Almond Cake Cooking for Mr. Latte Amanda Hesser From Elizabeth, Amanda Hesser's mother-in-law Yield: one sunken but delicious cake serving 10 2 sticks butter, more for buttering pan 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (measured after sifting) 1/2 tsp. salt 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 7-ounce tube of almond paste 4 egg yolks, room temperature 1 tsp. almond extract 1 cup sour cream 1 tsp. baking soda powdered sugar, for sifting over cake Preheat oven to 350o. Butter sides and bottom of one 9" springform pan; line sides and bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the paper. Place pan in freezer. Sift flour and salt into a small bowl. Set aside. In a mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter and granulated sugar at high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add almond paste, a little at a time at medium speed, and beat 8 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, and almond extract. Mix sour cream and baking soda and add to butter mixture. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, just until blended. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake about 1 hour, until top is golden and springs back when lightly pressed and cake shrinks from side of pan. Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove side of pan and remove paper. When ready to serve, sift powdered sugar on top and slice like pie. Elizabeth says: This is the Shar-Pei of cakes. It doesn't look very pretty; it crumbles on the edges and invariably falls in the middle. No matter - it's still delicious. Store in a covered tin in or out of the fridge. It improves with age and can be made 1 - 2 weeks ahead. Amanda Hesser says: I've made this cake more times than any other recipe in this book, because it travels well and improves with time. I call it my thank-you cake, because I've sent it as a gift to countless friends and colleagues. Note: If you prefer to use 2 8-inch pans, use a 325o oven and bake for one and a quarter hours.

Home

Table of Contents

Cakes Index