There are many uses for almond paste once you have it in your pantry, where it never seems to stay very long! Used for making everything from cookies to candies, almond paste offers a delightful, nutty contrast to many of your favorite flavors. It pairs well with everything from fruit to chocolate and can be used year round in a variety of dishes. One of our favorite recipes for using almond paste involves a simple yet decadent almond cake that is buttery, light, and perfect for pairing with a bit of fresh whipped cream and berries. Perfect as a dinnertime dessert or for afternoon tea, this almond cake using Superior Nut almond paste is a lovely way to enjoy the flavor of almonds while keeping things simple. After all, some of the best recipes are those that stick with the basics! All of the ingredients for this almond cake are found easily in your pantry and as for time to make it, it's ready in just over an hour, making it a great dessert to bake up for special occasions, all year round. Superior Nut Almond Cake
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 8 ounces almond paste
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees, then grease a 9 or 10 inch cake pan with butter and sprinkle on flour until well coated. Shake off excess flour and set aside. If you're using a springform pan, you may want to line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Then, in a food processor, process 1/4 cup flour, the almond paste, and sugar until finely ground. In a bowl, whisk together the 3/4 cup of flour, salt, and baking powder then set aside. Add the cubes of butter, vanilla, and a touch of almond extract if you like to the almond paste mixture in the food processor. Process until smooth and fluffy, taking care to scrape down the sides. Then, add the eggs one at a time to the processor. The mixture may look curdled, but that's totally normal. Once you've added the eggs, add about half of the flour and baking powder mixture. Pulse in your processor a few times and add the rest of the flour. Pulse until ingredients are just incorporated and take care to not over mix. Then, pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for an hour to 65 minutes. When it's done, the top of the cake should be a deep brown and will feel set when you press in the center. Remove the cake from the oven and run a butter knife around the perimeter of the pan to make it loose. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing. Once cooled, remove and plate the cake. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with fresh whipped cream and berries. Mmm!