Polenta Cake

1. Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan to ensure the cake doesn't stick.

2. Brown the Butter

In a small heavy saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Continue to cook it, swirling occasionally, until it turns an amber brown color and emits a nutty aroma. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and set aside to cool.

3. Prepare Almond Mixture

If using whole almonds, combine them with 1 cup of the confectioners’ sugar in a food processor and grind until fine. This mixture can be used in place of almond flour. Sift the remaining confectioners’ sugar, almond flour or ground almond mixture, cake flour, and coarse cornmeal together to remove any lumps and ensure a smooth batter.

4. Beat Egg Whites

Beat the egg whites with the salt in a large bowl using an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. This step incorporates air into the batter, making the cake light and fluffy.

5. Fold Ingredients

Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the beaten egg whites, taking care not to deflate the mixture. Once fully incorporated, fold in the cooled brown butter and finely chopped lemon zest.

6. Bake the Cake

Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.

7. Cool and Serve

Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for about 10 minutes. Then, invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely.