A Better Burnt Almond Cake Recipes

BURNT ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lin the bottoms of two 8-inch round baking pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites (save the yolks for the pastry cream!), egg, buttermilk, vanilla, and almond extract, then set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter one piece at a time, while the mixer is running on low speed, waiting 10 seconds between each addition.
• Once all the butter is added, pour in the buttermilk and egg mixture in 3 batches, mixing on medium-low speed between each addition for about 1 minute and scraping the sides of the bowl. The batter should be light and fluffy. Once all of the liquid has been added, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl well and mix for another 20 to 30 seconds.
• Divide the batter evenly between the pans, then bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean with just a few crumbs attached. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting the cakes onto cooling racks and removing the parchment paper from the bottoms. Flip the cakes back over and cool completely on the wire racks.
• Level the tops of the cakes, then slice in half horizontally and wrap each cake layer with plastic wrap and chilling in the freezer for at least an hour before frosting.
• In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, combine the milk, cream, and half of the sugar, stirring occasionally until the liquid comes to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining sugar, salt, cornstarch, and egg yolks in a medium bowl until light and creamy.
• Once the milk mixture is hot, slowly whisk 1 cup of the hot liquid into the egg mixture to temper the yolks. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the hot milk mixture and reduce the heat to medium, continuing to cook while whisking constantly for about 30-60 seconds, until thickened and a few bubbles burst on the surface.
• Remove the pastry cream from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla, and almond extract, then transfer to a bowl and cover with a piece of plastic wrap placed directly onto the surface of the pastry cream so a skin doesn't form. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, about 3 hours.
• Combine the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Be careful not to let the bowl touch the water. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and the egg whites are hot (between 140-160 degrees F is enough to kill any bacteria in the egg whites and dissolve the sugar).
• Transfer the bowl on the stand mixer and whip the sugar and egg whites on high using the whisk attachment until thick and glossy, forming stiff peak and the bowl feels room temperature to the touch, which can take anywhere from 10-20 minutes. The stiff peaks will form fairly quickly, but just let the mixer keep working to help bring the temperature of the meringue down. This can be done with a hand mixer, but it's much easier with a stand version.
• Once the bowl is no longer warm to the touch, decrease the speed to medium-low and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Once all of the butter has been beaten in to the meringue, mix in the vanilla and almond extracts and salt.
• If the frosting looks curdled or clumpy, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until smooth. Or if the frosting is too runny and thin, stick it in the fridge for 10 minutes to help it set up a bit, then whip it again. This is a problem I've encountered because I didn't let my meringue cool down enough before adding the butter, but the fridge fix worked great.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the nuts onto the baking sheet in an even layer and toast them in the oven while you prepare the caramel. Be careful to watch them so they don't actually burn. They should just start to turn a light, toasty brown and smell nutty.
• Combine the water, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Insert a candy thermometer and let the mixture boil without stirring until it reaches 310 degrees F, then remove from the heat and stir in the butter and toasted almonds immediately.
• Pour the caramelized nuts back onto the foil-lined baking sheet and use a spatula to spread them into as thin a layer as possible, trying not to have too many overlapping nuts. Cool completely, then break apart, chopping large chunks if necessary.
• Place the bottom layer of cake on a cake stand and pipe a ring of the Swiss meringue buttercream around the edge to create a barrier for holding in the pastry cream. Scoop 1/3 of the pastry cream onto the cake and spread it out to fill in the space inside the ring of buttercream. Repeat with the remaining cake and pastry cream to create a 4-layer cake with 3 layers of pastry cream.
• Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining Swiss meringue buttercream. Press the almonds into the sides of the cake, letting excess almonds fall back onto the baking sheet below so they can be reused on top. Fill in gaps as needed with the almonds that fell off until the sides and top of the cake are covered.

BURNT ALMOND CAKE | THE BEST BURNT ALMOND CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
• Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom, and grease the sides.
• Add all dry ingredients for the cake to a large bowl and whisk together.
• Add eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and almond extract to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
• Pour cake batter evenly into the prepared cake pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
• Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
• Place your almonds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, turn the oven to 350°F (180°C), and toast for about 5-7 minutes, until golden and fragrant.
• While the almonds are baking, add butter to a mixing bowl and beat until it becomes fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Then add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Lastly, add in the cream cheese and almond extract and mix until ingredients just combine, and you have a smooth frosting.
• Place the first layer of cake on a plate and spread about 1/3 of buttercream evenly on top. Repeat for the next two layers.
• Spread the rest of the frosting on top and sides of the cake and place toasted almonds on the sides.

