Kitchen Stories: Almond Cake

Almond cake with a light and smooth taste but with great relish.
Do not miss the bitter almond. Enhances the flavor and gives extra taste.
Time for cake then, and let us fill the kitchen with autumn aromas, colors, flavors and of course… optimism!

work: 00h:30′

time: 02h:30′

easy: 2/5

Ingredients (10 pieces)

300 gr/ 10.5 oz flour, sifted
100 gr/ 3.5 oz almond meal
2 tsp baking powder
200 gr/ 7 oz butter, at room temperature
12 bitter almonds blanched and chopped
1 lemon, zest
200 gr/ 7 oz sugar
5 eggs
100 ml/ 3.4 fl oz milk
100 gr/ 3.5 oz almonds
icing sugar for dusting, optional

Beat the butter with the mixer and add the chopped bitter almonds and lemon zest.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks and add one by one yolk, to butter mixture. Put the whites aside for later.
In each addition, beat well.

Add the sugar, a little at a time, stirring well to incorporate.

Add the almond meal and the flour, alternately with milk, stirring with a spatula.

Beat the egg whites to firm…

…and add to batter, stirring gently from bottom to top, until incorporated.

Pour batter into buttered and floured cake form.
Boil the almonds for a few minutes and remove the skin. Slice in half, lengthwise.

…and spread across the surface of the batter.
Bake to 150°C/ 350°F/ Gas Mark 4, for 1½ hours. Close the oven and leave cake inside for another ½ hour until cool enough.