The Mango Lassie

As most of you know by now, I am still in mourning over the demise of Gourmet magazine. In an attempt to channel my sorrow and frustration into something more productive, I’m participating in Gourmet, Unbound, a project that pays tribute to the magazine by tracking down and reviewing recipes from its past. Each month, participating bloggers are selecting one recipe from that month’s issue in any year of Gourmet’s history.

For December, I selected the Walnut Spice Cake with Lemon Glaze, originally featured in the December 1992 issue. The cake has everything going for it. It’s baked in a bundt pan (one of my favorite baking tools), has the lovely seasonal spice cake flavors of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg and incorporates the savory toastedness of walnuts, along with the bright tang of lemon. It would be as good for breakfast as it was served ala mode at one of my family’s many sizeable post-Thanksgiving meals at our beach house in Cannon Beach, Oregon.

The recipe turned out as deliciously as expected, but the lemon glaze was a bit thinner than I’d hoped. Just for appearance, I might add more powdered sugar the next time I make it, although the flavor was there. The only somewhat technical element was the whipping of the egg whites to stiff peaks, which is more a matter of having the right tools (a hand mixer) than having talents. One additional tip that Mango Mama passed along for ensuring your cake comes out of the bundt pan: melt some butter and paint it on with a brush. That way, all the ridges get their fair share of grease.

The cake was all but devoured by the 20-plus people at our party. Mango Mama even added a candle, so everyone could sing a belated happy birthday to me. It was a fitting reminder of the kind of pleasure a successful Gourmet recipe can elicit. Here’s to 11 more months of Gourmet commemoration!

Walnut Spice Cake with Lemon Glaze
For cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1 cup walnuts (3 ounces), toasted , cooled, and finely chopped

For glaze
1 cup confectioners sugar
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Special equipment: a 12-cup bundt pan

Make cake:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bundt pan.

Sift together flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Beat together butter and sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about minutes in a standing mixer or 4 with a handheld. Add yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and sour cream alternately in batches, mixing well after each addition.

Beat egg whites in another bowl with cleaned beaters until they just hold stiff peaks, then fold whites and walnuts into batter gently but thoroughly.

Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top, and bake until a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely.

Make glaze:
Whisk together confectioners sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Transfer cake to a plate, then drizzle glaze over cake and let stand until glaze is set, about 20 minutes.

See my other Gourmet, Unbound posts:
April 2010, Shrimp Scampi Pasta
March 2010, Chicken with Black-Pepper Maple Sauce
February 2010, Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream
January 2010, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Pancetta