Nana's Almond Butter Cake

Serves: 2

Presley Zulauf

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

52

Spice

48

Sweetness

49

Sourness

42

mins

Prep time (avg)

4.4

Difficulty

Ingredients:

3 cup

Sugar

1 tsp

Salt

3 large

Egg

1 tsp

Cinnamon

1 cup

Water (warm)

Directions:

1

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F

2

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal

3

Add 1 whole egg and 2 yolks to flour mixture, reserving whites, then knead in bowl until a soft dough forms, about 5 minutes

4

Put 3/4 cup dough between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap and roll out into a 9 1/2-inch round, then chill 15 minutes

5

Transfer remaining dough to springform pan and cover surface with another large sheet of plastic wrap

6

Press dough (through plastic wrap) evenly onto bottom

7

Discard plastic wrap

8

Blend almond paste, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon water in a food processor until crumbled (paste may be hard)

9

Add remaining 3 tablespoons water, a little at a time, processing until paste is smooth

10

Beat together reserved whites and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold stiff peaks, then fold in almond paste mixture gently but thoroughly

11

Spread almond mixture on top of dough in pan, tapping side of pan gently to smooth surface

12

Remove top sheet of plastic from remaining dough and cut dough into 1/2-inch-wide strips, then arrange 6 strips 1 inch apart diagonally across almond mixture

13

Trim ends of strips flush with edge of pan

14

Arrange 6 of the remaining strips 1 inch apart diagonally across first strips to form a lattice with diamond-shaped spaces

15

(If dough becomes too soft, chill until firm

16

) Repair any broken strips of dough by carefully pressing them together and trim ends of strips flush with edge of pan

17

Discard any remaining strips

18

Bake until pale golden, about 45 minutes

19

Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes

20

Run a thin knife around edge of cake to loosen if necessary, then remove side of pan and cool cake completely, about 30 minutes

21

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F

22

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal

23

Add 1 whole egg and 2 yolks to flour mixture, reserving whites, then knead in bowl until a soft dough forms, about 5 minutes

24

Put 3/4 cup dough between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap and roll out into a 9 1/2-inch round, then chill 15 minutes

25

Transfer remaining dough to springform pan and cover surface with another large sheet of plastic wrap

26

Press dough (through plastic wrap) evenly onto bottom

27

Discard plastic wrap

28

Blend almond paste, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon water in a food processor until crumbled (paste may be hard)

29

Add remaining 3 tablespoons water, a little at a time, processing until paste is smooth

30

Beat together reserved whites and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold stiff peaks, then fold in almond paste mixture gently but thoroughly

31

Spread almond mixture on top of dough in pan, tapping side of pan gently to smooth surface

32

Remove top sheet of plastic from remaining dough and cut dough into 1/2-inch-wide strips, then arrange 6 strips 1 inch apart diagonally across almond mixture

33

Trim ends of strips flush with edge of pan

34

Arrange 6 of the remaining strips 1 inch apart diagonally across first strips to form a lattice with diamond-shaped spaces

35

(If dough becomes too soft, chill until firm

36

) Repair any broken strips of dough by carefully pressing them together and trim ends of strips flush with edge of pan

37

Discard any remaining strips

38

Bake until pale golden, about 45 minutes

39

Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes

40

Run a thin knife around edge of cake to loosen if necessary, then remove side of pan and cool cake completely, about 30 minutes