This Simply Delicious 8-Star Almond Cake is just that. Simple and delicious. Almond paste provides the base for this flavorful and tender cake. Fresh apricots are baked on top, releasing their flavor into this simply dressed, but elegant dessert.
A dusting of powdered sugar and a lovely cup of coffee or tea is all you need to round out this desert.
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Almond paste is key to this moist almond cake recipe
This Simply Delicious 8-Star Almond Cake recipe relies on three key ingredients to develop its rich flavor; almond paste, buttermilk and fresh stone fruit, which in this case is apricots.
To be clear, this simple almond cake recipe calls for almond paste, not marzipan. Po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe, right? Not exactly. The two are not interchangeable. Most commercially produced almond pastes consist of 45 percent almonds that are processed with sugar until a finely milled paste is formed. The texture is a little soft, a little sticky and can even be called grainy. It also holds up better in baking than marzipan.
Marzipan consists of approximately 26 percent almonds and has a much higher ratio of sugar. This translates into a sweeter, smoother, more pliable dough for modeling. I use marzipan in my recipe for Darn Good Dammsugare – a traditional Swedish dessert that is rolled in marzipan. They’re a little fussy, but a great way to use up leftover buttercream and cake scraps. If you are looking for something a little different around the holidays, these are a truly special treat.
And then there’s frangipane, which begins with an almond paste base, but uses eggs, butter, flour and other ingredients to make batters for baked pastries – which is essentially what we are creating in this recipe.
To learn more about the nuances of almond paste, marzipan and even frangipane, check out this post in Bon Appétit.
Buttermilk makes this almond cake so tender
One of the things I love about baking with buttermilk is how it works with sodium bicarbonate-based leaveners to develop tender baked goods.
Baking soda is 100 percent sodium bicarbonate. When you add an acid and a liquid to baking soda, it works to neutralize the acids and creates air bubbles in the process. Baking powder is a blend of baking soda and an acid (usually cream of tartar). It only requires the addition of a liquid to kick its leavening into action. Baking soda is also three times stronger than baking powder. In this recipe, the buttermilk interacts with the baking powder to give the cake a nice lift and light texture.
I also like the tartness that buttermilk brings to this bake. It adds a similar bright lift to that of lemon juice.
Stone fruit makes this Simply Delicious 8-Star Almond Cake pop
In all my bakes, I endeavor to find balance. You may have noticed sweets are often countered with salt, sour or earthy flavors. Rich desserts often incorporate a little acid or fresh ingredients to build out textures and flavors as well as to lighten the feel of the dessert on the tongue. Such is the case in this recipe for Simply Delicious 8-Star Almond Cake.
Although there’s not a lot of fruit in the bake itself, the flavor of the fruit is truly intense. As the apricots bake, their water content decreases, their flavor deepens and natural sweetness blooms. You might be tempted to apply more fruit over the entire top of the cake, but less is more. The added weight and juice of the fruit would impede the bake and make the cake soggy. A little restraint is best.
If additional fruit is desired, slice up some fresh apricots to serve with the cake. It makes for an interesting comparison of how the flavor and texture of the fruit is transformed through the baking process. Or, roast some apricots along with the cake for a rich treat.
I love apricots in this dessert, but if you’re not a fan, you can also use tart plums, sour cherries or nectarines. Just make sure to float the fruit on top of the cake batter (skin side down). There’s no need to push the fruit down into the batter. Also, allow sufficient space between the fruit so that the cake can rise and bake properly.
Simply Delicious 8-Star Almond Cake
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate12
servings15
minutes60
minutesDelightfully airy almond cake with fresh apricots baked on top.
Ingredients
6 ounces almond paste (not marzipan), room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cup A.P. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
4-5 apricots, cleaned, sliced in half, stone removed. Additional fruit for serving if desired.
powdered sugar for dusting
- Equipment
A 9-inch cake pan (springform or regular)
nonstick baking spray
parchment paper for lining the pan
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare your cake pan by first spraying the sides and bottom with nonstick spray. Line the bottom and sides of the cake pan with parchment paper. The nonstick spray will help hold the parchment in place. Set aside until ready to fill the pan and bake.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Whisk together and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, or using a stand mixer, combine the almond paste and butter. Mix on medium speed with a paddle until the almond paste and butter are combined and no large lumps of almond paste remain.
- Gradually add the sugar to the almond paste and butter mixture. Mix over medium speed until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all the sugar is worked into the mixture.
- Add the vanilla and eggs to the creamed mixture one at a time. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions. Mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl and combine on low speed until just mixed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add half of the buttermilk and mix on low speed until just incorporated into the batter.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again and repeat step 6 with the remaining flour and buttermilk. The batter will be thick.
- Spread the batter evenly in the cake pan. Top with the sliced apricots (skin side touching the batter). Don’t press the the apricots down into the batter. Just float them on top.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 55-60 minutes. The sides of the cake will be lightly golden and firm. The center will still be a little soft, but still relatively dry to the touch. Don’t worry if it’s a little soft in the center. The residual heat within the cake will finish the baking process.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the cake pan.
- If using a springform pan, simply open the pan and transfer the cake to a serving plate. Peel away the parchment paper and dust the top with powdered sugar before serving.
If using a regular cake pan, run a thin knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the edges. Give the pan a good shake until you feel the cake release from the bottom and sides. Invert the cake on a plate and remove the bottom parchment circle. Invert the cake again on a serving plate and remove the parchment from the sides of the cake. If you need a visual of how this might look, check out my No Spingform Needed Cheesecake video to see how I use the shake and invert method of removing a cake from a pan. - Dust with powdered sugar before serving. A covered cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
- How did you get the powdered sugar to only cover the cake and not the apricots? When sprinkled over the cake, the powdered sugar sticks to the cooled, dry cake; however, there’s enough moisture in the apricots so that the color of the sugar disappears after a few seconds of sprinkling – creating a neat effect.
- Make one to share! Make the batter as directed, but divide the batter between two 6-inch cake pans instead. Top with apricots in a similar pattern and bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes. This is a nice alternative if you want to make one to share or freeze for later.
