Recipes

Mediterranean Almond Cake

Sweet and simple. This one-bowl Mediterranean cake with a liqueur kick is the perfect holiday dessert  

By Caren McSherry /

Credit: Flickr / Onenjen

Mediterranean almond cake with an amaretto liqueur kick

Imagine a cake made entirely in the food processor. One bowl, no mess, and the result is a delicious Mediterranean almond cake perfect for holiday entertaining

You can use two 6-inch round cake pans if those are easier to find than a 12-inch one. But be warned that an 8-inch pan won’t work for this recipe.

Ingredients

Amaretto Cream:

  • 2 cups Italian mascarpone
  • 3 Tbsp. amaretto liqueur

Almond Cake:

  • 1 scant cup sugar
  • ½ lb. almond paste (marzipan)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ tsp. pure almond extract
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1-½ tsp. baking powder
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • 1 cup toasted flaked almonds (garnish)
  • Icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. For the amaretto cream, mix the mascarpone and liqueur together. Chill until serving.
  2. Place the sugar and almond paste in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Add the butter and almond extract. Continue to process until the mixture is creamy.
  3. Then add the eggs, one at a time, pulsing after each addition.
  4. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  5. Add to the egg mixture. Pulse until a batter forms.
  6. Pour the batter into a 12-inch round cake pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Tap the pan several times on the counter before placing it in the oven. (This pushes the batter-trapped air bubbles to the surface, resulting in an even-textured, hole-free cake.)
  7. Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middles comes out clean.
  8. Invert the cake onto a large cake platter. Let it cool.
  9. Spread the toasted almonds over the top of the cake and lightly dust the top with a shake of icing sugar. Serve in wedges garnished with amaretto cream.

Serves 10 to 12.

Listen to Caren McSherry Thursdays between 11 a.m. and 11:40 a.m. on CKNW 98.

Originally published in TVW. For daily programming updates and on-screen Entertainment news, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.