Ingredients

Cake
Serves 16
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup Rendered Fresh Lard at room temperature
1 tbsp. Black Walnut oil
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
½  cup whole milk
½ cup whole milk buttermilk
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups chopped Black Walnuts

Gravy
½ cup sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 ¼ cups whole milk
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, diced
2 tsp. Bourbon Barrel Foods Aged Vanilla Extract

Directions

For The Cake: Position a rack in the middle of the oven with no rack above it, preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a small bowl and set aside.

Using a hand or standing mixer, cream the butter, lard, oil and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each on is added. Combine the milk, buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl and add to the creamed mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat just to combine. Fold in the nuts.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the counter to level the top of the batter. Bake the cake for 1 hour and 25 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a baking rack before removing the cake from the pan. Let cool completely on the rack.

For the gravy: Put the sugar, cocoa powder and flour in a medium saucepan and whisk to combine and break up any lumps. Whisk in the milk. Put the saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula until it thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. When the mixture is as thick as pancake batter, remove it from the heat. Stir in the butter one piece at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla. (The gravy can be cooled to room temperature, covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days; warm before serving.)

As found in Heritage by Chef Sean Brock, James Beard Award-Winner