posted by Pat T 04-11-101 6:26 AM
Nutmeg Cake with Lemon-Mace Sauce
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. grated nutmeg
1 egg
1 cup sour cream
3 oz. chopped walnuts
7-1/2 Tblsp. honey
Salt
1-1/2 Tblsp. cornstarch
2 Tblsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 Tblsp. unsalted butter
Pinch of ground mace
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees; butter a 9-inch cake pan.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, superfine sugar, and brown sugar. Add the butter and cut with a pastry blender until it forms coarse crumbs. (Alternatively, blend in a food processor.) Press half of this mixture into the cake pan.
To the remaining half, add the soda, nutmeg, egg, and sour cream; mix to blend. Pour this on top of the crumbs in the pan and sprinkle with the walnuts. Place in the oven and bake until the sides of the cake come away from the pan, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly in the pan placed on a wire rack, then turn out.
For the sauce, combine the honey and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and heat gently to melt. Dissolve the cornstarch in the lemon juice and add to the honey, along with 1 cup water. Bring gently to a boil, stirring constantly until thick. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, butter, and mace.
Slice the cake while warm and serve immediately with the sauce. Servings: 6.