Lemon Butter cake recipe
[The referenced Tom is Tom Sietsema, Washington Post restaurant critic]
washingtonpost.com: Tom's Mom's Lemon Butter Cake
(Makes nine 3-inch rounds)
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus additional for the pan
2 cups granulated sugar
8 eggs, separated
Juice and grated zest from 2 lemons
3/4 cup (about 3 ounces) chopped walnuts
2 to 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch metal (not glass) baking pan.
In a bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the butter and sugar until creamy, about four minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Add the lemon juice and zest and beat until incorporated. Gradually add the flour mixture and stir with a spoon just until no trace of flour remains. (The batter should be thick and stiff.)
In a large bowl using the electric mixer with clean beaters on medium speed, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter, mixing until no trace of whites remains. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with the spatula, and sprinkle with walnuts.
Bake the cake until it is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Begin to check the cake for signs of doneness at 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool. When cake is completely cooled, lightly sift confectioners' sugar over the top and use an empty soup can or thin-edged glass to cut the cake into 3-inch rounds. To serve, carefully remove each round to a plate.