German Walnut Kuchen is a delicious traditional German pastry with rich buttery dough topped with a layer of sweet walnut filling. Although “Kuchen” translates to “cake” in German, this treat resembles a cookie bar.
This recipe comes from a Chilean cookbook, “Cocina de Mercado. ” The kuchen is light and not overly sweet, best enjoyed with coffee. My USA friends called it cake and liked it.
I grew up in one of Chile’s major walnut-producing regions, which included the O’Higgins, Maule, and Bio Bio regions. The walnut harvest in Chile typically occurs in the spring and early summer months of the Southern Hemisphere, with nuts ready for harvest from late December to February. Walnuts are abundant just in time to bake for the Holidays.
“Kuchen” is the German word for cake, and it refers to various traditional German cakes and pastries. German Kuchens can come in numerous forms, flavors, and textures, often enjoyed with coffee or tea. Here are a few examples of popular German Kuchens:
- Apfelkuchen (Apple Cake): This is a classic German apple cake made with fresh apples, cinnamon, and sometimes a crumb topping. It’s a favorite during the fall season.
- Streuselkuchen: Streuselkuchen is a type of coffee cake with a crumbly streusel topping. The topping usually consists of flour, sugar, and butter, adding a delicious texture to the cake.
- Käsekuchen (Cheesecake): German cheesecake differs slightly from the American version. It is often made with quark, a fresh dairy product, resulting in a lighter and less sweet cheesecake.
German Walnut Kuchen
It is an easy and delicious cake.
- Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Yield: 16
Ingredients
For the dough,
- 115 grams of butter
- 150 grams of granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 200 grams of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
For the filling,
- 300 grams of chopped walnuts
- 1 can condensed milk
- 1 egg
- 115 grams butter, melted
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C or 350F.
- Butter a round cake pan of 22 cm in diameter (9″) or 20×20 square (9″x 9″).
- In a medium bowl, beat the butter with a fork until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until creamy. Add the egg and beat well until incorporated fully. Add the flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix to form a soft dough. Scoop the batter into the pan and spread with a spoon or wet fingers.
- Form an even layer and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.
- For the filling, chop the nuts, which should be pretty small, as seen in the picture.
- Mix the nuts with the condensed milk, egg, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Stir to mix. Add the melted butter and stir well.
- Pour over baked dough (hot) and cover the pan with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove gently and carefully the foil.
- Bake 10-13 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack and refrigerate before cutting and serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven-baked
- Cuisine: Chilean
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 396
- Sugar: 23.3 g
- Sodium: 62.1 mg
- Fat: 26.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 35.1 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 7 g
A terrific recipe, love the flavors.
Love walnuts and this recipe is one of my favourites, thanks Pilar.
Wonderful. Thanks Barbara.
OMG….. So yummy
I miss you sis…
Estás en mi corazón, siempre fuiste buena hermana… la mejor