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Ilse’s Passover Mocha Nut Cake or Simply Ilse’s Cake

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Ilse’s Passover mocha nut cake isn’t just for Passover. Alex and Zoe often requested it for their birthdays.  Try this delicious walnut cake with the best, to die for, mocha frosting ever!
Passover Cake

Passover cakes are traditionally sponge or meringue cakes and are always made without leavening.

Passover cakes are made without leavening because when the Jews were slaves in Egypt they didn’t have time to wait for their bread to rise.

After all when the Pharaoh says go, it’s time to get the hell out of dodge.

Hence we eat matzo, which is made from flour, but has no leavening.

Matzo meal is substituted for flour and matzo cake meal is the same thing but ground finer.

Passover nut cake is traditionally served for Passover as this cake is made with matzo meal.

It also is primarily made with ground or finely chopped walnuts, and eggs and egg whites are used to make this cake rise.

We love the nutty taste of this cake but it’s the mocha frosting that sends this cake over the moon and back.

Alex and Zoe often requested it for their birthday cake so there is no reason to save this for just Passover.

I’m not sure how my Papa Alex fell in love with our beloved Ilse, but I believe it had something to do with her cooking.

I was young when my Bubbe died and I know my Papa was very sad.

However it wasn’t too long until he found Ilse and we all discovered that the way to a man and a family’s heart is through their stomachs.

Ilse was a tremendous comfort to Papa, which made me comfortable too- because if Papa was happy, well, I for one, was happy, too.

Passover Cake

I can only guess what she cooked up on their first date but my imagination leads me to believe that it may have been this cake.

It is a special cake not only because it contains love in the purest form, but also because I have never found any like it.

So don’t lose this recipe! I guarantee you won’t be able to replicate it.

Many years later when I was older I asked Ilse how long she had been making this.

As you will see the secret ingredient in the frosting is hot cocoa mix.

I had no idea they made hot cocoa mix in the 40’s but she informed me they did.

Now something else you must realize-this was before food processors were standard fare in the kitchen, so all those nuts had to be chopped very finely by hand.

Egg whites were mixed with a hand beater. Quite a job and more than I would want to do, but Ilse did it and not just for Passover.

(Yes, this is a Passover cake, because it contains no leavening or flour.) She made it often.

Passover Nut Cake

Now, let me digress and admit something here.

When I was younger, I did not like this cake, but I loved the frosting.

I remember trying to eat around the cake and make it look like I really liked it. But all that does not matter now.

One of the first things I wanted when I got married was this recipe.

It is true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. However it then took me almost 20 years to get the recipe out of Ilse’s mouth!

It was over the phone and well, you can see exactly what I wrote. Now it’s in recipe form so that it can be enjoyed by all.

 
recipe 2
 

One last note. My kids LOVE this cake. I have twins so I bake two cakes each year.

We always do chocolate and we always do Ilse’s cake. And when they came home this year for winter break, it was Ilse’s cake that was waiting for them.

It’s only fitting that in the month of December when Ilse would have been 91, that we use this cake to celebrate her.

It is comforting to know that my kids will be celebrating with this cake for many years to come.

And in doing that Ilse will always be in our hearts and our thoughts. And dare I say- our tummies?  I do believe that would make her very happy.

OK. One more note. Ilse saved the teacup in the photo to give to me at my bridal shower.

It was part of my Bubbe’s china set and has a very special place in my heart.

 

A Few More Passover Ideas:

Chopped Liver

Chopped Liver might not sound good but honestly it is the best. Though I make it just a few times a year and it is basically liver, hard boiled eggs and onion, it is divine. Trust me on this! #Jewishrecipes #choppedliver #appetizers www.thisishowicook.com

23 Recipes for Passover

Almond Butter Tahini Cookies are perfect for Passover Gluten Free and Delicious www.thisishowicook.com #glutenfreecookies #Passover #tahini

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Passover Nut Cake
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Passover Cake

Ilse’s Passover Mocha Nut Cake or Simply Ilse’s Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Abbe Odenwalder
  • Prep Time: 30 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 - 60 Minutes
  • Total Time: 1.5 hours
  • Yield: 8 - 12 Servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Jewish

Description

Passover mocha nut cake isn’t just for Passover. Alex and Zoe often requested it for their birthdays.  Try this delicious walnut cake with the best, to die for, mocha frosting ever!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 large eggs separated with the whites in your mixing bowl. Yolks in another.
  • 2 c finely ground walnuts
  • 1 c sugar
  • 3/4 t almond extract
  • 1/4 t vanilla extract
  • 1/2 c matzo meal

Mocha Frosting
(I do this recipe plus 50% more. You could also double it and then eat the rest with your fingers. Doubled is just a bit too much for this cake!)

