almond paste + almond butter + almond extract = cake

Here’s another cake that’s delicious when unadorned with any accoutrements.  This is a cake made with almond paste, which I’ve found makes a cake with a moist but firm crumb.  This cake bakes for a long time (as did the other almond paste cake that I like), but the crust that it develops stays soft, unlike a regular butter cake.  Cakes like these will also cut beautifully with a serrated knife, as the crumb is tender but a little bit dense.  (Does the photo of this cake remind anyone of a Wayne Thiebaud painting?  It’s something about the plain background and the slight lack of focus…)

This cake is redolent with almond flavor from a combination of almond paste, almond butter, and almond extract.  The almond butter adds a bit of salt to the cake and also gives it a slight savory undertone, although the almond-and-butter combo is the prominent flavor here.  The ginger and cinnamon add a bit of heat and spiciness without tasting specifically of either.  If you want a purely almond-and-butter cake, then this one by Karen DeMasco is really excellent, if it somehow packs away a cup of butter in an 8″ cake.

almond ginger cake

1c flour, sifted, divided
1 1/4t baking powder
3/4t salt
8 oz almond paste
2-inch knob of ginger, minced
1 1/4c sugar
3/4t cinnamon
3/4c butter, softened
1/4c almond butter
1/2t almond extract
1t dark rum
3T sour cream
5 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour a deep 9-inch cake pan (I used a 9″ springform pan, wrapping the base in a couple layers of foil before snapping it into the sides).

2. In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup of the flour along with the baking powder and salt. Stir well and set aside.

3. Place the almond paste and ginger in your food processor and pulse four or five times, until mostly uniform in texture. Add sugar, cinnamon, and the remaining 1/4 cup of flour, pulsing until the mixture has a sandy texture.

4. Cut butter into cubes and add to the food processor with almond butter, almond extract, and rum. Process until the batter is fully combined, with a light, smooth texture. The mixture will move around in one mass around the bowl of the food processor, then as you keep pulsing it, the mixture will even out into an even layer with the blade moving through it.

5. Add the sour cream and pulse a few times, then add the eggs one at a time, pulsing six or seven times after each one. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the food processor, if necessary. Add half of the flour mixture and pulse four or five times. Add the rest of the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Do not overmix.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the top is a nice golden brown and feels firm in the center. Let the cake cool, then remove from the pan. You may need to slide a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen it, although I didn’t need to. This is a cake that will withstand you flipping it over on your hand, pulling off the springform pan bottom, and flipping it onto a plate.  This cake cuts beautifully when you use a serrated knife.

[serves 10-12; keeps for at least a week, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap]