If you want a taste of California, you can go for a handful of raisins – most of which come from California grapes. Or you could sip a glass of Chardonnay – made from the most popular white wine grape in California. But if you want a near guarantee that you’re tasting something grown under the California sun, reach for almonds: 100 percent of the almonds grown in the United States (and 75 percent of the almonds grown on the planet) are grown in California. And they make a most heavenly addition to this almond cake recipe.
There’s just one caveat: The USDA requires that all almonds – even organically grown almonds – be pasteurized or treated with propylene oxide in order to reduce the risk of salmonella. This requirement – new since 2007 – has been the subject of a court case that is currently pending in the US Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia.
Read more about the health benefits of nuts
Hopefully, the decision of how to process almonds will revert to those who actually grow the almonds. In the meantime, let’s not throw the almond out with the pasteurization process. After all, almonds pack quite a nutritional punch – with 13 grams of protein in each 200-calorie serving, plus immune-boosting vitamin E and stress-busting vitamin B. And eating almonds has been associated with benefits for the heart, arteries, bones and brain. Of course, none of this should come as a surprise to those who know that almonds are actually closely related to that favorite superfood of mine, cherries.
Many people think of almonds as a healthy and savory snack (does anyone else remember those Smokehouse packs they used to give out on airplanes in the 1970s?) Almonds are also the key to many a moist and delicious dessert. And the recipe I am about to share with you is so incredibly delectable that one of my friends has dubbed it “Heaven Cake” – because he believes that angels must have thought it up.
Read more about healthy snacks
I’ll let you decide what to call it, but here’s how to make it:
Almond Cake Recipe
Makes one cake
Ingredients
· ¾ cup sugar
· 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of almond paste
· 1 teaspoon almond extract
· 2 sticks of sweet butter
· 3 eggs
· 1 cup of cake flour
· 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
· ½ teaspoon of salt
Directions
· Bring the eggs and butter to room temperature while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter an 8-inch round pan and line the bottom with buttered parchment paper.
· In a food processor, blend sugar and almond paste. Transfer to a bowl, and beat in butter and almond extract at medium speed until fluffy (approximately three minutes). Add eggs one at a time until just incorporated – do not overbeat.
· In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt with a fork, then gently fold into almond mixture.
· Bake for 40 minutes. Rotate pan 180 degrees and bake 8 minutes more – top should be firm and golden.
· Cool 10 minutes, invert and remove parchment. Allow to fully cool.
· Slice cake in half horizontally. Spread jam on one half. Replace with other half.
Almond paste is available in the baking section of most markets, but you can make this cake even more heavenly by making your own almond paste using 12 ounces of blanched raw almonds, 12 ounces of confectioner’s sugar and 1 egg white. Process in a food processor, freeze leftover almond paste for up to two months.
Hope your cake is heavenly!
Photo Credit: Slacker Mark
