Recipe: Puerto Rican Granitos (rice flour cake with cheese)

PUERTO RICAN GRANITOS
(A Rice flour cake with Cheese)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup very finely crumbled cotija cheese or queso a ejo
3/4 cup rice flour
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment or wax paper. Grease the paper and the pan sides.

Put the butter and sugar in a food processor and process until soft and fluffy, about 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the eggs and process about 10 seconds. Add the milk, vanilla, and cheese. Process about 5 seconds.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add to the processor and pulse 6-8 times to blend.

With a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and level the top.

Bake about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and the center springs back when touched lightly with your fingers. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely. Store, well wrapped at room temperature, up to 3 days.