Simple, rich almond cake makes an advanced and delicately candy dessert, but traditional European versions tend to be heavy and dense.
We swapped out the usual almond paste for a slightly cakier model with masses of nutty flavor for toasted blanched sliced almonds (we disliked the slight bitterness imparted by using skin-on almonds). We introduced a piece of almond extract for additional intensity.
A generous quantity of lemon zest furnished subtle brightness. We accelerated the flour slightly for a good lighter crumb and introduced baking powder — an untraditional aspect — to make sure right upward thrust.
Making the batter in a meals processor broke down a number of the protein shape in the eggs, making sure that the cake had a level, no longer domed, pinnacle, which became especially important for this unfrosted dessert. We swapped some butter for oil and diminished the oven temperature to supply a frivolously baked, wet cake.
For a crunchy entirety, we crowned the cake with sliced almonds and a sprinkle of lemon-infused sugar. If you can not locate blanched sliced almonds, grind slivered almonds for the batter and use unblanched sliced almonds topping.
3/4 cup (three/four oz) all-purpose flour
three/four teaspoon salt
1/four tsp baking powder
1/eight tsp baking soda
four big eggs
One 1/four cups (8 3/4 oz) plus two tablespoons sugar
1 tbsp plus half of tsp grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
three/4 tsp almond extract
5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Start to finish: 90 minutes
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to three hundred F. Grease nine-inch spherical cake pan and line with parchment paper. Pulse 1 half of cups almonds, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in the food processor until almonds are finely ground 5 to 10 pulses. Transfer almond mixture to the bowl.
Process eggs, 1 1/4 cups sugar, one tablespoon lemon zest, and almond extract in now-empty processor until very light yellow, about two mins. With the processor going for walks, add melted butter and oil in constant move till included. Add almond combination and pulse to mix, 4 to five pulses—transfer batter to prepared pan.
Using your hands, integrate the final two tablespoons sugar and last half teaspoon lemon zest in a small bowl until fragrant, 5 to ten seconds. Sprinkle top of cake calmly with ultimate 1/three cup almonds followed using sugar-zest aggregate.
Bake till the center of cake is ready and bounces returned while lightly pressed, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, fifty-five to sixty-five minutes, rotating the pan after 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on twine rack for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of the pan. Invert cake onto the greased wire rack, discarding parchment, and reinvert cake onto 2d cord rack. Let cake cool absolutely on a rack, approximately two hours, before serving. (Cake may be saved at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
