Master Almond Cake
This is a variation of my English Bakewell Tart with pastry crust, raspberry preserves layer, almond cake and sliced almonds. One of my son's most favorite desserts so the first one I made completely gluten free.
This is what I make for those times we're asked to bring something to a meeting. Throw it all in a bowl and beat. I last made it on NH's ABC WMUR Cooks Corner Wednesday 14 August, 2019
mailed it to our son, increased to a 10x15. I get into trouble with friends at conferences if I don't bring it with me. Including flying from Boston to Atlanta to speak at a GIG conference.
One of the recipes I demonstrated at the Boston Celiac Symposium on April 1, 2017 as the only Food speaker with top doctors from Beth Israel, Mass General and Harvard Medical School.
Also part of a four page cover wrap about me for Blue Diamond Almonds for National Food and Wine magazine.
Update to Hippo Press interview published April 2018.
Makes 1 x 8x8 or 1 x8" cake pan. About 1 “ deep.
Naturally gluten free, easily dairy free, can be made egg free.
Strawberries and cream version. 2 layers.
Cake
no xanthan gum needed
1/2 stick (2oz) very soft butter – I have only used Earth Balance as a butter substitute. Now I use very soft or melted coconut oil for a far nicer taste than Earth Balance.
½ c (4 oz) ordinary sugar
2 large eggs.
Pinch of salt
1+1/4 cup (4 oz, 115g) of almond meal/flour slightly rounded
1/2 tsp gf baking powder – I use Rumfords, labeled gluten free, non GMO and aluminum free.
2 tsp gf almond extract- I use Penzey’s that they say is gluten free.
Topping: powdered sugar, ¼ - ½ c sliced almonds
Note that different brands of almond flour or almond meal will often give a different weight to volume measure. For best results weigh.
Blue Diamond Ultra Fine Blanched Almond Flour and Natural Almond Flour 4 oz equals 1+1/4 cups.
AKA ground almonds in Europe
1. Preheat oven to 350*F/ 170*C.
2. Place all ingredients in 4 c (1 ltr) mixing bowl and beat until well blended and fluffy- 2 minutes. Mix will go lighter in color as you beat it.
3. Spread mix in greased and gf floured 8x8, or one 8” cake pan. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
4. Bake in 350* oven for about 25-30 minutes until well risen, golden brown and set but still soft in
the middle. The texture should be similar to rolls of almond paste when cut, but cooked throughout.
5. Remove from oven, serve warm or cold, sprinkled with powdered sugar.
2 thin layers with orange curd, cream and oranges
IDEAS:
Cut into wedges and serve with raspberry sauce.
Cook in 8x8 pan and cut into tiny squares for a buffet table.
Cook in 8x8 and cut into large squares and then cut large squares into 4 triangles or 2 larger triangles.
Divide mixture between 2 holes of Wilton Giant Whoopie pie pan or 2 x 8 inch cake pans to make thin layer cake.
Divide mixture in 12 holes of Wilton mini whoopie pie pan, watch for temperature as dark lined pan browns rapidly underneath. Use as base for individual Baked Alaska, different strawberry shortcake, ice cream sandwiches.
Top with chocolate ganache, raspberry, mango couli, fresh berries.
Make a chocolate ganache with either equal quantities of heavy cream and semi sweet chocolate or with Sodelicious vanilla or hazelnut coconut creamer mixed with gf, cf chocolate. Non dairy cream will not pipe.
Spread cooked cake with Nutella and top with more almonds, make a chocolate ganache with either equal quantities of heavy cream and semi sweet chocolate or with Sodelicious vanilla or hazelnut creamer mixed with gf, cf chocolate. Serve in puddle of raspberry sauce or with a mix of fresh berries slightly sweetened, add some Amaretto.
Whip 1 cup cream until nearly stiff, whip in 1/2 c Nutella and chill to stiffen. Use as filling or topping.
If you don't use almond extract, you really do need to add the zest of 1-2 lemons or 1-2 oranges if you eat the cake plain. You can also add 1-2 tbsp poppy seeds and make a melted lemon juice/sugar glaze to drizzle on top of baked cake.
