Walnut Bundt Cake - Traditional Balkan Yeast Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Walnut Bundt Cake - Traditional Balkan Yeast Recipe

This traditional Balkan Walnut Bundt Cake is made with a rich yeast dough for a tender, buttery crumb. Filled with chopped walnuts and baked until golden, it’s perfect for holidays, Sunday gatherings, or enjoying with coffee or tea.

Prep Time1

Cook Time50

Total Time1 50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Serbian

Servings:

Calories: 408kcal

Author: Nataša

Equipment

stand mixer (or hand-held mixer with a medium-size bowl)
spatula
bundt cake pan
wire cooling rack

Ingredients

4 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs (room temperature)
18 tablespoon unsalted butter (plus more for coating the bundt pan)
2 tablespoon cocoa powder
½ cup chopped walnuts
9 tablespoon warm milk
1 ½ teaspoon active dry yeast

Instructions

Activate the yeast: In a small cup, combine warm milk, active dry yeast, a spoonful of flour, and a pinch of sugar. Stir to combine, then let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
9 tablespoon warm milk
1 ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
Mix the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the remaining flour, sugar, eggs, melted butter, and salt. Pour in the activated yeast mixture. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, then slightly increase the speed and mix until smooth. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
4 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
18 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt
Prepare cocoa batter: Divide the batter in half. To one half, add cocoa powder and stir until fully combined.
2 tablespoon cocoa powder
Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Generously grease a bundt pan with butter, then dust it with flour, tilting to coat all sides evenly. Shake off any excess flour before pouring in the batter.
Layer the batter: Pour the plain batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly across the bottom. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top. Then, add the cocoa batter and smooth it out evenly.
½ cup chopped walnuts
Bake: Bake for 40 minutes. Test with a wooden skewer; if the center remains too soft, lower the temperature to 370°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 5–10 minutes.
Cool and finish: Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully turn the bundt cake out of the pan, then let it cool for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

Use room-temperature ingredients for a smoother batter and better rise.
Shake off excess flour from the bundt pan to avoid a thick coating on the cake.
Start checking for doneness at 40 minutes; bake longer only if needed.
Let the cake cool before slicing to keep it moist and tender.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Nutrition