This nut cake is soft, dense, and full of cinnamon and crunchy walnuts. It’s dusted with powdered sugar and made easily in one bowl.
This nut cake is incredibly soft and dense, with warm cinnamon running through every bite and plenty of crunchy walnuts for texture.
It has a cozy, comforting flavor that feels perfect for fall or any time you want something simple and homemade.
The batter comes together in one bowl, making it an easy, no-fuss recipe you can whip up anytime. Once baked, the cake is finished with a light dusting of powdered sugar that adds just the right touch of sweetness.
It’s delicious on its own, with coffee, or as a quick dessert that always feels warm and inviting.
For more holiday desserts, check out my pecan pie cookies, apple pie cookies, apple crumble cheesecake, and French almond tart.
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Why this recipe works
- Flavor– The warm cinnamon and toasted walnuts give the cake a cozy, rich flavor that feels comforting and homemade.
- Texture– It’s perfectly soft and dense with just the right amount of crunch from the walnuts in every bite.
- Beautiful look– The simple powdered sugar dusting creates an elegant, classic finish that looks beautiful on any table.
- One bowl– The batter comes together in a single bowl, making the recipe quick, easy, and mess-free.
- Versatile– You can easily customize it by adding different nuts or dried fruits, making the cake adaptable to whatever you have on hand.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Butter– Use softened, unsalted butter for this recipe.
Granulated sugar– I like to use granulated sugar, the most common sugar in baking. Caster sugar will work great as well.
Brown sugar– brown sugar complements the cinnamon flavor and adds moisture. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
Egg yolk- you will need 1 egg yolk for this recipe. Make sure your egg is at room temperature.
Vanilla extract– adds warmth and depth to the cake and boosts all the flavors.
Baking powder– allows the cake to rise. Make sure your baking powder is not expired.
Kosher salt– balances the sweetness and brings out the cinnamon and nut flavors.
Cinnamon and nutmeg– I love adding cinnamon and nutmeg to this cake. You can use freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg.
Cornstarch– helps create a soft, tender crumb and keeps the cake from becoming dense.
Cake flour– cake flour makes this cake tender, super moist, and soft. Use your favorite brand of cake flour or make homemade cake flour!
Lemon zest & lemon juice– add brightness and balance the sweetness. Always use fresh lemon for the best flavor.
Vegetable oil– I used vegetable oil for this recipe. Canola oil will work great as well.
Sour cream– use full-fat sour cream for this recipe. Make sure your sour cream is at room temperature.
Buttermilk– gives the cake extra moisture and keeps it soft. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own: mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Nuts– you will need 2 cups of nuts for this cake. I used chopped and toasted walnuts, but you can use your favorite nuts like pecans or almonds.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a bundt pan with softened butter and dust it with flour to prevent sticking.
In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, kosher salt, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric hand mixer until the mixture is light, creamy, and well combined.
Add the room-temperature eggs and the oil, and mix until fully incorporated. Add the sour cream and continue mixing until smooth.
Add half of the flour, the baking powder, and half of the buttermilk. Mix until just combined.
Add the remaining flour and buttermilk and mix again until almost combined. Fold in the chopped, toasted walnuts and mix only until the batter comes together and no dry flour remains—don’t overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely before inverting. Place a plate on top of the pan, flip it over, and gently tap to release the cake.
Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with caramel sauce. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Softened butter, room-temperature eggs, and warm sour cream mix more smoothly and create a finer crumb.
- Toast the walnuts. Lightly toasting the nuts before adding them brings out their flavor and adds a deeper, richer taste.
- Cream the butter well. Take your time creaming the butter and sugars until light and fluffy; this gives the cake lift and a soft texture.
- Measure the flour correctly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. Adding too much flour can make the cake dense.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Once the dry ingredients go in, mix only until the batter comes together. Overmixing will make the cake tough.
- Grease the bundt pan thoroughly. Use butter and flour to coat every corner and detail of the pan to ensure a clean release.
- Check for doneness early. Every oven is different, so start checking at the 50-minute mark. A toothpick should come out clean.
- Cool completely before flipping. Bundt cakes are delicate when warm. Cooling prevents cracking and ensures a clean release.
- Customize the flavor. Add raisins, pecans, almonds, or a touch of orange zest if you want to change up the flavor and texture.
Faq's
You can use many types of nuts in cakes, including walnuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios, and hazelnuts. Each nut adds its own flavor and texture, making the cake richer and more delicious.
