Pomegranate Molasses Butter Cake

Coat a tender butter cake with a pomegranate glaze and candied walnuts, and watch the whole thing disappear.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 ½ cups flour, plus more for dusting pan
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup milk
• 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, plus 1 teaspoon
• ¾ cup granulated sugar, plus 4 teaspoons
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 6 tablespoons light cream
• ¾ cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch-square baking pan, dust lightly with flour and knock out excess.
2. Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine milk and 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses.
3. In a large bowl, cream together stick of butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each until well combined.
4. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk mixture. (Begin and end with flour, and mix after each addition until just combined.)
5. Pour batter into pan and bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, turn cake out onto a rack, and then turn right side up again.
6. Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, cream, and 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses. Brush glaze over cake, letting it drip down sides.
7. In a small, preferably nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, combine nuts, 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses and 4 teaspoons sugar. Stir constantly and watch carefully until sugar melts and coats nuts, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle over top of cake.

Source:  cooking.nytimes.com/recipes