1/2 c Blanched whole almonds without skins
1 c All-purpose flour
1 t Baking powder
2 md Carrots,peeled,cut 1/2"piece
1/2 c Unsalted butter, softened
1 c Sugar
pn Salt
3 lg Eggs,separated
1 T Freshly grated lemon peel requires 1 1/2 lemons
1 t Fresh lemon juice
1/4 t Vanilla extract
1/8 t Cream of tartar
Garnish:
Confectioners' sugar
Lemon peel twists
Note:*Make this cake a day or two before you plan to serve it so the mild, not-too-sweet flavor can mellow.
Heat oven to 350 degree F. Grease an 8-inch layer-cake pan. Line bottom with waxed paper. Grease paper.
Put almonds in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to a small bowl. Add flour and baking powder. Stir to mix. Without washing processor, pulse carrots until finely chopped (you will have about 3/4 cup).
Beat butter, sugar and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer, until pale and creamy. Beat in yolks, one at a time. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla. Stir in lemon peel, then flour mixture. When blended stir in carrots.
With clean beaters beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted. Fold whites into butter mixture one third at a time. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
Bake until golden brown and a tooth-pick inserted in center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Invert cake on rack and peel off paper. Place cake right side up on serving plate.
Dust with confectioners' sugar and garnish with lemon twists.
Serves 8.