Amanda Hesser’s almond cake is very popular; I’ve seen it in many corners of the Internet, but I wanted to share it as well because it’s fabulous.
I’ve made this dense and delightful cake countless times over the years. It somehow bends time and space to be good with everything; the almond flavor is versatile without being boring, so it pairs with every kind of food, and is also the perfect cake for brunch or teatime. It’s continually requested and has become a traditional part of our Christmas brunch – as well as Eid!
Almond Cake
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 7 ounces almond paste, cut into small pieces
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Powdered sugar for garnish
Heat oven to 350° and butter a 9-inch springform pan.
Stir together sour cream and baking soda.
In another bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add the almond paste and beat for 8 minutes until very fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, almond extract, and sour cream mixture. Using a spatula, stir in the flour mixture and spread the batter into the springform pan.
Bake for approximately an hour until cake is firm to the touch, covering with foil near the end if the cake starts to get too brown. Allow to cool on a rack in the pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
I want to share part of our Eid tradition for Eid Eats, hosted by Sarah from Flour & Spice, Asiya from Chocolate & Chilis and Henna from My Ninja Naan. Thanks for organizing, ladies, and for continually inspiring me in the kitchen!
