Lemon-Cardamom Spice Cake

Source: The Step-By-Step Family Cookbook

serves 6

3 tsp. shelled cardamom seeds
2 lemons
1 cup / 125 g ground almonds
1/2 cup / 60 g breadcrumbs
1/3 caster sugar
4 eggs, separated

Shell the cardamom pods, if not already shelled. Grind the cardamom seeds in a mortar or spice grinder to obtain 2 teaspoons of powder.
In a bowl, mix the ground almonds, ground cardamom, breadcrumbs, the rind of the 2 lemons, and the juice of 2 lemons.Mix in sugar.
Beat the egg yolks and add to the mixture.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold them into the mixture, bit by bit.
Pour the mixture into a small cake pan (8" round). Bake in a preheated 375F oven for about 25 minutes. Check doneness with a fork. (The baking time depends on the pan used and the thickness of the batter.) Leave to cool, serve.
In a large bowl, combine the warm rice with all of the vegetables and the vinaigrette. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.

Unusual lemony, dense, spice cake. Good with coffee or tea.