Almond Cake From Albufeira, Portugal
Source: Bon Appetit, November 1977 (Ann)
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 ts vanilla extract
1/3 cup melted butter cooled to room temperature
2/3 cup sliced almonds
Hot Almond Syrup
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 T water
1/2 tsp almond extract
Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Beat egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract together until smooth. Stir in melted butter. Add flour mixture and mix with spoon until nearly smooth. Turn into a buttered 9" springform pan.
Bake until center of cake springs back when lightly touched, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven. While is hot, cover top with sliced almonds. Slowly pour Hot Almond Syrup (recipe follows) even over, letting syrup soak into cake. Broil about 6" from heat until almonds are lightly toasted. Cool on rack 15 minutes. Using knife or spatula, loosen sides between pan and cake, then cool completely before releasing springform pan.
Hot Almond Syrup
In 1-qt saucepan combine sugar and water. Boil until mixture reaches 220° F on candy thermometer*. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract.
Edited: January 22nd, 2006
*Be careful not to over cook the syrup or it will harden on top of the almonds rather than get absorbed into the cake. I don't use the thermometer. I just bring the syrup to a boil and cook for about one minute. There is so little syrup that it doesn't take long.