Almond Cornmeal Pound Cake

For batter amounts for pans, see under ingredients; this recipe can be multiplied. 

8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
1 cup cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for dusting
1/3 cup almond paste (3¼ oz)
2/3 cup plus 4½ tsp. sugar
2/3 cup milk
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature, separated
½ cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp.sea salt
Batter for each 3" deep pans: 7", 1½ cups; 11", 6 cups; 16", 9 cups

Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack in the lower third. Butter pans; line with parchment paper. Butter linings; dust with flour, tapping out excess. Set aside.

Put almond paste and 2/3 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer; blend with a pastry cutter or two forks until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Return bowl to mixer; fit mixer with the paddle. Add butter; mix on medium speed until soft and pale, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together milk, vanilla, and egg yolks in a medium bowl. With mixer running, gradually add milk mixture to butter mixture; mix until combined.

Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Remove bowl from mixer. Sift half of flour mixture over top, and fold in until combined. Fold in remaining flour mixture, and set aside. (If multiplying this recipe, transfer batter to a large bowl before folding in the dry ingredients.)

Beat the egg whites and remaining 4½ tsp. sugar on medium speed in a clean bowl of mixer fitted with the whisk until they hold stiff peaks, 2-3 minutes. Fold into batter.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake until golden and a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 1 hour (if top browns too quickly, tent with foil during last 15-20 minutes of baking). Let cool completely in pans on wire racks.

Makes 3 cups of batter.