PECAN-CORNMEAL BUTTER CAKES

Pecan-Cornmeal Butter Cakes image

Provided by Julia Moskin

Categories dessert

Time 1h

Yield 8 to 12 small cakes

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

9 ounces unsalted butter, plus extra for pans
1 cup pecans, toasted and cooled
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for berries (optional)
3/8 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
7/8 cup white cornmeal, plus extra for pans
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Berries, for serving
Ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Steps:

In a small pan, simmer butter over low heat until light brown and toasty, 8 to 10 minutes. Strain and set aside.
In a food processor, rapidly pulse pecans, confectioners' sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until finely ground.
Sift flour and baking powder together. Mix in cornmeal and salt. Mix in pecan-sugar mixture.
Whisk egg whites and vanilla together just to combine and whisk into dry ingredients. Whisk in melted butter. Refrigerate batter at least three hours or overnight.
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Thickly butter 10 four-inch tartlet pans or a muffin-top tin. Dust well with cornmeal. Fill each a little more than halfway. If you have extra batter, make a second batch.
Bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool 5 to 10 minutes in pans, then immediately turn out on a rack. Serve warm, topped with berries (if you like, stir with a little sugar and set aside for a few minutes), ice cream or whipped cream.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 426, UnsaturatedFat 13 grams, Carbohydrate 40 grams, Fat 28 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 5 grams, SaturatedFat 14 grams, Sodium 206 milligrams, Sugar 24 grams, TransFat 1 gram