I always know when the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are near. Chestnuts start showing up in produce markets. This year I picked up both fresh chestnuts and organic roasted vacuum-packed chestnuts. I have the fresh chestnuts steeping in brandy for a little New Year’s cheer. I made a puree with the organic roasted chestnuts to use in my Rustic Chestnut Cake recipe.
Chestnuts are grown here in Florida on farms and co-ops. The texture and taste of chestnuts are unlike other nuts. When cooked, the texture is somewhat tender but firm—similar to a baked potato. Roasted or cooked chestnuts can easily be broken apart with your fingers. Chestnuts don’t have that earthy taste like other walnuts or pecans. Chestnuts are a little sweet but not as much as a sweet potato.
To cook chestnuts (roast, boil, or microwave), cut a large X in the flat side of the nut. Make sure the X is deep enough to cut through the shell but not the nut. My brother always microwaves chestnuts. I usually boil or roast them, but one year I did try the microwave thing. I didn’t cut the shell deep enough. Once I removed the chestnuts from the microwave, they popped and shot across the house like ping-pong balls. I found chestnut shells all over my dining room and living room for two years. I don’t microwave chestnuts.
You can buy chestnut puree, or you can easily puree them. You’ll need about one pound of shelled prepared (roasted or boiled) chestnuts to make about one cup of chestnut puree. Simmer prepared chestnuts in a saucepan with about one cup of milk or heavy cream until heated through. Remove chestnuts from liquid and place in the bowl of food processor. Pulse the chestnuts adding a little of the milk or cream until mixture is smooth. You can also push the heated chestnuts through a sieve then add milk or cream as needed.
I call this recipe Rustic Chestnut Cake because I’m not too picky about the substance or consistency of the chestnut puree or the ground almonds. I used a food processor to make the puree and to grind the almonds, but finding little bits and pieces of chestnuts or almonds in the cake is delightful.
The finished cake is plain and simple. A light dusting of confectioner’s sugar is more than enough.
Rustic Chestnut Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pureed chestnuts
- 1 1/2 cups ground almonds
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 5 egg whites
- 2 tbsp confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Coat an 8-inch cake pan with baking spray.
- Cut an X on one side of each chestnut. Place chestnuts in a deep pot and cover with water. Boil rapidly for about 20 minutes or until chestnuts are soft. Remove from pot and let rest until cool enough to handle. Remove the shell. Puree chestnuts.
- Separate eggs. Set aside egg whites. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Add remaining ingredients except for egg whites and mix well.
- Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold into mixture. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cool completely. Dust lightly with confectioner’s sugar.
DISCLOSURE
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and buy the product, I will receive a very small commission of the sales price at no cost to you.
this is one cake that either rustic or dressed up looks great and tastes awesome. It is one cake that my grandmother made often and oh so yummy
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This cake looks so simple but beautiful at the same time! I haven’t tried chestnuts before but now I’m curious.
Chestnuts are awesome! I’m sure you’ll love them, too. Thanks for stopping by.
your cake looks absolutely stunning! Thank you for bringing it along to Fiesta Friday!
Happy New Year!
Thank you, and thanks for stopping by.
This sounds really good! Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner Link up!
This cake sounds amazing, I MUST try it. I have never used chestnuts before in any recipe, never knew that they were grown in FL and I am a lifelong resident of FL. Where are they grown in FL, I am assuming in S FL? It is a beautiful cake too, simple but elegant. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you for sharing.
Carolyn/A Southerner’s Notebook
Most Florida chestnuts are grown in northwest Florida. I didn’t know we grew them either until I bought a few bags around Christmastime. It’s part of the Fresh From Florida initiative. I love it! Thanks so much for stopping by.
I’m originally from NW FL, Pensacola and I never knew that. Of course, I haven’t lived there in 47 years so that might explain my lack of knowledge. I haven’t seen any chestnuts in our area at all but will definitely go looking for them. Thanks for the info, I really want to make this cake.
Oh my goodness. This cakes looks so delicious that I think I can even smell it. I can’t wait to make this for my family tomorrow. Thanks for sharing at the #ThisIsHowWeRoll Link Party.
This cake looks so yummy and sounds so good!! I can’t wait to try it!!
This is am amazing cake! Thanks for linkin’ up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Thanks so much for sharing at Celebrate Your Story. A great hearty cake that sounds like it has a rich nutty flavor .
This sounds so yummy! I have never seen chestnuts around here to buy. I’ve only tasted them once. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Pinned!! This sounds amazing!
I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
This looks so so so delicious!!!! I was craving something sweet tonight and didn’t have anything around the house to satisfy my craving. Good thing this wasn’t in my house tonight. I might have devoured the entire thing! 🙂
This is so different and I love everything about it. Thank you for sharing with us at Celebrate Your Story Link Party. Have a great weekend!
Congratulations!
Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday and has been pinned. Enjoy your new Red Plate and thanks so much for sharing with us.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
I’m curious why you have almond listed twice. The 2 almond ingredients don’t seem to be that different. I just made this cake and it seemed really heavy and the yolk and nut mixture was so think that it was nearly impossible to fold in the whites with out totally deflating them even though I did 3 additions. I’m nervous that I just ruined a pound of packaged chestnuts and 3 cups of almonds….help!
Amelia,
The ground almonds replace flour in the cake, so the finished cake is not as spongy. The texture of the chestnuts and almonds (finely ground versus somewhat ground like I used in the recipe) will also change the texture. I’m not sure what you mean by 3 additions. If you’re nervous about the consistency or the texture of the cake, reduce the ground almonds to 1-1/2 cups and finely grind the chestnuts and almonds.
Hi! I haven’t used chestnuts in baking before but i can imagine it will be lovely! What size is your cake pan?
Hi,
I just baked the cake but it seemed to only take 35 mins…. ?The top began cracking and it smelled baked. I had the temp on 350 and the toothpicks came out clean but I’m worried that I’ve under cooked it! It has sunk a teeny but otherwise looks ok. I will find out tomorrow but am wondering if I should recook another one. Would anyone mind sharing what the texture should feel like?
Thanks!