Nut Cake

Split open and fi lled with jam, with a grainy, almost crunchy crumb, this cake is the perfect fi nish after a stew or soup. The cake is easily customized to your taste: use any jam you prefer.

1 cup walnut pieces

3⁄4 cup whole almonds

3⁄4 cup pecan pieces

6 large eggs, separated (see page 19), plus 6 large egg whites, all at room temperature

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1⁄2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons walnut oil, plus additional for oiling the pan

1⁄2 cup all-purpose fl our

3⁄4 cup jam or marmalade of any fl avor you choose: raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, fig, orange marmalade

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

• Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Spread all the nuts out onto a large baking sheet and toast until lightly browned and aromatic, about 8 minutes, tossing frequently. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes, but maintain the oven temperature.
• Place the nuts in a large food processor fi tted with the chopping blade and process until fi nely ground like meal, not a paste. Set aside as well.
• Beat the 12 egg whites and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Raise the speed to high and continue beating until soft peaks form in the place where the beaters are turned off and raised up out of the whites, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside. Clean and dry the beaters. Beat the 6 egg yolks, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a second large bowl until light, smooth, and creamy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.
• Beat in the walnut oil until smooth. Turn off the beaters, add the fl our, and beat at low speed just until moistened, less than 1 minute.
• Scrape down the beaters and remove them. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the ground nuts until evenly distributed.
• Fold in a third of the beaten egg whites until smooth. Then fold in half the remaining egg whites just until they are distributed throughout the batter. Finally, fold in the remaining egg whites very slowly, in gentle arcs, just until they are even throughout the batter but not fully dissolved.
• Dab a little walnut oil onto a paper towel and oil the interior sides and bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Pour and scrape the batter into this pan, smoothing it gently but evenly to the corners without pressing down.
• Bake until puffed and set, until the cake will not jiggle when shaken, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then unlatch the sides of the pan and remove them. Continue cooling until room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Run a long, thin knife between the cake and the pan’s bottom, thereby releasing the cake. Gently slip the cake from the bottom and onto a cake plate or serving platter. Wipe off the knife, then cut the cake into 2 even disks, gently slicing through the cake without tearing it. You may have to remove the knife to clean and dry it while cutting; be patient and gentle.
• Remove the top layer of the cake and set it aside. Spread the jam on the cut surface of the bottom layer. Return the top layer to the cake cut side down. Dust the top of the cake with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.
• To store: Set under a cake dome at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Makes one 9-inch round cake