Makes 1
| Butter (for the pan) | |
| Flour (for the pan) | |
| 2 | cups flour |
| 1/2 | cup fine white cornmeal (or substitute yellow) |
| 1 | teaspoon baking powder |
| 1/2 | teaspoon baking soda |
| 1/2 | teaspoon salt, preferably very fine sea salt |
| 1/2 | pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature |
| 1 | cup granulated sugar |
| 4 | eggs |
| 1 | tablespoon finely grated lemon rind |
| 1 1/2 | teaspoons lemon extract |
| 1/2 | teaspoon orange extract |
| 3 | tablespoons milk |
| 3/4 | cup chopped walnuts |
| Confectioners' sugar (for sprinkling) |
2. In a bowl, sift the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the granulated sugar in 3 additions, beating for 1 minute after each portion is added. Beat in the eggs, one by one. Blend in the lemon rind, and lemon and orange extracts.
4. On low speed, add the sifted flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing just until each portion is absorbed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often. Blend in the milk and walnuts.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand, scrape the batter into the loaf pan, mounding it slightly in the middle, then smooth the surface lightly with a rubber spatula.
6. Bake the cake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake is clean or has a few moist crumbs when withdrawn. The baked cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the pan.
7. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully invert the loaf onto another cooling rack, then stand the cake right-side up. Leave to cool completely. Sift confectioners' sugar generously over the top just before cutting into slices with a serrated knife. Lisa Yockelson
