Swedish Almond Cake
Published Jan. 7, 2020
- Total Time
- 1¼ hours, plus cooling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ½cup plus 6 tablespoons/200 grams unsalted butter, melted and lukewarm, plus more unmelted butter for greasing the pan
- 2cups minus 2 tablespoons/240 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
- 1teaspoon baking powder
- ¼teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1¼cups/250 grams granulated sugar
- 2large eggs, at room temperature
- ⅔cup/160 milliliters whole milk, lukewarm
- 2teaspoons vanilla extract
- 7tablespoons/100 grams unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
- ¾cup/75 grams sliced almonds
- ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
- 2tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2tablespoons whole milk
For the Cake
For the Topping
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
747 calories; 49 grams fat; 27 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 72 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 46 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 153 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Make the cake: Center a rack in the oven, and heat it to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan (using solid, unmelted butter), and dust the interior with flour; tap out the excess. Place the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Step 3
Working with a mixer (use a paddle attachment, if you have one), beat the sugar and eggs together on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium, and gradually add the melted butter, followed by the milk and vanilla. (I like to pour the ingredients down the side of the bowl as the mixer is working.) Mix until the batter is smooth; it will have a lovely sheen. Decrease the speed to low, and gradually add the dry ingredients. When the flour mixture is almost fully incorporated, finish blending by stirring with a spatula. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
- Step 4
Slide the cake into the oven, and set your timer for 30 minutes.
- Step 5
As soon as the timer dings, start the topping (leaving the cake in the oven): In a medium saucepan, mix together all the topping ingredients. Place over medium-high heat and, stirring constantly, cook until you see a couple of bubbles around the edges. Lower the heat to medium, and cook, stirring nonstop, for 3 minutes. The mixture will thicken a little, and your spatula will leave tracks as you stir. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Step 6
Immediately take the cake out of the oven (leaving the oven on), and carefully pour the topping over the cake, nudging it gently with a spatula to cover the cake completely.
- Step 7
Return the cake to the oven, and bake for an additional 15 minutes (total baking time is about 50 minutes) or until the topping, which will bubble and seethe, is a beautiful golden brown and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack, and cool for 5 minutes. Carefully work a table knife between the side of the pan and the cake, gently pushing the cake away from the side (it’s a delicate job because the sticky topping isn’t yet set). Remove the sides of the pan, and let the cake come to room temperature on the base. When you’re ready to serve, lift the cake off the springform base and onto a platter.
Private Notes
Comments
Cate suggested using two timers. I like to use four timers: a third one to keep track of the total time elapsed for the first two timers, and then a fourth timer to keep track of the total time it took me to set the first three timers. Oh, and sometimes I set a fifth timer, just to remind me when it’s time to take another Xanax.
Hazardous variable is the time required to prepare the topping, which must be tracked and then subtracted from total cook time: it's easy to overcook the cake. Set two timers instead, one for 45 minutes for total cook time and one for 20 to begin fixing topping. Keep topping hot; add topping when cake timer shows 15 minutes remaining.
I'll likely anger the dessert purists, but I altered this cake to reduce sugar & butter and it's still delicious. I don't like super sweet desserts. Following the lead of others, I reduced the butter in the cake to a 1/2 cup, reduced the sugar to 1 cup, and used a mixture of almond and all-purpose flour. I also cut the butter and sugar in the topping by half. And you know what? The cake is perfect!!!! Probably one of the best cakes I've ever made, and I plan on making it again using my changes.
I love G&J's adjustments - Hoovay for realising we do not need all that butter & sugar!!! As an actice 83 yr old, retired Dental Hygienist, I have always cut both of these ingredients by 1/2 or more for 60 years and my 3 healthy sons have all thanked me.
Only adjustments were to sub almond extract for vanilla and toast the sliced almonds first. Definitely make sure cake is set before adding topping. I ended up broiling at the very end when the cake was done, but the topping hadn’t fully browned yet. Worked great and was absolutely delicious!
Absolutely perfect! I just added one teaspoon of almond extract and it was just the best extra touch. Not sure why people are saying is too much baking time. I followed the recipe to the T and it came out glorious.