A most enjoyable plain ring or loaf cake with a stunning texture and flavour and which lasts well for several days.
½ cup (125 ml/125 g) butter
2/3 cups (175 ml) sugar
4 large eggs, separated
½ – 1 tsp (2.5 – 5 ml) almond essence
1 cup (250 ml) ground almonds
½ cup (125 ml) cake or rice flour
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
pinch salt
To serve
icing sugar to dust
- Preheat the oven to 170ºC and grease a 20 cm ring mould with butter.
- Beat together the butter and sugar very well.
- Add the egg yolks one at a time while beating until very light and fluffy.
- Beat in the almond essence.
- Combine almonds, flour, baking powder and salt and beat into the egg mixture.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold in gently until evenly blended.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared mould, smooth the top and bake about 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch.
- Cool in the mould for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- Dust with icing sugar just before serving.
8 – 10 servings.
Variation: Fruity Almond Cake
- In a container which can be sealed, combine 125 ml dried fruit such as golden sultanas, raisins, currants, glacé cherries and/or pineapple, OR use mixed cake fruit.
- Add 50 ml brandy, seal the container and shake well. Turn over and shake from time to time. Allow the fruit to soak and soften for at least an hour or overnight.
- Increase the baking powder to 5 ml, use only a few drops or omit the almond essence if preferred and add the soaked fruit with the dry ingredients to the egg yolk mixture.
- Complete as explained above and decorate with tiny chips of glace cherries together with the flaked almonds if preferred.
Note To serve as dessert add strawberries, whipped cream and toasted brown skinned almonds!
Recipe by Carolié de Koster.
