My dear friend and baker extraordinaire Heather wrote me an email a couple of weeks ago saying that she baked a delicious cake and thought I should give it a try because it was simple (in other words: Sally-proof) but quite flavorful. What is simple for Heather, is not necessarily simple for me, but when I read the recipe, I noticed that it did not have that scary “cream sugar with butter” step. Cautiously optimistic, I gave it a try. Indeed, this was one of the easiest cakes I’ve ever made, and each bite seemed to taste better than the previous one. Heather adapted the recipe from the winning entry in a C&H Sugar Baking Contest years ago.
ALMOND BUTTER CAKE
(from Heather’s kitchen)
½ C butter, melted
1 + ½ C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp almond extract
1 + ½ tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
1 + ½ C flour
¼ C sliced almonds, lightly toasted
1 tablespoon sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a 9” round pan.
Beat sugar and melted butter together, add eggs and flavorings and beat well. Add salt and flour and mix just until blended. Spread in pan, sprinkle with sugar and almond slices.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes – it is better not to over-bake, so use a toothpick to test it, and as soon as it comes out almost clean, the cake will be ready. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before unmolding it.
ENJOY!
to print the recipe, click here
Comments: I served this cake next to strawberries and blueberries macerated with a small amount of sugar, and a dusting of powdered sugar on top, as suggested by Phil. Perfect indeed, the fruit went very well with the almond flavor and the tenderness of the cake. Sorry, no pictures of the sliced cake, often when we have guests I don’t feel like grabbing a camera and taking photos. Even served plain, this cake would shine next to a cup of tea on a sunny afternoon.
ONE YEAR AGO: Taillevent (a meal that shall never be forgotten…)
Bewitching Kitchen 
What a delightful looking cake. Another baked loveliness that makes me pine for the days when I could have nuts in my house.
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Nut allergies – if that’s the case in your family – are sad… We love all kinds of nuts, a popular late night snack for us is a small bowl of diced fruit, nuts and a bit of yogurt. Sounds like breakfast food, I guess, but it’s not bad to end the day..
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Beautiful cake, Sal. I really like that you’ve used unblanched almonds on top too – makes it all look so pretty…
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I like that effect too – the brown color at the edge makes it more appetizing…
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Love the look and sound of this cake – perfect!
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I regret not having taken a photo of the sliced cake + fruits… Next time I’ll be a little more brave, apologize to my guests and grab the camera!
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An easy cake…now that’s something I’d be willing to try. I’ve been on a big almond kick lately too. I think I’ll make this up for next weekend.
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If it’s not an easy cake, I guarantee you it won’t be in my blog! 🙂
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Um, Sally, only because I know how much you seek to conquer English will I post this. It should be “Sally-proof” (will not fail in the presence of Sally)which is like the word “waterproof” (will not fail in the presence of water).
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Hey, you don’t need to justify correcting me, you DO know I don’t like to butcher the English language, even if I do so on a regular basis…
will fix that right away, MERCI BIEN!
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Thanks for posting this recipe! I came across this a couple years ago and LOVED the cake….then sure enough lost it. I happened to google it yesterday and there you were! You’re the best! This is an unbelievable cake…simple and unadulterated —- perfect!
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Thanks so much for your comment, made my day! I know how it feels when we find a recipe we’ve been looking for a long time, and it’s nice to know you found it here!
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What a gorgeously delicious cake – I love almonds 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Latest: Lemon Polenta Raisin Cookies + Tropical Mini Yoghurt Berry Bundts
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i just baked this from your blog. it looks wonderful…like a brick of almond butter! i toasted 1/2 cup almonds and ground them up and added to the cake as well as almonds on the top. just delish!
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Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed it! I haven’t baked much lately, this is a cake that would be perfect to take to our new department once life settles down… (hopefully soon!)
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