Swedish Visiting Cake

When I first saw this recipe, I was sure that I'm going to like this.  I was right!  If you like almonds, then you will like this cake! Just as the author describes it best "The cake is thin and light with a golden sugar crust and an interior that is soft, chewy, moist and reminiscent of cakes made with almond paste".  Ms. Dorie Greenspan got this recipe from her friend, Ingela Helgesson, and originally, this cake is baked in a cast-ironed skillet.  If you haven't got one, the alternative is to use a well-buttered cake or pie pan.  I baked mine in a pie pan with a removable bottom.

This cake is so easy to make, there is no creaming needed and no beating of eggs are necessary.  Can anything get any simpler than this?  The only thing is, this is a little bit sweet for me, even though I reduced the sugar to 140gm.  Other than this, it is really good.  My kids, however, don't seem to like this, because of the almond flavour.  I will have to omit the almond flavour and reduce a little bit more of the sugar the next time I bake this.  A slice of this, when eaten warm,  is really great with a cup of hot coffee.

I am linking this to Recipe Swap Thursday at Prairie Story.

Swedish Visiting Cake
(adapted from "Baking From My Home To Yours" by Dorie Greenspan)
Ingredient :
1 cup sugar, plus a little more for sprinkling
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)
1/2 tsp pure almond extract (optional)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
about 1/4 cup sliced almonds (blanched or not)

Getting Ready : Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter a seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet or other heavy ovenproof skillet, a 9-inch round cake pan or pie pan.

Pour the sugar into a medium bowl.  Add the lemon zest and blend the zest into the sugar with your fingers until the sugar is moist and aromatic.  Whisk in the eggs one at a time until well blended.  Whisk in the salt and the extracts, if your're using them.  Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the flour.  Finally, fold in the melted butter.

Scrape the batter into the skillet and smooth the top with the rubber spatula.  Scatter the sliced almonds over the top and sprinkle with a little sugar.  If your're using a cake or pie pan, place the pan on a baking sheet.

Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it is golden and a little crisp on the outside; the inside will remain moist, even, as Ingela says, "slightly damp".  Remove the skillet from the oven and let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around the sides and bottom of the cake to loosen it.  You can serve the cake, warm or cooled, directly from the skillet or turned out onto a serving plate.

Serving : The cake is good eaten warm or at room temperature.  Either way, it is meant to be cut into small wedges and eaten sans forks - this is a finger cake.

Storing : The cake is an excellent keeper.  Well wrapped, it will keep for about 5 days at room temperature or for up to 2 months in the freezer.

I'm linking this to "Make It With ..... Mondays" over at Couscous & Consciousness