Polenta Cake

* Exported from MasterCook *

POLENTA CAKE

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Italian

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 c Sugar
1/4 ts Sugar
1 Stick butter -- softened,
Unsalted
2 Egg yolks -- room temp
1 t Orange zest -- finely
Grated
1/2 ts Lemon zest -- finely grated
1/2 Vanilla beans, or 1 tsp van
Extract
2/3 c Natural almonds
1/2 c Yellow cornmeal, or course
Polenta
1/4 c Cornstarch (yes 1/4 cup!)
1/2 ts Baking powder
4 Egg whites -- room temp
2 ts Confectioner's sugar
Sweetened whipped cream

Preheat oven to 325. Generously butter an 8" X 1"
square baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and the
butter, egg yolks and orange and lemon zests. Scrape
seeds from vanilla bean into mixture, or add extract.
Using an electric mixer, beat at high speed until
smooth, light and creamy, about 2 minutes.

In a food processor, finely grind the almonds with the
cornmeal/polenta, cornstarch and baking powder.

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the
egg whites with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon sugar until
they form soft peaks. Gently fold the dry ingredients
and 1/2 the beaten egg whites into the butter mixture;
then fold in the remaining egg whites unti just
incorporated.

Gently scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pan
and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top of the
cake is golden and a cake tester inserted into the
center comes out clean. Transfer pan to a cooling rack
for 10 minutes; then invert the cake on the rack and
let cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners
sugar, cut into 6 pieces and serve with topping.
-Richard Sax

Recipe By : From Food & Wine 1994



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