Walnut Mini Loaves

Ingredients

• ¼ cup (30 g) walnuts
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
• ¾ cup (102 g) all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom or freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ cup (120 g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Instructions

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Coat eight 2¼-by-4-inch mini loaf molds with baker’s spray, or butter and flour them. Set individual molds on a baking sheet.
2. Put the walnuts and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a mini food processor. Pulse until the nuts are finely ground and fluffy, stopping before they become oily or pasty. Set aside.
3. Whisk the flour, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom or nutmeg together in a medium bowl.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining ½ cup sugar with the sour cream until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition, then whisk in the vanilla.
5. Whisk in the melted butter with a little energy until the mixture is fully emulsified and glossy.
6. Switch to a flexible spatula and fold in the flour mixture. When the flour has almost disappeared, add the ground walnuts and fold only until the batter is creamy and homogeneous.
7. Divide the batter evenly among the eight prepared molds. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the tops are lightly golden and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool the cakes in their molds for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, plain or with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar.