I adapted this delicious cake recipe from one I found in Rachel Allen's cookbook simply called "Cake." The cover claims that this cookbook contains every cake recipe you will ever need. We shall see! This is the first recipe which I have cooked from the book. It's pretty good!
I used my loose bottomed fluted cake tin to bake it in. In retrospect I should have used a spring form pan as there was a tiny bit of leakage, not a lot . . . but it did make it difficult for me to remove the bottom as there was cake baked on top of the bottom and a little bit baked on the bottom of the bottom which I had to slice though to loosen it. Live and learn! I make these mistakes so that you don't have to!
All in all it's a very good basic cake, with a moist cake base with a delicate crumb . . . and a toasted almond topping. I found it to be very similar to my Aunt Freda's Lazy Daisy Cake, except that she uses coconut in her topping and pops it under the broiler to caramelize it.
Rachel doesn't dust hers with icing sugar, but I thought it made a nice touch. This would be a great cake for a coffee morning. I think it would also be fabulous served with some crushed berries. I will add a touch of almond flavouring to the base cake next time I make it for even more almond goodness. (And I will make it again!)
*Swedish Amond Cake*
Makes one 9 inch cakePrintable Recipe
A light sponge topped with a toasted fudgy nut mixture. Yummy.For the cake:3 large free range eggs150g of plain flour (1 cup plus 2 TBS)1 1/2 tsp baking powder2 tsp vanilla extract3 TBS milk75g of butter, melted (1/3 cup)For the topping:50g of butter (1/4 cup)100g flaked almonds (about 1 cup)50g of caster sugar (1/4 cup_2 tsp plain flour3 TBS cream1 tsp vanilla extractIcing sugar to dust (optional)
Preheat the oven to 180*C.350*F gas mark 4. Butter and flour the base and sides of a 9 inch cake tin with a removable bottom.
Using an electric mixer beat the eggs and sugar together for 5 to 7 minutes until it the mixture forms thick ribbons. Sift the flour and baking powder together. Add to the beaten egg mixture along with the milk, vanilla and melted butter. Fold everything together to combine. Pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the cake still to be a bit moist. A skewer inserted into the center should come out moist but not totally clean. During the last five minutes of the cake baking place the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once it has melted add the remaining topping ingredients and bring to the boil. Allow to bubble for one minutes. Spoon this mixture evenly over the top of the almost baked cake. Increase the oven temperature to 200*C/400*F. gas mark 6. Return the cake to the oven and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes or until the topping is golden. Remove from the oven.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes. Loosen the edges with a sharp knife and carefully remove the sides of the tin. Place on a wire rack to cool completely. Transfer to a plate and dust the top with some icing sugar, if desired, to serve.
I've had this book for over two years now. I can't believe that I have only just now decided to bake something from it. I have all of Rachel's books. I like the way she cooks and I love her telly shows.
