Walnut Torte with Walnut-Custard Buttercream

Ground walnuts give this Hungarian cake the dense texture that Americans think of when they hear the word “torte.” The catch is that the nuts for the cake must be ground by hand with a rotary nut grinder. Don’t use a food processor, as it doesn’t give the nuts the requisite fluffiness. The frosting is based on a custard, which gives it a rich creaminess that is hard to duplicate or surpass with other methods. Thanks to Ella Szabo for her fine recipe.