To keep nuts crunchy in a cake, lightly toast them before adding them to the batter. This removes moisture and helps them stay crisp even after baking.
The best nuts for baking are walnuts, pecans, almonds, and hazelnuts because they hold their texture well and add rich flavor.
The “best” one depends on the recipe, but walnuts and pecans are the most versatile.
Storing
You can store this nut cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. Keep it in a cool, dry place to keep it soft and fresh.
Freezing
To freeze this nut cake, let it cool completely, then wrap the whole cake, or individual slices, in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil for extra protection.
Place the wrapped cake in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw it in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours until soft and ready to eat.
Substitutions
Dairy-free– To make this cake dairy-free, swap the butter for vegan or plant-based butter, use dairy-free sour cream, and replace the buttermilk with vegan buttermilk or your favorite plant-based milk.
Gluten-free- to make this cake gluten-free, swap the flour with gluten-free flour. I never tried this recipe with gluten-free flour, but it should work just fine.
Variations
Spices– add your favorite warm spices to the batter! Nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin spice, or ginger will all pair beautifully with the cinnamon.
Raisins– add 1 cup (or more) of raisins for extra sweetness and texture. For the best results, soak the raisins in warm water for about an hour to make them soft and plump.
Caramel sauce– drizzle caramel sauce over the cake for a rich, sweet finish that complements the walnuts perfectly.
Different nuts– swap the walnuts for pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts. You can also mix a few types together for more flavor and crunch.
Chocolate chips– fold ½–1 cup of chocolate chips into the batter for a fun twist and a touch of sweetness that pairs well with the warm spices.
Equipment
- Bundt cake pan
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Pastry brush (for greasing the pan)
- Cooling rack
More bundt cake recipes
Cinnamon bundt cake- This cinnamon bundt cake is moist, buttery, and has a tender crumb. It is made with a cinnamon swirl and topped with a velvety cream cheese frosting.
Carrot bundt cake- This carrot bundt cake is made with a soft and moist spiced carrot cake, topped with cream cheese glaze and chopped pecans!
Peach cobbler pound cake- This peach cobbler pound cake is extra soft and moist, is made with all the flavors that peach cobbler has. It has a buttery cinnamon peach topping, and is made with peach puree inside the cake batter!
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. I love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Easy Nut Cake
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup Butter softened, unsalted
- 1 cup Brown sugar light or dark brown sugar
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 5 Eggs
- ⅓ cup Vegetable oil
- ½ cup Sour cream full fat
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 3 cups Cake flour
- 3 teaspoon Baking powder
- 2 cups Walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a bundt pan with softened butter and dust it with flour to prevent sticking.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, kosher salt, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric hand mixer until the mixture is light, creamy, and well combined.
- Add the room-temperature eggs and the oil, and mix until fully incorporated. Add the sour cream and continue mixing until smooth.
- Add half of the flour, the baking powder, and half of the buttermilk. Mix until just combined.
- Add the remaining flour and buttermilk and mix again until almost combined. Fold in the chopped, toasted walnuts and mix only until the batter comes together and no dry flour remains—don’t overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely before inverting. Place a plate on top of the pan, flip it over, and gently tap to release the cake.
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with caramel sauce. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Softened butter, room-temperature eggs, and warm sour cream mix more smoothly and create a finer crumb.
- Toast the walnuts. Lightly toasting the nuts before adding them brings out their flavor and adds a deeper, richer taste.
- Cream the butter well. Take your time creaming the butter and sugars until light and fluffy; this gives the cake lift and a soft texture.
- Measure the flour correctly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. Adding too much flour can make the cake dense.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Once the dry ingredients go in, mix only until the batter comes together. Overmixing will make the cake tough.
- Grease the bundt pan thoroughly. Use butter and flour to coat every corner and detail of the pan to ensure a clean release.
- Check for doneness early. Every oven is different, so start checking at the 50-minute mark. A toothpick should come out clean.
- Cool completely before flipping. Bundt cakes are delicate when warm. Cooling prevents cracking and ensures a clean release.
- Customize the flavor. Add raisins, pecans, almonds, or a touch of orange zest if you want to change up the flavor and texture.
Michelle says
I tried it with yogurt (whole milk Greek)instead of buttermilk and sour cream and regular flour instead of cake flour. Still rose well and nice and moist! Also, since it was summer, I also tried it with zest of two oranges and and orange glaze instead of the cinnamon/nutmeg— also delicious!
Sabine says
I left out the butter and white sugar. It turned out great. Ideal for butter and jam.