Almond Butter Cake With Buttercrunch Glaze Recipes

M. CUNNINGHAM'S ALMOND BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring regularly.
• Pour the melted butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar into a large bowl and stir until smooth.
• Crack the eggs right into the same bowl and mix until the batter is creamy and all one color.
• Add the salt, almond extract, vanilla extract, and flour and stir briskly until the batter is smooth.
• Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
• Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter from the bowl into the greased cake pan.
• Spread it evenly in the pan.
• Sprinkle the tablespoon of sugar, then the sliced almonds, over the top of the batter.
• Put the pan on the middle rack of the oven and set the timer for 35 minutes.
• When it rings, check to see if the cake is done.
• It should be light brown on top, and when you insert a toothpick in the center, it should have a few sticky crumbs adhering to it.
• If the cake is not browned enough and the toothpick comes out too wet, put the cake back in the oven and check it again in another 10 minutes.
• When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a heatproof counter for at least 30 minutes.
• Cut the cake into small wedges and serve with fresh fruit.
• This cake will stay fresh for about a week and will freeze indefinitely.
• Wrap it tightly in foil, or in a plastic bag you can seal with a zip or tie.
• Storing nuts: Whenever you have leftover nuts, freeze them in a plastic bag closed tightly.
• They will keep indefinitely in the freezer.

ALMOND BUTTER CAKE WITH BUTTERCRUNCH GLAZE

Steps:

• For glaze:
• Generously butter 12-cup bundt or tube pan.
• Melt 1/3 cup butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat.
• Add almonds and stir 1 minute.
• Add sugars, corn syrup and almond extract and stir until sugars dissolve and glaze bubbles, about 2 minutes.
• Pour into prepared pan, distributing evenly.
• Dust pan with breadcrumbs.
• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter until softened.
• Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.
• Blend in vanilla and almond extract.
• Beat in dry ingredients and milk alternately, beginning and ending with dry ingredients; do not overmix.
• Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake until cake is golden brown and tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour, covering with foil if top browns too quickly.
• Invert onto rack and let cool to room temperature.

ALMOND BIRTHDAY CAKE WITH SHERRY-LEMON BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-inch by 2-inch-deep round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment or waxed paper. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, 1/4 cup sour cream, vanilla and lemon zest.
• In bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the cake flour, ground almonds, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat in butter and remaining 3/4 cup sour cream until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly beat in the egg mixture until fully combined.
• Scrape batter into prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake layer comes out clean. Let cake layers cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes, then invert onto racks and peel off paper. Let cool completely on racks.
• While cakes cool, make frosting: In a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water (or use a double boiler), whisk egg whites, sugar and salt until sugar is completely melted (130 to 140 degrees on a candy thermometer), 3 to 4 minutes. Remove egg whites from heat; beat mixture with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until completely cooled and thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Beat in the butter, a little at a time, until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Beat in the sherry, lemon zest and cinnamon.
• To frost cake, place 1 layer on a cake plate, rounded side down, trimming if necessary so it lies flat. Spread with a third of the frosting, top with second layer and frost remainder of cake.

ALMOND BUTTERCRUNCH

Steps:

• In a saucepan over low heat, combine the butter, sugar and 1 cup chopped almonds. Stir constantly until mixture boils, then do not stir or shake. Heat to 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads.
• Pour onto a large buttered cookie sheet. Immediately press chocolate chips onto the hot candy. As the chocolate melts, spread it into a coating over the candy.
• Sprinkle finely chopped almonds over the top; cool, and break into uneven pieces.

NANA'S ALMOND BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• 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.
• Add 1 whole egg and 2 yolks to flour mixture, reserving whites, then knead in bowl until a soft dough forms, about 5 minutes. 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.
• Transfer remaining dough to springform pan and cover surface with another large sheet of plastic wrap. Press dough (through plastic wrap) evenly onto bottom. Discard plastic wrap.
• Blend almond paste, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon water in a food processor until crumbled (paste may be hard). Add remaining 3 tablespoons water, a little at a time, processing until paste is smooth.
• 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.
• Spread almond mixture on top of dough in pan, tapping side of pan gently to smooth surface.
• 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. Trim ends of strips flush with edge of pan. Arrange 6 of the remaining strips 1 inch apart diagonally across first strips to form a lattice with diamond-shaped spaces. (If dough becomes too soft, chill until firm.) Repair any broken strips of dough by carefully pressing them together and trim ends of strips flush with edge of pan. Discard any remaining strips.
• Bake until pale golden, about 45 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of cake to loosen if necessary, then remove side of pan and cool cake completely, about 30 minutes.

