Simple, rich almond cake makes an advanced and delicious candy dessert. However, traditional European versions tend to be heavy and dense. We swapped out the usual almond paste for toasted blanched sliced almonds (we disliked the slight bitterness imparted using pores and skin-on almonds). We brought a bit of almond extract for added depth.
A generous amount of lemon zest furnished diffused brightness. We improved the flour slightly and introduced baking powder—an untraditional component—to ensure proper upward thrust for a good, lighter crumb.
Making the batter in a meal processor broke down some of the protein shapes within the eggs, ensuring that the cake had a degree, no longer domed, top, and crucial for this unfrosted dessert. We swapped a few butterflies for oil and diminished the oven temperature to provide a calmly baked, wet cake.
We topped the cake with sliced almonds and a sprinkle of lemon-infused sugar for crunchy crowning glory. If you can not discover blanched sliced almonds, grind slivered almonds for the batter and use unblanched sliced almonds for the topping.
ITALIAN ALMOND CAKE
- Servings: 8-10
- Start to finish: 1 hour, half-hour
- One-half cup plus 1/3 cup blanched sliced almonds, toasted
- three/four cup (three/four oz) all-purpose flour
- three/four teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/eight teaspoon baking soda
- four massive eggs
- One 1/four cups (8 three/four ounces) plus two tablespoons sugar
- One tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
- three/four teaspoon almond extract
- five tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Adjust the oven rack to middle function and heat the oven to three hundred degrees F. Grease a nine-inch spherical cake pan and line it with parchment paper. Pulse 1-half cups almonds, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a meal processor until almonds are finely ground, five to ten pulses. Transfer the almond mixture to a bowl.
Process eggs, one 1/four cups sugar, one tablespoon lemon zest, and almond extract in a now-empty processor till very faded yellow, approximately 2 minutes. With processor jogging, upload melted butter and oil inconsistent flow till integrated. Add almond mixture and pulse to combine, 4 to five pulses—transfer batter to prepared pan.
Using your fingers, combine the final two tablespoons of sugar and the last half teaspoon of lemon zest in a small bowl until aromatic, five to ten seconds. Sprinkle the top of the cake frivolously with the remaining 1/3 cup of almonds, followed by using the sugar-zest combination.
Bake until the middle of the cake is about and bounces back while gently pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour five mins, rotating the pan after 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on cord rack for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan. Invert the cake onto a greased wire rack, discarding parchment, and reinvert the cake onto a second cord rack. Let the cake cool on the shelf for approximately 2 hours before serving. (Cake can be saved at room temperature for up to a few days.)
Nutrition statistics per serving: 485 energy; 266 energy from fat; 30 g fat (7 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 127 mg LDL cholesterol; 287 mg sodium; 50 g carbohydrate; three g fiber; 35 g sugar; 10 g protein.
