Walnut Spice Cakes with Molasses Cream Frosting

I made these cakes as the dessert for a steak night potluck get together. I wanted something that was substantial enough to stand up to a strong dinner, but not too overwhelmingly indulgent. This cake is warm, spicy, and nutty and not too dense. It's delicious on its own, but with the addition of the frosting, it really stands out as something special.

Walnut Spice Cake
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup milk
1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted (reserve extra for garnish)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Parchment and grease a 13x9 pan. In stand mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add in honey and molasses and mix until well combined. Beat in vanilla, freshly grated ginger, and then eggs one at a time until homogenous. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ground ginger, black pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Alternate adding dries with milk beginning and ending with dries, in three additions. Fold in walnuts and pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 mins, or until skewer comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan and then turn out onto cooling rack.

Molasses Cream Frosting
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon molasses

Directions
In bowl, sift powdered sugar. In saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in heavy cream and molasses until emulsified. Pour hot mixture over sugar and stir until smooth.

Assembly
With cake still hot and working quickly, spread frosting over cake until smooth. Wait at least three hours until cake has cooled completely and then trim off all edges. Cut cake in 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 squares. Top each piece with walnuts.

Adapted from: Always With Butter