Sand Cake

Directions

1. 1
   NOTE: Recipe states to only grease and flour the bottom of the form, so that the cake will rise evenly and not only in the middle. You are supposed to loosen the sides with a thin sharp knife after baking, before removing the rim!
2. 2
   Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
3. 3
   Brush springform bottom with melted butter. Put in fridge until firm (2 min). Add flour and shake over sink until evenly dusted, shake out excess flour.
4. 4
   Melt butter without browning. You will need it to be liquid, put barely warm.
5. 5
   Mix flour and cornstarch.
6. 6
   Put the eggs, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a large bowl and put this over a water bath (put bowl over a shallow pan filled with hot water, so eggs will get warm without curdling). Beat egg mixture on water bath until thick and heated to 97 F (36 C). Test temperature by bringing a drop of the mixture to your lower lip. It should feel neither hot nor cold (body temperature).
7. 7
   Remove mixture from water bath and beat on low speed until cold again. (You could do this in a cold water bath to quicken the process).
8. 8
   Sift flour/cornstarch over egg mixture.
9. 9
   Pour barely warm butter over eggs/flour.
10. 10
    With a rubber spatula fold flour and butter carefully but thoroughly into egg mixture.
11. 11
    Fill batter in prepared form. Bake in the lower third of oven 30-40 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean, no crumbs attached.
12. 12
    Remove from oven and let cool in form for 15 minutes. Loosen rim with a thin sharp knife and remove from the form. Let cool completely.
13. 13
    Dust with powdered sugar and serve as is, or better, after at least 6 hours (to firm up), half horizontally and fill with any cake filling and top with a topping of your choice.
14. 14
    NOTE: This batter can be baked in a 9x5 inch loaf pan or a bundt form as well, baking time will be longer though, so reduce heat to 350F (180 C).