1 Vanilla bean; very finely
— minced OR
1/2 ts Pure vanilla extract
1 c Granulated sugar
3/4 c Unsalted butter; softened
— (that is 1-1/2 sticks)
3 lg Eggs; separated
1/2 c Blanched almonds; very
— finely ground
3 tb Fresh orange juice
1/2 c Yellow cornmeal
1/2 c All-purpose flour
1 ts Baking powder
pn Salt
2 tb Potato starch OR arrowroot
Confectioners’ Sugar (opt.)
“This is a lovely light citrusy cake that keeps well. Serve it with
sherbet or lightly sweetened berries. Makes 8 – 10 servings.”
Lightly butter and flour 9-inch round cake pan. Put minced vanilla
and sugar in blender; blend until vanilla is completely pulverized.
(If using extract, add later with orange juice.)
In medium mixing bowl cream butter until light and fluffy. Using a
sifter to hold back any pieces of vanilla bean that didn’t
disintegrate, slowly sift vanilla and sugar into butter a little at a
time, beating continuously. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating
after adding each. Stir in almonds and orange juice (and vanilla
extract, if using). Stir in cornmeal, blending thoroughly. Set
cornmeal mixture aside.
Mix flour, baking powder, salt and potato starch; place in sifter and
set aside.
In separate bowl beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Stir in about 1/4
of egg whites into batter, then sift about 1/3 of flour mixture over
it. Fold flour into batter. Continue adding egg whites and flour
twice more, foling after each addition and ending with remaining egg
whites.
Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake in preheated 325? oven 30
~ 35 minutes or until cake is golden brown and springs back to the
touch. Cool on rack. Remove from pan.
If using, sift a little confectioners’ sugar over top before serving.
Nutrients per serving: calories 313, protein 4g; carbohydrates 34g;
total fat 18g (saturated 10g), 52% of calories; cholesterol 102mg;
sodium 84g.
SOURCE: Nancy Harmon Jenkins is the author of “The Mediterranean Diet
Cookbook, Bantam Books. She teaches at food writing and history at
Radcliffe.
posted by teri chesser 6/95
Yields
9 servings