BURNT ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans.
• For the cake: Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a bowl and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce the speed to medium-low.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds between additions.
• Add alternating increments of the flour mixture and buttermilk and vanilla, blending well after each addition; this should take about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
• Bake for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool in pans, on wire racks, for 10 minutes, unmold the cakes and let cool completely.
• Note: The cake recipe makes two 8-inch round cake layers.
• Only one is used for this recipe.
• To make the brittle: Combine the granulated sugar, honey and water in a medium-sized saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.
• Boil, without stirring, until the mixture turns a deep amber color, about 10 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the toasted almonds, butter and baking soda.
• Mix with a wooden spoon just until the butter melts and the foaming subsides.
• Pour the mixture into a nonstick or lightly greased baking sheet and set aside to cool.
• Once the brittle has hardened, break it up and crush to fine crumbs in a food processor.
• Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• To make the custard cream: In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, heat milk to barely simmering.
• Meanwhile, combine egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a medium mixing bowl.
• Whisk to blend smoothly.
• Stir the heated milk into the egg mixture; return mixture to saucepan.
• Bring back to a boil, over medium-low heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute.
• Remove pan from heat; add butter and vanilla, stirring to melt the butter.
• Transfer custard to a bowl; place a piece of waxed paper directly on top to prevent a crust from forming and refrigerate until cold.
• Whip the cream and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Fold into the chilled custard and refrigerate until ready to use.
• To assemble cake: Cut the cake in half horizontally.
• Place one layer on a cake plate, spread cake with cold custard cream and sprinkle with brittle crumbs.
• Cover with the remaining layer of cake.
• Spread the remaining custard cream over cake, applying a thinner coat to the sides than the top.
• Chill for a least 1 hour before garnishing.
• To garnish, press brittle crumbs onto the sides of the cake with the palm of your hand and sprinkle a layer of crumbs on the top.
• Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Note: To toast nuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking pan.
• Bake in a 375F oven until golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Allow nuts to cool before using.

COPYCAT OF PRANTL'S BURNT ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans.
• For the cake:
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a bowl and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce the speed to medium-low. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds between additions.
• Add alternating increments of the flour mixture and buttermilk and vanilla, blending well after each addition; this should take about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
• Bake for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool in pans, on wire racks, for 10 minutes, unmold the cakes and let cool completely.
• Note: The cake recipe makes two 8-inch round cake layers. Only one is used for this recipe.
• To make the brittle:
• Combine the granulated sugar, honey and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.
• Boil, without stirring, until the mixture turns a deep amber color, about 10 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the toasted almonds, butter and baking soda.
• Mix with a wooden spoon just until the butter melts and the foaming subsides.
• Pour the mixture into a nonstick or lightly greased baking sheet and set aside to cool.
• Once the brittle has hardened, break it up and crush to fine crumbs in a food processor.
• Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• To make the custard cream:
• In a heavy saucepan over medium- low heat, heat milk to barely simmering.
• Meanwhile, combine egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to blend smoothly.
• Stir the heated milk into the egg mixture; return mixture to saucepan.
• Bring back to a boil, over medium-low heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute.
• Remove pan from heat; add butter and vanilla, stirring to melt the butter.
• Transfer custard to a bowl; place a piece of waxed paper directly on top to prevent a crust from forming and refrigerate until cold.
• Whip the cream and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Fold into the chilled custard and refrigerate until ready to use.
• To assemble cake:
• Cut the cake in half horizontally.
• Place one layer on a cake plate, spread cake with cold custard cream and sprinkle with brittle crumbs.
• Cover with the remaining layer of cake.
• Spread the remaining custard cream over cake, applying a thinner coat to the sides, then the top.
• Chill for at least 1 hour before garnishing.
• To garnish, press brittle crumbs onto the sides of the cake with the palm of your hand and sprinkle a layer of crumbs on the top. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Note: To toast nuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking pan. Bake in a 375-degree oven until golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes. Allow nuts to cool before using.