This has quickly become our favorite dessert. It’s sweet, but not overly so. I serve it with whipped cream. I buy almonds already sliced and toasted from Trader Joe’s. All I did was measure out 1 cup and poured it into the food processor--so easy. I have made it using cake flour and all purpose, and didn’t notice much of a difference between the two versions. We usually share a cake; I can’t eat a whole one in one sitting; it’s just too much.
Almond Cake
Makes two 4½” cakes
1 c (4 oz) slivered almonds, toasted (I used sliced almonds)
7 Tbsp granulated sugar, separated
Pinch salt
¼ c (1 oz) cake flour* (I used all purpose and it turned out fine)
¼ tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into two pieces and softened
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 Tbsp milk, at room temperature
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 325F. Grease two 4½” springform pans. Set aside.
In a food processor combine almonds, 2 Tbsp sugar, and salt; process until finely ground ~15 sec. Add flour and baking powder, pulsing to incorporate, ~5 pulses.
In a medium bowl beat the remaining 5 Tbsp sugar and butter with a mixer set on medium speed until light and smooth, ~2-4 min. Beat in eggs until combined, 15-30 sec. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in almond mixture til combined. Beat in the milk, ~15-30 sec. Stir with rubber spatula to ensure everything is combined.
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Gently tap the pans on the counter to settle the batter. Place cakes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake about 25-30 min, or until tops are golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached, rotating sheet halfway through baking.
Cool cakes for 10 minutes in the pans. Then, run a knife around the edge of each cake, and remove from pans. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool about 30 min.
Before serving dust each cake with powdered sugar. You can top it with berries, whipped cream, or ice cream. Or just eat it plain.
*to make cake flour: measure out ¼ c flour into a bowl, remove ½ Tbsp of the flour and replace it with ½ Tbsp cornstarch. Sift well, about 4-5 times before using.
Source: America’s Test Kitchen Cooking for Two 2009
4 comments:
Hi!
I see that this is an older post, so perhaps you will not see this comment, but I will throw my question out there anyway: what sort of pan do you use to make your little cakes? I actually have this ATK recipe (regular size version) from their Family Baking Book. But it would be nice to make little cakes, as it is just my husband and myself. I have looked for 4.5 inch cake pans (for other recipes as well) but can only find rather short ones.
Thank you so much!
S.W.
I use 4.5 inch spring-form pans. they work perfectly for this recipe and for making small cheesecakes. i bought mine at HomeGoods/TJMaxx, i think they were about $3/pan. i'm sure target and other retailers carry them, too, esp now since it's close to valentine's day.
Hope this helps!
Thank you so much for responding! That does help! I will keep an eye out for those. I do love HomeGoods.
Thanks again.
S.W.
I cannot believe I never came back here to comment! I did find a very similar (perhaps even the same) set of pans and made the recipe according to the ATK baking book, splltting it between the four pans. It worked perfectly. I wrapped the extra cakes in plastic wrap and froze them, and then just thawed and reheated them as needed. I just made a second batch and have been eating it with lingonberries and whipped cream. Next time I might try sour cherries.
By the way, I hope you find a cure for your health problems. I had relapsing severe c. diff colitis most of last year and I would not wish that on my worst enemy. Thankfully it is over--knock on wood! My heart goes out to you, dealing with such problems for so long (and loving food! I cannot tell you how sick I was of pedialyte, broth, and rice.) I am also supposed to (but obviously don't) follow a low oxalate diet for an unrelated heath condition. But you have a more serious reason to follow that diet, and I am sorry for that, too. Best of luck and thank you again for your help with the pans.
Sarah W.
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