I love cake like there is no tomorrow.

I was randomly watching facebook food videos when I came across the video to make this recipe.

I didn’t pay attention to the ingredients when I was watching the video, but I knew in my mind that I really really wanted to try it.

Then I actually printed out the recipe, and looked at the steps and it seemed like a mammoth task, but once I broke it down to simple steps it is really a simple easy cake… so soft and  so moist.

A word of advice… When I bought the walnuts for this cake I bought 5 packets to be on the safe side and the cashier looked and me and then at my purchases and then back at me as if to say an now is there a nut convention that she wasn’t aware of… all I could do was smile and blush and hope she wouldn’t take too long to process my payment.

I made two layers so I repeated the walnut cake ingredients.

Ingredients for the walnut cake

200g x walnuts, pulsed in the food processor till nibbler size.

6 x large eggs

1 x cup castor sugar

1 x cup cake flour

½ x tsp baking powder.

Ingredients for the Russian butter cream

1 x tin condense milk.

100g x walnut nibblers

2 x egg yolks.

1 x tbsp. tap water

½ x tsp vanilla essence.

330g x rama margarine.

Ingredients for the simple cake syrup

¼ x cup castor sugar.

1 x cup boiling water.

3 x tbsp. vanilla essence

Stir all the ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved and set aside.

Ingredients for the chocolate ganache

4 x ounces milk chocolate chips.

½ x cup heavy whipping cream

Method for the royal cake

In a bowl, beat the eggs until bubbles start to form, add the sugar and beat  until light and fluffy.

In another bowl, whisk cake flour and baking powder together.

Sift this flour mixture into the egg mixture a little at a time.

Gently fold in your walnut nibblers and pour the mixture into a greased pan.

Pop into a preheated oven and bake at 180 degrees for 25 – 35 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean.

To make the Russian buttercream

In a small pan, whisk together the egg yolks, condense milk, water and vanilla essence until smooth.

Place on a low heat and stir/whisk constantly until the mixture starts to thicken. Do not let this mixture boil.

Remove from heat and let it cool completely till its room temperature. This is known as the custard mixture

Beat the margarine until light and fluffy, add a little of the room temperature custard at a time and beat until well combined.

Fold in the walnuts and set aside.

To assembly the royal walnut cake.

Place one layer of the cake on a serving board.

Pour the simple syrup mixture over this layer.

Pipe some of the custard ontop of this layer.

Sprinkle some chopped walnuts and place the second layer of cake ontop of the walnuts.

Ice the entire cake with the remaining butter cream mixture and pop into the fridge while you make the ganache.

Heat the cream in the microwave till warm.

Pour over the chocolate chips and stir till a smooth consistency is obtained.

Allow to ganache to set at room temperature for about 10 minutes till it is a little thicker, but loose enough to spread and run all over the cake.

Gently pour the ganache over the top of the cake and using an offset spatula move the ganache so that some drips over the sides.

Pipe some butter cream dollops on the top of the cake and top with walnut pieces and chocolate buttons