Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 to 8 servings

　　

For cake

1/2 cup semolina flour

　　1/2 cup all-purpose flour

　　1 1/3 cups walnuts (4 oz), chopped

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

　　2/3 cup sugar

　　2 teaspoons finely grated fresh orange zest

　　4 large eggs

　　

For syrup

2/3 cup water

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

　　1 tablespoon honey

　　2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

　　Accompaniment:sour cherry compote

　　

Make cake:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Pulse flours, 1 cup walnuts, and salt in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped.

　　

Step 3

Beat together butter, sugar, and zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in nut flour and spread batter evenly in a buttered 8-inch square metal pan. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/3 cup walnuts.

　　

Step 4

Bake in middle of oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack. Make syrup while cake bakes:

　　

Step 5

Simmer all syrup ingredients in a 1-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Finish cake:

　　

Step 6

Evenly brush warm syrup over hot cake and cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into diamonds.

　　Cooks' note:

　　• Cake may be made 1 day ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.