Bready or Not: Almond Cake
This Almond Cake tastes fancy, but thanks to a handy-dandy food processor, it’s actually quite straightforward to make. I’m all about fancy without major effort!
The food processor isn’t just there to streamline the process, though. Those blades really shred into the eggs and sugar, creating a cake that lusciously dense, not light from being gently blended.
This cake bakes up into a soft, almond-fragrant pillow with a tender crumb and a golden, crunchy top. It’s one of those cakes that is as delicious as it is beautiful.
To make this even better, unlike many other cakes, it keeps well! Wrap up individual slices, and they are fine at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can also keep in the freezer for weeks!
This cake would be wonderful for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. It’s great by itself, but would also be lovely with some fresh fruit.
Modified from America’s Test Kitchen.
PrintBready or Not: Almond CakeThis Almond Cake, modified from The Best of America’s Test Kitchen 2015, is very much a luxurious European-style cake to make at home. It is lofty, luscious, and sweet, with the top crust of almonds providing a pleasant crunch.Course Breakfast, Dessert, SnackKeyword almond, cake, food processor, springform panAuthor Beth CatoEquipment9-inch springform panparchment paperlarge food processorIngredientsCake:1 1/2 cups sliced almonds3/4 cup all-purpose flour3/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon baking powder1/8 teaspoon baking soda4 large eggs room temperature1 1/4 cups white sugar2 lemons zested3/4 teaspoon almond extract5 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted1/3 cup vegetable oilTopping:2 Tablespoons white sugar1/2 teaspoon lemon zest1/3 cup sliced almondsInstructionsPreheat oven at 300-degrees.. Cut a piece of parchment to fit in the bottom of the springform pan. Grease pan, place parchment inside, then grease that as well. Set aside.In food processor, pulse sliced almonds, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until the almonds are finely ground. This will be 5 to 10 pulses. Move mixture to another bowl.Into the now-empty processor, place the eggs, white sugar, 1 Tablespoon of lemon zest (reserve rest for topping), and almond extract. Process for about 2 minutes, until everything turns pale yellow. Pour in the melted butter and oil until they are blended in. Add the almond mixture with a series of pulses.Pour batter into the prepared pan.Start preparing the topping by using fingertips to mix the lemon zest into the white sugar, dispersing the zest throughout. Sprinkle the almonds all over the top of the cake. Follow that up with the lemon-sugar.Bake cake until the middle is set and bounces back when gently pressed, about 55 minutes to an hour. The middle should also pass the toothpick test. Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes. Run a plastic knife or toothpick around the sides of the cake to make sure it is loose. Set a plate on top of the cake and tip it out to invert it. Then set cake back onto a cooling rack, almonds up.Let cake cool at least 2 hours at room temperature, or speed the process by chilling it in the fridge. Cake tastes best at room temperature. Cut into wedges and serve.Individual wedges of cake can be wrapped in plastic to keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, or can be frozen for later enjoyment.*OM NOM NOM!*
