Toscatarta (Swedish Almond Cake)

This is a really nice almond cake; a moist butter cake, topped with a sweet crunchy buttery almonds. Another lovely recipe from the book "Cake" by Rachel Allen, 

It is baked in a springform pan, and Rachel has given a useful tip to use the base of the pan upside down, so that there's no lip at the sides of the base removable bottom, and the cake can be slide off easily after baking.

Recipe says to bake the cake for 30 minutes, then add on the topping, which is to be prepared about 5 minutes before the cake's 30 minutes is up. A cake tester inserted in the middle of cake is supposed to have some moist crumbs on it before the topping is added, but my cake tester is clean when I inserted it in the cake at 27 minutes, so it would be a good idea to check on your cake earlier. 

To prepare the topping, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the rest of the ingredients, sugar, flour, cream, vanilla extract and flaked almonds, letting the mixture bubbles for a minute. Spread the mixture evenly over the hot cake, and continue to bake the cake for another 10-15 minutes until the almonds are golden brown.

I sliced  a piece when the cake is still slightly warm, as it smells so good with the almonds! The cake turn out moist with tender crumbs, and the almonds are crunchy, a little sweet, buttery and smells good! The next time, when I make this again, I would reduce slightly, the amount of sugar for the topping, it is a little sweet for me, but it would probably be just right for those who love their dessert a little sweet.

If you love almonds, then you just got to give this cake a try!

Toscatarta or Swedish Almond Cake
(adapted from "Cake", Rachel Allen)
Serves 8-10
3 eggs
150gm (5 oz) caster sugar (I use 120gm)
150gm (5 oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp milk
75gm (3 oz) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

For the Topping :
50gm (2 oz) butter
100gm (3-1/2 oz) flaked almonds
50gm (2 oz) caster sugar
2 tsp plain flour
3 tbsp double or regular cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

One 23cm (9 in) diameter spring-form or loose-bottomed cake tin with 6cm (2-1/2 in) sides

Preheat the oven to 180C (350F), gas mark 4, then grease the base and sides of the cake tin with butter and dust with flour. If you're using a spring-form tin, make sure the base is upside down, so there's no lip and the cake can slide off easily when cooked.

Using a hand-held electric beater or an electric food mixer, whisk together the eggs and the sugar for 5-7 minutes or until thick and mousse-like.

Sift in the flour and baking powder and pour in the vanilla extract, milk and melted butter, then fold everything in until combined. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out moist but not totally clean, as the mixture will still need another 10 minutes of cooking. Increase the heat to 200C (400F), Gas mark 6.

Just before the 30-35 minutes are up, make the topping. Place the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. When it has melted, add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil, allowing the mixture to bubble away for 1 minute.

After the cake has been cooking for 30-35 minutes, remove it from the oven and spoon the almond mixture evenly over the top. Place it back in the oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the topping is golden.

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then, using a small, sharp knife, loosen around the edges and carefully remove the sides of the tin before placing the cake (still on the base of the tin) on a wire rack to cool down fully.

To transfer to a plate, use a palette knife to loosen the bottom of the cake from the tin, then slide the knife under the cake and ease it onto the plate to serve.

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I'm linking this post to Little Thumbs Up : June 2014 - Butter, organized by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids, Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Jozelyn Ng of Spice Up My Kitchen

and Cook-Your-Books #13 @ kitchen flavours