The Almond Cake
On Wednesday we said goodbye to our dear Wigginses. 🙁
For the occasion, I baked a delicious almond cake with strawberry coulis and chocolate whipped cream. Goodness. Sounds fancier than it actually is, I assure you.
This cake is appropriate for:
– A summer dessert – add berries of any sort.
– Goodbye parties
– Feeding Welsh people.
I got the recipe from Amateur Gourmet and adapted a bit like Chocolate and Zucchini did. (Note: Amateur Gourmet calls this “The Almond Cake that will Save Your Soul.” Clearly I think Jesus ranks above this almond cake for saving souls, but I do believe he would enjoy eating it with you. So.)
Start with:
2 sticks butter, softened, more for buttering pan (or 200 grams)
4 egg yolks at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature (C&Z subs Greek Yogurt which I also did.)
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (measured after sifting) (I never sift…what is wrong with me.)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (Or just shake the salt shaker in a couple times)
1 1/2 cups sugar
7-oz tube almond paste, cut into small pieces
I think bricks of butter are just lovely. France does it up right, I tell ya. None of that ‘stick at a time’ stuff.
Although the downside to this no-stick thing is you have to weigh your butter. But look how pretty! Butter is just the nicest color of yellow, don’t you think?
Mix the sour cream or yogurt with the baking soda. (Ew it’s totally gross it starts bubbling a little and gets all puffy by the time you use it.)
Butter the pan you’re going to cook it in and also butter some parchment paper. Marvel at how somehow, getting butter all over your hand makes it look fatter.
Cream together the butter and sugar.
Is there anything more beautiful than a bowl of creamed together butter and sugar? I dare you to find me something.
Separate the egg yolks and add them to the mix. Make a huge mess, ruining a couple of them because it wasn’t your fault, but the yolks broke…
Add the cut-up-into-little-pieces almond paste. (But don’t cut it into pieces SO tiny that they slip right through the mixers. You know. It happens…) Then add the almond extract, and the sour cream (or yogurt) mixture. And whip it good.
SO PRETTY, huh?? (Are these photos blurry? YES THEY ARE and do not judge me, one hand was covered in butter and all manner of ingredients.)
Pour it in the pan. Say goodbye for an hour or so…
Another benefit to not having children yet – I still get to lick the bowl. And I don’t care what kind of diet I am on, I will always lick the bowl.
Then take it out! Voila! Amateur Gourmet says it’s done when the top is a bit springy and the sides shrink away from the pan.
Just a note: turns out mine was not actually done. 🙁
THENNNN start on the strawberry coulis.
Just put a bunch of strawberries in the blender/food processor and add sugar.
Me: (while taking photos of strawberries) Maybe I’ll turn into a food blogger!
Katie: Wow, you have such high aspirations!
Me: Yes, I can see it now. Calling my mom, “Hey Mom. I’ve decided to become a food blogger.” “Oh that’s wonderful! We knew you could do it!”
I then tried to make a chocolate whipped cream. It was kind of like a…chocolate cream sauce. It didn’t whip. Sad.
Later…
Me: You need something else in your potato salad? Maybe some tomatoes? Or some oatmeal.
Katie: Maybe you shouldn’t become a food blogger. Or maybe you’re just what they need to shake things up in the…blogosphere.
Me: Blogosphere!!!!
Katie: I was going to say foodosphere but that wasn’t right.