Every cook needs a recipe like this in their tool box of taste tempting recipes.
A dessert that is not only quick to execute, but very simple and easy as well.
I always have almond paste in my cupboard . . . which is the basis of this great dish. all you need to complete it is some eggs, a bit of flour and some sugar. If you also have tins of fruit, or fruit compote in the larder, then you've pretty much got everything you need to make this very impressive, yet simple dessert.
Nobody would believe that it is as simple as it is.
Rich and buttery, with a delicate almond flavour, it's a fabulous cake. You might think that with the almond paste in it, the almond flavouring might be somewhat overpowering, but that's not the case at all.
It's really quite special. I served this the other night, simply dusted with some icing sugar and along with some apricot compote for spooning over top . . . but any fruit compote goes very well, as would any variety of jams, gently warmed up to loosen them somewhat.
Morello Cherry Jam is very good as is Wild Blueberry.
This is the perfect dinner date dessert! I do hope you'll give this a try. I just know you'll be well impressed!
*A Simple Almond Cake*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe
Quick, easy and very tasty. It's very light and has a lovely almond flavour. I like to serve it dusted with icing sugar and some fruit compote. Delicious!
7 ounces almond paste
3 1/2 ounces sugar (1/2 cup)
4 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cup)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 ounces of flour, sifted twice (a scant 1/2 cup)
icing sugar to dust
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 10 inch tart pan very well. Set aside.
Put the almond paste into a food processor with the sugar. Blitz to mix together well. Add the butter. Again blitz to cream well together. Slowly add the eggs with the motor running, until they are completely amalgamated. Scrap into a bowl and then carefully fold in the flour. Pour into the prepared pan and then bake for 30 minutes, or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
To serve, dust with icing sugar and cut into slices. Fruit compote is optional but very nice with this as is a sour cherry jam.
Oh, this looks SOOOO yummy, Marie! I've been looking through your last posts...can't believe I've missed so much! I'm so sorry I haven't been by to visit much this week--it's been one of those weeks, you know???
ReplyDeleteThings are calming down, thank heavens, and I think I'll be getting back to normal!
Hope your Sunday was wonderful...ours has been just lovely...starting to wind down for the night now. Much love to you, my dear friend...many warm hugs being sent your way!
Julie
I completely agree with you that the flavour of almond is divine. This cake looks wonderful, so moist and almond packed. It reminds me of one my mum used to make and serve with custard on Sundays
ReplyDeleteIt may be simple, but it looks fabulous, especially with that apricot sauce spooned over it. What a great dessert.
ReplyDeleteAnything with marzipan in it gets my vote! Not so easy to get here in the US, looking forward to buying it when we move!
ReplyDeleteSounds really yummy, i love anything with almond flavour, thanks for sharing this one.. :))
ReplyDeleteHayırlı haftalar. Çok güzel, leziz ve iştah açıcı görünüyor. Ellerinize, emeğinize sağlık.
ReplyDeleteSaygılar.
What an unusual cake but, as you say, very simple. Marzipan (I always use the white but maybe yellow gives a better appearance in this cake?) is, thankfully, easily available in England. Where it isn't it is very, very easy to make your own, just a bit faffy.
ReplyDeleteVery LOVELY... so simple, so elegant, I like that! Thank you, Marie :o) Happy Week, my friend--LOVE YOU LOTS ((BIG HUGS))
ReplyDeleteI've recently discovered you and am so happy about it! I have read and daydreamed Britain for over 50 years. I am envious of you! Thanks for being my "peek" into life there. The almond cake looks scrum! Do you have a recipe for the apricot compote? That looks as good as the cake!!!
ReplyDeleteHello Marie, I am a long time reader, (but, non-commenter) and just love your recipes. Until now, I have never had a problem, but today...I made your almond cake. Easy it was. I used the 10 inch tart pan...even measured it to be sure. After 20 minutes!!!...out she came....the thickness of a thin slice of bread...about 1/4 ". It tastes dee-vine, as I knew it would...but, could there possibly be an ingredient left out, or could the size of the tart pan be wrong or have I made a horrendous mistake?? My thinking is that I should have used the medium size springform instead of such a large tart pan to make it thicker.....???
ReplyDeleteOh dear Carlene! I don't know what to say. I measured my pan again and it is 10 inches. It iss not a really tall cake anyways. As you can see from my pictures, my cake is only about an inch thick. Its really important that you fold the flour into the creamed mixture, so that you don't lose any air that has been incorporated into the creamed mixture. I am stumped! What kind of flour did you use? I measured my tart pan again and it is indeed 10 inches.
ReplyDeleteYou always have a way to tempt in and try foods and flavours that I think I don't like. This is another one of those lol, will need to try as the pics defy my thought process on almond flavour ;0)
ReplyDeleteMarie..I love almond desserts:) So pretty too!
ReplyDeleteHi Marie, Thank you for answering. I am usually a successful baker and I think that by doing all the mixing in the processor the eggs were not whipped fluffy enough. I used regular all purpose flour..a scant 1/2 cup and I did fold it in. My cake, while extremely thin, is a soft, delicate crumb and delicious...so, no problems with that. I think that when I make it again I will not mix the eggs after the marzipan and sugar in the processor, but beat them separately with a mixer ...then fold that into the sugar mix and then fold in the flour.....OR, I will do it the easy way and just use a smaller diameter pan...It's good, good, good!
ReplyDeleteHello Marie!
ReplyDeleteEvery time I visit your blog my mouth just waters... Everything always looks so good! I've just got to try your Simple almond cake! We love the flavor of almond in our house...
Keep cookin' Marie!
Deb
How utterly yum!
ReplyDeleteHi Marie,
ReplyDeleteI have been following your blog for a while and I have made a few of you recipes they are all delicious. Tonight I made your almond cake for my best friend's birthday. I served it with asimple combination of blueberries, blackberries, and rasberries. It was a huge hit. The next thing on my list is your maple walnut muffins. I live in Southwestern Ontario and I love maple syrup too! Thanks for all the great recipes. Keep them coming, please!
This almond cake is great, only 3 eggs, straight forward to make, only 30 minutes baking. I added a tea spoon of vanilla essence and baking powder. It turned out perfect.
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