This dense, almond cake is featured every morning as a breakfast pastry at Cafe Presse, along with our house-made croissants, pain au chocolat and brioche. Thanks to Desiree for requesting this recipe.
Makes 1 cake, about 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
5.5 oz almond paste
5.5 oz room temperature butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1/3 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
sliced almonds for garnish
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Butter and flour the loaf pan. Sift the flour and baking powder together, set aside.
- In a mixer, beat the almond paste and sugar with the paddle attachment for several minutes, until the paste is broken up and looks sandy. Add the salt and half of the butter and beat on medium speed until the mixture is a smooth paste. Add the rest of the butter and beat until light and fluffy.
- With the mixer running on low, add the eggs to the almond mixture one at a time, waiting after each addition for the eggs to be completely absorbed before adding more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle, add the extracts and beat until combined. On low speed, fold in the flour mixture until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, top with sliced almonds. Bake in a 350 F oven until the cakes feel firm to the touch in the middle, about one hour. Cool for twenty minutes, unmold and serve.
Jim, sounds like a great recipe!! Have a great new year!! BTW, I used the duck jello from my duck confit to make the Gratin Lyonnais with a homemade chicken stock! Absolutely stunning. Keep the recipes coming!
Nice to hear from you Stanley…how are things down south?
Jim
Much sun in New Mexico and the food is great here in Santa Fe. Great meal last week at a Ramen House, especially a savory custard with a pork belly broth hidden underneath. Very tasty!
Thanks for posting this Jim!
Is it a single pan and single cake or multiple pans and multiple cakes? What size pan? Why so little almond extract?
The recipe makes one cake. We use a 1.5 quart (4.5″ x 8.5″) Pyrex pan. The amount of almond extract is small because we are also using almond paste, which I think gives a more natural, less artificial almond flavor.
Taste great Jim, thanks for the recipe! I made it for Valentine.