WALNUT CAKE

From the Skagit Valley Herald via Suzanne Butler

You can cut this in half to make an 8” cake.

Serves 12

¾ pound (3 cups) walnuts

1 tablespoon flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

8 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar, divided

Zest of 1 orange

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks

2 teaspoons oloroso (Spanish I think) sherry (I didn’t use it)

1 teaspoon powdered sugar (I didn’t use that either but did sweeten it a little)

1.Lightly butter a 10” spring form pan.  Line the bottom with parchment and butter lightly.  Preheat the oven to 350°.

2.Grind the walnuts in a processor until fine.  Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the ground nuts.

3.Beat the egg yolks until well-blended then gradually beat in ½ cup of the sugar.  Continue beating until the mixture is light and eggs form a ribbon when you lift the beaters.  Stir in the orange zest and vanilla.  Stir in the walnut mixture.

4.Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gradually beat in the remaining ½ cup sugar (I use a little less) and beat to stiff peaks.  Stir a large spoonful of the beaten whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it.  Fold in the remaining whites.

5.Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes until puffed and golden.  Cool on a wire rack.  The cake will fall as it cools.

Combine the whipped cream and sherry.  Sift powdered sugar onto the cake..  Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a spoonful of vanilla ice cream

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