LEMON-ALMOND BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• For the curd, combine zest, juice, sugar and eggs in a heatproof bowl, and beat well. Add butter, and place over a saucepan full of simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until mixture thickens into curd, about 5 minutes. Strain into a bowl, and press plastic wrap onto surface to keep skin from forming. Refrigerate until cool, at least 1 1/2 hours.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch spring-form pan with 1 tablespoon butter, and dust with 1 tablespoon flour, shaking out excess.
• With an electric mixer, cream the remaining butter and 1 cup sugar together until light and fluffy. Sift together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt, and stir in. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs until they start to foam. Do not overbeat or the cake will be tough. Add eggs and ground almonds to batter, and mix well.
• Scrape batter into the prepared pan. Drop 8 individual tablespoons lemon curd around perimeter of batter, leaving a 1-inch border, and taking care to space drops evenly. Drop 3 to 4 tablespoons curd into center of batter. Refrigerate remaining curd for another use. Sprinkle cake with toasted almonds and 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, depending on taste.
• Bake until cake is toasty brown on top and a toothpick inserted into cake (not curd) comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool on rack 10 minutes, then remove sides of pan, and cool completely.
• Whip cream with almond liqueur. Present cake at table, and offer whipped cream on the side.

ALMOND BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Make dough (rough puff pastry):
• Sift together flour, salt, and sugar into a chilled large metal bowl. Set a grater over flour mixture and coarsely grate frozen butter into flour, gently lifting flour and tossing to coat butter.
• Drizzle ice water evenly over flour mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated. Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together with scraper and form into a 6- to 7-inch square. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour. (Dough will be lumpy and streaky.)
• Make filling while pastry chills:
• Purée almond paste, sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until smooth. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract and purée until incorporated. Add flour and pulse until incorporated. Transfer to a small bowl and chill, covered, to firm at least 1 hour.
• Roll out pastry:
• Roll out dough on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 21- by 7-inch rectangle and arrange rectangle with a short side nearest you. Fold into thirds, first the top down and then the bottom up (like a letter), brushing off excess flour, to form a roughly 7-inch square. Rewrap dough and chill 20 minutes.
• Arrange square on floured surface so that a side with 3 layers visible is nearest you and roll into a 21- by 7-inch rectangle, rolling lengthwise away from and toward yourself, but not side to side. Fold in thirds, brush off excess flour, and chill 20 minutes. Repeat rolling out, folding in thirds, and chilling 3 more times. After last round of rolling and folding, chill rewrapped dough 1 hour.
• Assemble and glaze galette:
• Roll out dough in same manner into a rectangle 24 inches long, then cut in half crosswise. On a floured surface, roll out each piece of pastry into a 12-inch square and transfer to separate baking sheets by rolling pastry around rolling pin, brushing off excess flour, then unrolling onto baking sheets. Chill squares until firm, about 10 minutes in freezer or 30 minutes in refrigerator.
• Put an oven rack in lowest position and another in top third of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.
• Stir together egg and milk in a small bowl with a fork to make an egg wash.
• Using a plate as a guide, cut 1 pastry square on baking sheet into an 11-inch round, reserving excess dough for another use. Using tip of a knife and a smaller plate as a guide, score a 9-inch circle, leaving a 1-inch border all around. (If at any time pastry becomes too soft to work with, chill until firm.) Cut a 1/2-inch circle in center of round to serve as a steam vent, then score curved lines close together inside 9-inch circle in a pinwheel design and lightly brush pastry all over with egg wash. Chill scored pastry on a baking sheet while preparing remaining pastry.
• Cut remaining square into an 11-inch round in same manner. Brush some of egg wash in a 1-inch wide border around edge of round and mound chilled filling in center, spreading to about 1 1/2 inches from edge. Bury almond or bean anywhere in filling. Slide chilled pastry round gently over filling, scored side up, and press edges of rounds together to seal. Cut decorative notches, 1 inch apart, around sealed edge of galette.
• Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust top of galette with confectioners sugar.
• Bake galette:
• Bake on baking sheet on bottom rack of oven until puffed and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer galette to upper third of oven and continue baking until very puffed and deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes (galette will deflate slightly). Serve warm.

GLAZED ALMOND BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and ground almonds. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with 1 cup milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and invert on a wire rack. Cool 10 minutes longer. Place rack on waxed paper. Combine 1/4 cup milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and toasted sliced almonds; pour over warm cake.

CRANBERRY CAKE WITH ALMOND-BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8-in. square baking pan., Beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Beat in milk. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; stir into butter mixture. Stir in cranberries. Transfer to prepared pan., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack., For sauce, in a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sugar and cream; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in extract. Serve warm with cake.