarsely chop these as I like the crunch in the sponge. However, if you aren’t a fan then I recommend chopping them as finely as you can so that you get the beautiful flavour but not the texture.
Honey Walnut Praline
Praline couldn’t be easier to make. It's essentially just sugar, with a dash of water that heats gently to dissolve the sugar granules. From there the sugar caramelises and turns a golden brown. You then pour it onto a sheet of baking paper, smooth it out and allow it to harden. And then you crack it to your hearts content.
But I wanted to tie in the flavours of the cake into the praline. Rosemary and honey are best friends. They really are, so I wanted to add the natural sweetness and you can really taste it coming through the praline.
The addition of the walnuts were an obvious choice but it's all about layering those flavours in a cake. And the praline on its own is delicious to snack on with those walnuts added to it! (Be careful though- it is sharp when cracked into pieces!)
Check out more of my cake recipes ... and remember, if you make any then be sure to tag me on IG @emmaduckworthbakes. There is nothing that makes me happier than you trying out my creations!!
Chocolate Sourcream Cake with Blackberries
📖 Recipe
Walnut Praline Mini Bundts
Ingredients
Honey walnut praline
- 90 g runny honey
- 140 g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon water
- 60 g walnut halves, chopped coarsely
Walnut sponge
- 240 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 120 g unsalted butter , room temperature
- 170 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120 g Greek Yogurt
- 150 ml whole milk, room temp
- 60 g walnut halves, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
Yoghurt glaze
- 125 g Greek Yogurt
- 240 g powdered icing sugar
To decorate
- 8 whole walnuts, optional
- Small sprigs of rosemary, optional
Instructions
Honey walnut praline
- Prepare a baking tray with a sheet of baking paper lain on top. Lightly oil the baking paper. Oil the blade of a palette knife and set aside.
- In a small saucepan add the honey, sugar and water and warm through over gentle heat until the sugar has melted. Do not stir, just tilt the saucepan from side to side encouraging any sugar granules to dissolve.
- Once dissolved, increase the heat to medium-high and add the chopped walnuts, and without stirring, watch closely as the sugar caramelises to a golden brown colour. This can take up to 4 minutes.
- Once golden brown, pour onto the prepared baking paper and working quickly, smooth the praline across the surface of the paper. Allow to cool and harden. Using a palette knife to lift off the paper, crack the praline into shards and pieces. Divide into half, set aside one half to be used for decorating. With the other half chop finely. This will be added to the batter later on.
Walnut sponge
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Prepare your mini bundt tray. Brush room temp butter into all the nooks of the moulds. Then dust with flour, knocking out any excess.
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time beating until fully incorporated after each addition. Add vanilla extract and greek yogurt and mix until combined.
- Alternating between the flour mixture (3 additions) and the milk (2 additions), mix until fully combined. Fold in the chopped walnuts, rosemary and finely chopped praline until combined.
- Pour the batter in your prepared bundt moulds until each mould is two thirds full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the centre comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes on a wire rack before turning the mould over and gently tapping until the bundts become loose and fall out. Allow to cool completely.
Yogurt glaze
- Add the ingredients to a medium bowl and stir until combined. If the glaze is too thick then add 1 teaspoon at a time of water until you reach the desired consistency.
To decorate
- Spoon the glaze over the cooled mini bundts. Add a walnut, some praline pieces and a sprig of rosemary as decoration onto each mini bundt cake.
All recipes are developed and tested in Metric grams. I strongly recommend that you bake using digital scales for a more accurate result. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.
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