Almond Cake

Happy Lunar New Year!  I hope you had a fabulous time visiting family and friends and feasting on all the delicious food and snacks.

I spent two days visiting my relatives and I had a good time catching up with them.  We had a fun time sharing stories, giving out hongbaos and trying out each other’s bakes.  I brought the pineapple tarts that I made to my in-laws and grandmother’s house because they love pineapple tarts but can no longer make them.  I remember that when I was a child I would go to my grandmother’s house to help make pineapple tarts.  Those good old days will always be remembered dearly.  We made tray after tray of pineapple tarts to give to our relatives.  Now that Grandma is almost 90, it is time for me to make them for her each Chinese New Year.  I’m glad she likes my tarts.  She is a good cook and hearing her say she likes them is like receiving a pat on the back.

Coming from a small family, my visiting for Chinese New Year is finished.  If you have a big family with many relatives to visit and you are thinking of bringing a gift over to their house, I have a recommendation for you.  You can make an almond cake that everyone will love.  Whenever I bake this for someone I get good reviews for it. It is really delicious and moist.  The butter and ground almonds make this cake a winner.  The best part is everything can be mixed in one bowl.  It saves time in getting the mixer out and washing multiple dishes and utensils.  I use just a bowl and a hand whisk.

I bought ground almond to make almond cookies but never got around to it because I was making pineapple tarts (due to hot demand from the husband and daughter).  I doubt I will be baking almond cookies because my MIL has kindly bought us a box of almond cookies.  So today, I decided to make an almond cake using the ground almond meant for almond cookies.  I will be having this for tea later.  I hope you try this recipe and and get a thumbs-up for this cake.

Ingredients (one loaf cake or 8″ cake):

• 100g unsalted butter, bring to room temperature
• 100g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 90g ground almonds (almond powder)
• 40g cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon flaked or chopped almonds for garnishing

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
2. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper at the bottom and lightly grease the sides of the pan.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with a hand whisk until it is light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs and continue whisking.  Then add vanilla and fresh milk, whisking after each addition of ingredient.
5. Sift over cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl.  Fold to incorporate the flour and butter mixture.
6. Add ground almonds and fold to incorporate everything.
7. Pour batter into the loaf pan and sprinkle flaked or chopped almonds.
8. Bake in pre-heated oven for 30 – 35 minutes or until skewer inserted comes out clean.
9. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing.
10. Enjoy!