Yummy Gluten Free Italian Cake

Last week we were invited to my in-laws for dinner. Usually when I am asked "what do you want to bring", I chime in "desert". Why? Because usually my honey can eat most of the dinner, but the desert is usually a glutenous thing. Yes. Cookies, cake, something containing cookies or cake...
My mother in-law made salmon, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and salad. I brought cake, ice cream (low fat) and whipped cream. I like to bring something that does not scream "gluten free, weird taste". I actually made no one, but two cakes, in case one was weird. Yes, I do experiment on other people. My family is used to it. I usually have a plan B. This time all was good, both cakes were good. I preferred cake #1, my honey preferred cake #2. Cake #1- Almond-ricotta cake had a nice texture and flavor. Not too sweet, good with ice cream. It was made with finely ground corn meal, almond and almond meal. The recipe follows.
Cake #2 was Almond-pumpkin cake, made with almond meal, potato starch and eggs that were beaten to death. I found the texture to be weird, but my honey loved it. He likes pumpkin and cinnamon, anything like pumpkin pie, which is what this was like. So I will save that for a separate entry. I am not sure I beat the eggs to death enough, my arm got tired ( I made 2 cakes)
So almond-ricotta cake. I found this in "Gluten free Italian " By Jacqueline Mallorca. I only made one change, instead of almond extract I used orange extract. Reason being, I had no almond extract in the cupboard. Very unusual for this Swedish girl.

Almond-Ricotta Cake

3/4 cup (3 1/2 ounces) fine stone-ground cornmeal. (this can be bought or made by putting regular cornmeal through a coffee mill is used just for grains or has been thoroughly cleaned)
1 cup (4 ounces) almond meal
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) confectioner's sugar
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (or transfat free margarine)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) sugar
6 ounces ricotta
4 large eggs
1 tsp orange extract
confectioner's sugar for top of cake

Makes 10 lovely servings.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the sides of a 9 inch cake pan, line base of pan with parchment paper and grease that too.
Combine cornmeal, almond meal, confectioner's sugar, baking powder and salt, mix well. I like to put through a fine sieve so there are no lumps.
beat the butter and sugar untill light and fluffy , then beat in the ricotta. Beat in the eggs and orange extract. Fold half of the cornmeal mixture into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula. Repeat with the remainder.
Transfer to the prepared cake pan,smooth the top and bake for about 30 minutes, until the cake is golden and an inserted toothpick emerges clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then loosen the sides with a knife and unmold. Peel off the parchment paper and let cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving if desired.

this is good - I have left overs that I keep eating.