Thursday, October 27, 2011

Toasted Almond Pound Cake

This is the best Almond Pound Cake I've eaten! Hands down! It is so soft, with tender crumbs, moist and absolutely delicious! Another keeper from "The Cake Book" by Tish Boyle, which is becoming my top favourite baking book for cakes at the moment! This is the fourth recipe I've tried, and all four recipes are keepers. I love almond cakes, and this "Toasted Almond Pound Cake" is really good.



The smell of the almonds while the cake is baking is fantastic! My sister was around when I baked this and we could not wait to take a bite of this cake. Half an hour after the cake was out of the oven is the longest that we can wait! The minute the knife cuts into the tender crumbs, I knew this is a keeper! Both of us go WOW, absolutely delicious! This cake is soft, tender, moist and full of flavour from the toasted nutty almonds and really fragrant.


This is so good, you will find yourself reaching for a second slice!


The recipe calls for slivered almonds which are toasted and then process with some sugar until just finely ground. I did the lazy and easy way out, I just toasted the almond meal instead, until light brown, and proceed on with the recipe. One of the ingredients that I could not find was Almond Paste. So I made my own. It is so super easy and quick to make. I got the recipe from where else, but the website for almond lovers, Almond Board of California. If you cannot find any canned almond paste, try making your own, I never knew it was so easy to make. Once you have your almond paste, either homemade or store bought, try out this delightfully delicious cake, you will be glad you did!


I'm sharing this with 
Full Plate Thursday over at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Bake with Bizzy at Bizzy B. Bakes
These Chicks Cooked Link Party at This Chick Cooks


And I'm bringing this to a Cookbook Party, hosted by Louise of Months of Edible Celebrations. Louise is celebrating her Blogoversary by throwing a Cookbook Party, and October being the National Cookbook Month! There's a whole list of food celebrations just for the month of October! For full details, hop over to Months of Edible Celebrations. I'm submitting this cake under the list "Dessert Month"!



Homemade almond paste, you may view the original recipe, click here.


Almond Paste
(source from : Almond Board of California)
1-1/2 cups (8oz) whole blanched almonds
1-1/2 cups (5 oz) sifted powdered sugar
1 egg white
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
Grind whole blanched almonds, a portion at a time, in electric blender or food chopper with fine blade (Yield : about 1-3/4 cups ground almonds). Combine with powdered sugar, egg white, almond extract and salt; work to a stiff paste. Store in refrigerator tightly wrapped in saran or disposable plastic bag. 
Makes 1-1/3 cups (13oz) almond paste.
(my notes : I use ready bought ground almonds instead)


Toasted Almond Pound Cake
(adapted from "The Cake Book" by Tish Boyle)
1-3/4 cups (6.2oz/175gm) sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (2.1oz/60gm) blanched slivered almonds, toasted (see page 36)
1 cup (7 oz/200gm) granulated sugar, divided (I use 160gm)
1 cup (2 sticks/8oz/227gm) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (5oz/142gm) canned almond paste
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream or whole milk
confectioners' sugar for dusting

  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Dust the pan with flour. Stack two baking sheets on top of one another and set aside. (This will be used to insulate the cake while it is baking - you can use an insulated baking sheet instead if you have one).
  2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine, and set aside.
  3. Combine the almonds and 1/4 cup of the sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until the almonds are just finely ground (don't overprocess, or the nuts will become oily). Stir the ground almonds into the flour mixture and set aside. (I use ground almonds instead and toast them till light brown)
  4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and almond paste at medium speed until very creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and beat the mixture at high speed until very light, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.  Beat in the vanilla and almond extract. Add the flour mixture at low speed in three additions, alternating it with the heavy cream in two additions and mixing just until the flour is incorporated. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
  5. Place the cake in the oven on top of the stacked baking sheets. Bake for 70 to 85 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Place the cake pan on a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes.
  6. Unmold the cake and cool completely, right side up.
  7. Dust the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar before serving.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.


27 comments:

  1. The texture looks perfect. It must be very yummy!

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  2. I belive you! sounds and look amazing!! gloria

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  3. thank you for sharing the recipe on the almond paste. I can really see the texture is really moist and fine! the way you put it sound so delicious, can i hv a piece now?

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  4. Woww gorgeous and fabulous looking super moist cake,lovely..

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  5. Oh! What a beautiful cake and I love almond paste...this cake is just perfect, flavor and texture.
    Hope you are having a great week :-)

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  6. I'm sure your home made almond paste made all the difference in the world, Joyce. That pound cake looks absolutely heavenly!!! As much as I enjoy freshly baked pound cake, I love it just as much when it gets to be a day old and the flavors really have time to meld. Oh, how I wish I could have just one slice.

    I guess I'll wait for the Cookbook Party!!! Thank you so much for sharing & joining!!! Good Luck!

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  7. Aw you sound so enthusiastic about this pound cake! I can see why! :)

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  8. the fine crumbs look beautiful!

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  9. Indeed it looks good from the photo. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. Perfection ~ love the nutty,soft cake!
    USMasala

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  11. I love this! I have lots of almonds so I can do this this weekend:D Thanks for sharing!

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  12. This sounds delicious. And thanks for sharing the almond paste recipe. It's $5 a tube here!

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  13. Le Sigh. I really REALLY wish I could bake. This sounds amazing :)

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  14. I love pound cakes that's smooth and light...and your homemade almond paste looks gorgeous too.

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  15. i can just taste the almond flavor right now. That nutty yet sweet flavor! Delish and with the moist sweetness of the cake- I am all over this one! Seriously my next to do

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  16. Your pound cake looks moist and delicious! I could probably eat more than 2 slices! By the way, how's your garden doing? I haven't heard from you in
    awhile.

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  17. This almond cake sounds delicious! I can imagine the aroma filling the house! I'll try this too if/when I find/make almond paste. ;-) Have a great weekend!!

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  18. I'm just passing by and thought id say hello. We will be receiving some snow this weekend in Pennsylvania, and the leaves are just about at their peek colors. I hope everyone has a very nice weekend. Richard from Amish Stories.

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  19. I love almonds in baked goods! This sounds like another delightful pound cake recipe.

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  20. the texture look fine and must be very good aroma!

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  21. Joy, this is an awesome Pound Cake, it would be so delicious with my afternoon tea. Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great week end and come back soon!
    Miz Helen

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  22. Kasi sikit! Buat gua kempunan sia..:D

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  23. Hi, this cake sure looks delicious. A sure , 'can I have another piece'... kind of cake.
    Women or girls who can make these kinds of cakes are the kinds bachelors love bring home show mummy, the cook, and the cake.
    Great potential.
    Outstanding!
    Have a nice weekend, and keep a song in your heart.
    Lee.

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  24. oooooohhhhhhh....soooo inviting...eh, kna prepare d paste first ya...i just drop by ajelah..malacca is not dat far kan? hehehe

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  25. ehhhh...u'r in selangor...lagilah dekat..hahahha..we r neighbours then...boleh tukar2 pinggan kan?

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  26. I saved this one too! I love almonds desserts.

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