  • 2 c powdered sugar
  • 1 envelope Swiss Miss or hot cocoa mix
  • 1 stick butter or margarine
  • 23T of coffee (from a cup of brewed coffee)

Instructions

  • Whip egg whites until softly whipped and then add 1/2 c sugar slowly to make a very thick bowl of stiffly beaten egg whites.
  • Beat egg yolks with whisk until very thick and lemony. Stir in remaining 1/2 c of sugar.
  • Add nuts, vanilla and almond extracts, and matzo meal.
  • Fold in egg whites.
  • Using a spatula scrape into a parchment lined 9” springform pan. Bake at 375 anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour. Insert skewer to check for doneness. It should be clean or with very few crumbs clinging to it. You do not want it to over bake or it will become dry.
  • Cake will probably rise above pan. Cool on a rack. It will fall and actually look quite ugly. That is OK because now you get to make this most delicious frosting.

Mocha Frosting

  • Beat frosting ingredients well in a mixer.
  • When cake is cool, slice through middle horizontally and create 2 layers.
  • Spread the bottom layer with frosting.
  • Carefully replace top half and then frost the entire cake. This is a great birthday cake, not to mention a very special Passover cake. Apparently it is also a great cake to attract future husbands, too!

Notes

I use a 9” springform pan but Ilse used a 10”. I prefer it taller and I also think it stays more moist this way. Keep in mind this is my interpretation of what you see on the above paper.

Matzo meal is not gluten free though I believe many gluten free flours would work in place of matzo meal.

Old Photos but this shows you what the cake looks like split.


DSCN8128 1

Split cake with frosting in the middle. Like I said it doesn’t look pretty until you frost it.

DSCN8129 1

DSCN8133 1

 

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galina

Sunday 27th of August 2023

I know this is a walnut cake, but do you think there are any other nuts that can be used instead of walnuts. That is my most disliked nut :) I really want to try to make this cake...any suggestions??

Abbe

Sunday 27th of August 2023

Try pecans or almonds and let me know. Since there is almond extract in the recipe I am guessing those would work. Hazelnuts would also be perfect! Ilse would love this knowing you were trying it!

kbw

Wednesday 2nd of August 2023

With all due respect to the judges, they were WRONG. The cake, while tender with a terrific nutty bite, is not sweet: it needs the sweet of the frosting. In fact, I ended up doubling the frosting (well, I kept the powdered sugar at 2.5 cups) to get full coverage, and it was **perfect**, Abbe. It was also incredibly easy + quick. I ended up not making it for the dinner party, instead making it for our "goodbye" dinner for our eldest (back to uni). Well, my youngest + I didn't (couldn't) wait, instead had a healthy slice for afternoon snack; his (physical) therapist joined us and I'm telling you she about lost her mind how delicious it is. My youngest, who cannot speak, repeatedly leaned toward the hand I use to feed him, ready for his next bite! That kid is sooo smart, and his mother's son.

Instead of matzo meal I used almond flour. Instead of packets of cocoa mix I used the appropriate amount of tinned Ghiradelli Double Chocolate Premium Hot Chocolate mix.

Most years we go to a friend's house for Passover and I will be bringing this. And probably making it multiple times before then, just for eating!

Abbe + Ilse for the win!

Abbe

Thursday 3rd of August 2023

This is about the nicest thing I have heard! I am so glad you tried it and I am so glad you wrote. It is quick and I love your hot cocoa mix substitution. My cousins took what was left of mine and hubby was sorry he missed out on his since he was out of town. You described this cake so well perhaps I should hire you!

kbw

Friday 28th of July 2023

I'm making your Ilse cake tomorrow for a (small) dinner party and am so excited! I saw you make it on pbs and was intrigued, and then as I was out running errands this a.m. I heard you on cpr and knew it was a sign. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I'm going to poke around the rest of your site now and am sure I'll be having lots of fun in the kitchen! Keep cool, Abbe. (I'm up the 36 from you, in Superior.)

Abbe

Tuesday 1st of August 2023

Hope you enjoy it more than the judges! I have to tell you though that after last week my cousins drove up from Santa Fe to eat that cake! They were here less than 24 hours and even took a piece back for my friend in Albuquerque because she wanted a slice too! If the frosting is too sweet, feel free to stir in some dry coffee crystals and a pinch of salt. And if you have any questions, just holler!

Abbe Odenwalder

Tuesday 19th of March 2013

Definitely a grown up thing but my kids always loved it. It's a good memory.

RonnieVFein

Tuesday 19th of March 2013

Memories of Passover and grandparents and days gone by. You've helped me think of my own. I remember cakes like this. Used to hate them. We never had them frosted. Now I love them. It's a grown up thing I guess.