A celebration of almonds!
To me, the almond is the queen of nuts. Almonds are refined, not too fatty and extremely nutritious – and they have a delicate aroma that’s a great complement to so many foods. This cake is a celebration of the succulent kernel; every spoonful is filled with the wonderful texture of ground almonds and the exquisite flavor of almond essence.
Elegant, light and delicious. Serve this cake as part of your Easter feast!
This cake is not as dense, nor as rich, as a pound cake, yet it still has that irresistible crumbly, cake-y quality. To lighten things up, I like to serve the flavorful slices with strawberries that have been macerated with strawberry or cassis liqueur, and a chantilly spiked with zingy ginger preserve.
An elegant cake that’s perfect for a spring brunch or an Easter feast!
Almond cake with strawberries and ginger chantilly
makes 1 medium cake or 8 servings
active time: 35 min
For the cake
- 4 oz (115 g) (3/4 cup) blanched almonds
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch sea salt
- 4 extra large eggs – at room temperature
- 2/3 cup organic sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 8 tablespoons (4 oz) (115 g) unsalted butter – melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon organic sugar
For the strawberries
- 1 lb (455 g) strawberries – hulled and cut in 1/4″ pieces
- 1 tablespoon organic sugar
- 2 tablespoons strawberry or cassis liqueur
For the chantilly
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup ginger preserve
- mint sprigs as garnish
- powdered sugar as garnish
- 9″ non-stick round spring-form cake pan – buttered and floured
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Step 1: Place the blanched almonds in the bowl of a food processor with 1 tablespoon of the flour and process until very finely chopped, about 1 minute. You should end up with 1 cup of ground almonds. Alternatively, you can purchase almond meal/flour. You’ll need 1 cup.
- Step 2: Place the ground almonds, balance of the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside.
- Step 3: Place the eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip at high speed until foamy and ribbony. While continuing to whip the eggs at high speed, gradually add the sugar and then the almond extract. Continue whipping until soft peaks form. With a silicone spatula, fold half the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just incorporated. Then fold in the melted butter until just incorporated. Finish by folding in the balance of the flour mixture. Do not overmix or the cake won’t rise. Pour batter into the prepared mold. Sprinkle with the slivered almonds and sugar, and bake for to 30 to 35 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool before unmolding.
- Step 4: While the cake is baking, place the strawberries in a bowl. Add the sugar and liqueur. Stir well, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The strawberries will release their juices.
- Step 5: Place the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip at medium speed until thickened, taking care not to overbeat. Add the ginger preserve and whip for another 5 seconds until well incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
- Step 6: To serve, place each slice of cake in the center of a dessert plate. Spoon the strawberries next to it along with some of the juices. Place a dollop of the ginger chantilly next to the strawberries. Garnish with a mint sprig, dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.
- Cook’s note: Although it’s best eaten the day it’s made, the cake will keep at room temperature, in a cool place, for up to two days.
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I love using almonds in cakes but I have found that flour made out of blanched almonds and whole raw almonds give different texture. I use both but the latter give more soft and moist cakes.
We are on the cusp of strawberry season and I can’t wait! A moist and flavorful cake to pair with the gems of early spring!
Deb! I’m with you all the way… Now counting the days to local strawberry season! Thank you for stopping by.
Viviane, I made this this morning and it’s out of this world! I didn’t have heavy cream, but had made ricotta yesterday, so whipped it up with the ginger marmalade, and it’s very nice indeed! Thanks again. This is a keeper.
Julie! I am so, so happy – thank you for letting me know. I love how creative you got with the ricotta – marvelous! My little nieces are coming over for dinner next weekend and I’ll be making this cake for them, except I think I’ll make ginger gelato instead of the ginger Chantilly – Ah!
This sounds absolutely fantastic for a Spring brunch! Your photos are gorgeous. This cake looks so delicious and I love your chantilly, just fantastic!
Thank you so much Lacy! You just made me smile – very wide!
This is lovely Viviane. We served an almond cake at our Passover dinner (but we bought it from a bakery). Yours looks divine.
LL
Almonds and strawberries?!? It looks so delicious! Perfect tea/brunch cake 🙂
Like the others, this recipe sounds great. I’m about to start making it. One question, are the sliced almonds added as a topping to the batter prior to baking? If not, when? I don’t see it spelled out in the recipe.
Happy Easter!
Kevin! Mercy…Even my editor missed this one. I’ve just corrected the recipe. The slivered almonds and 1 tablespoon of sugar are sprinkled on top of the batter just before baking. I hope this didn’t screw up the recipe for you! Happy Easter to you and yours…
This cake sounds delicious. So happy that strawberries are in abundance right now. But the ginger chantlly, really has me going, I want to make that. I don’t think I have ever seen ginger preserves. Are they homemade?
Suzi, Ginger preserve is a bit like ginger marmalade. Tiptree, the brand I linked to at the bottom of the post, is excellent and available in most gourmet stores in the US (think Whole Foods and the like). You’re so lucky to have strawberries in abundance right now. It’ll be some weeks before I can get local ones!
This looks delicious! I make a version of this with caramel frosting, but the strawberries and ginger chantilly sound amazing!! next time I make this cake I am going to have to switch it up and do this version for the toppings!
Have a wonderful weekend and Easter!
Almonds are my favorite nuts, too. What a delicious looking cake!
I’m not seeing what size pan to use. Assuming 8-inch, am I correct?
Nancy, Look at little more carefully at the recipe – under ingredients “For the cake”. A 9” non-stick round spring-form cake pan is listed (8″ would do), and is the best kind of pan so that you don’t loose the almond topping when unmolding.
I found Red Mill almond flour in one store here – it was $11 a pound, so that’s not happening
Then grind your own almond dear Nancy – that’s why I gave both directions.
Viviane your Almond Cake looks fantastic! We can’t wait to try it. Your Chantilly looks yummy!
this is beautiful, such a wonderful blend of flavors here!
I am making this tomorrow. I always make a Simnel. ke for Easter..Or some “FIGOLI”
This is Maltese.. Do look it up on Internet sometime.. I am certain you can adapt this Also. Made with almonds and sweet pastry ( during Christmas, when I am consuming tangerines, I keep the peel.. Then cut it into tiny bits, and soak them in Brandy to use in my almond cakes and Christmas cakes. This year I made nothing for Easter.. You encouraged me now to make this lovely cake.
This is my first ever Easter that I am not entertaining.. This was my reason not to do anything.
So you now have me in the spirit to to do this yummy cake
Big thank you
Jean. 🙂
Jean! I am so glad to know you’ll be making the cake for Easter… And I must say your brandy-soaked cakes make me salivate. Happy cooking and happy easter to you my dear!
This looks great. I love the ginger chantilly idea! It’s just brilliant. I’m going to try this.
Thanks!
Thank you Cheryl! Enjoy!
We love anything with nuts! The cake has a really fine and moist texture and it pairs so good with chantilly cream and fresh berries.
Happy Easter!
Thank you so much Angie… And a very happy Easter to you and yours!
Thankyou for this. It will be our Easter meal desert.
Happy Spring!
Thank you Katie! Wishing you and your family a wonderful Easter!
Almonds are my absolute favorite, too. Can’t wait to try this, it looks delicious.