Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons / 35g granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup / 94g all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup / 72g dark rye flour
• 1/4 teaspoon / 2g fine grain sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons / 3g freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups / 260g granulated sugar
• 14 tablespoons / 200g unsalted butter, melted and cooled a bit
• 1 cup / 120g walnuts, finely chopped
• to serve: powdered sugar, loosely whipped, lightly sweetened whipped cream, cinnamon

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350F / 176C with a rack in the center. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper, butter it well. A springform pan or one with removable bottom works best for this cake. Sprinkle the buttered pan with the 3 tablespoons of sugar, shaking to cover the bottom and sides completely.
2. Whisk the flours, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Combine the eggs and 1 1/3 cup sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment beat until the mixture nearly triples in volume, until it becomes billowy and frosting-like. This can take a while - 5-7 minutes. By hand, using a spatula, immediately fold in the flour mixture. Add the melted butter, fold and stir until the batter is uniform.
4. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with the walnuts, and bake for 30-40 minutes. I tend to err on the under-baked side with this cake to keep things extra moist, but you definitely want to be sure the center has set. Test with a toothpick or cake tester.
5. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes, remove from pan and transfer to a rack. Allow to cool completely. Sift generously with powdered sugar and a bit of cinnamon. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream if you like!