Walnut Cake recipe

I found this recipe in the Albuquerque Journal this week and it looks like a winner for the holidays. The recipe is adjusted for New Mexico's high altitude so you may have to adjust it to your lower altitude. I've clarified and corrected the lack of clear specific directions in the original recipe.

WALNUT CAKE
Adapted by BumbleBeeBoogie

3/4 pound walnut pieces
1 tablespoon white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
8 large eggs, separated into two bowls
3/4 cup granulated white sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
zest of 1 orange peel (avoid grating the white pith under the peel)
1 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons Oloroso Sherry (a full-bodied medium-sweet sherry)
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Lightly butter a 10-inch spring-form pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and lightly butter the paper.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Pulse grind the walnuts in a food processor until fine. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the nuts to sprinkle over the top of the cake.

Add the flour and baking powder to the walnuts in the food processor and pulse the processor just long enough to thoroughly mix.

In a mixer, beat the separated egg yolks and the water until well-blended. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar. Continue beating until the mixture is light and lemon-colored and the mixture forms a ribbon when dropped from a spoon.

Stir in the Orange peel zest. Stir in the ground walnut mixture.

In a separate mixer bowl, beat the separated egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold a large spoonful of the beaten egg whites into the walnut mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Don't over mix to void losing it's volume.

Spoon the cake batter into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle the reserved 2 tablespoons of ground walnuts over the batter.

Place the cake pan on the center rack of your oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffed and golden.

Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. As the cake cools, it will settle. If you are not serving the cake immediate, when cooled, wrap the cake in plastic wrap or place n a covered cake plate so it doesn't dry out.

Before serving the cake, beat the whipping cream into soft peaks. Whisk in the Oloroso Sherry. Sift the powdered sugar through a small strainer, to remove clumps, into the whipped cream and whisk until blended.

Serve a slice of cake with a dollop of Oloroso whipped cream. Serves 12

PER SERVINGS: 372 calories; 9 grams protein; 22 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 29 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 168 milligrams cholesterol; 7 milligrams sodium.