Almond Cake With Fresh Berries Food

5-INGREDIENT ALMOND CAKE WITH FRESH BERRIES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a 9-inch spring form pan with nonstick spray, line with parchment paper, and flour (use almond meal or a gluten-free all purpose flour blend to keep the cake gluten-free).
• In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and all but 2 tbsp of the sugar. Whisk until the yolks become thick and pale in color, about 1 minute. Whisk in the vanilla extract and the salt and set aside.
• In the bowl of a standard electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a bowl with a hand mixer), beat the 6 egg whites on medium speed until they become opaque, about 1 minute.
• Sprinkle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, and continue to beat the egg whites until they hold medium peaks.
• With a flexible rubber spatula, stir in about 1/4 of the egg whites to the egg yolk mixture (no need to be gentle here). Scrape the remaining egg whites over the yolks, and about half of the almond flour.
• Gently fold them into the yolks, but only partially.
• While the mixture still has a few streaks of white left, add the remaining almond flour and fold in, folding until you have a homogeneous batter. Be gentle!
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and shimmy until the batter is level.
• Bake the cake for about 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and springy to the touch. Let the hot cake cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then run a butter knife along the edges of the cake pan.
• Invert the cake pan onto the rack, remove the sides and bottom, and peel away the parchment paper. Turn the cake right side up and allow to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar, cut into 12 slices and serve with fresh berries.

ALMOND BERRY LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush 3 (8-inch) round baking pans with butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper cut to fit. Brush with butter again and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
• Place 1 tablespoon flour, the almonds, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
• Fill a pot (large enough to set the bowl of an electric mixer in it without the bowl touching the bottom) with 1 inch water and bring to a simmer over low heat.
• Place the eggs, egg whites and sugar in the bowl and gently whisk to incorporate. Place the bowl over the pot of steaming water and whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes.
• Return bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until pale yellow, thick and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Add vanilla and gently stir to combine.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold almond mixture into batter. Divide batter evenly among pans and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. The centers will rise and fall during baking. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the cakes and turn them out onto a flat plate or cardboard round. Peel off parchment and invert onto another plate or round. Cakes should be right-side up. Cool completely and wrap in plastic wrap if not using immediately.
• In a chilled metal bowl, whip the mascarpone and creme fraiche, either by hand or with an electric mixer, until it holds its shape and is not at all runny. Add the lemon zest, confectioners' sugar and liqueur, if using, and beat to combine well. Add up to 2 tablespoons more sugar, to taste, if you choose.
• Place one of the cakes on a serving plate. Top with 1/3 of the mascarpone filling and 1/3 of the berries. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers, leaving the prettiest berries for the top. If not serving right away, chill until ready to serve. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.

FRUIT-TOPPED ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Generously spray bottom and side of 8- or 9-inch round cake pan with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until moistened, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
• Bake and cool as directed on box for 8- or 9-inch rounds.
• Place berries in medium bowl. In 1-quart saucepan, heat preserves and apple juice to boiling, stirring frequently. Pour over berries; toss berries until coated with preserves mixture. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Gently cut off any dome from top of cake, using serrated knife, to make top level. On serving plate, place cake, sliced side down. Arrange berries on cake; drizzle with syrup remaining in bowl. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Store leftover cake covered in refrigerator.

ALMOND CAKE WITH BERRIES

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Generously butter a 9- by 2 inch round cake pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
• Pulse almonds with 1/3 cup sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer almond sugar to a large bowl and add yolks, flour (1/2 cup), milk, vanilla, and salt, whisking until combined (batter will be thick).
• Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, a little at a time, beating at medium speed, then beat at high speed until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks.
• Fold about one third of whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Pour batter into cake pan and bake until cake is springy to the touch and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool 10 minutes.
• Make berry syrup while cake is baking:
• Bring water and sugar to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cool syrup 20 minutes, then stir in lemon juice and almond extract. Gently stir in berries.
• Arrange cake, right side up, on a plate and spoon berries over top, then slowly pour fruit syrup evenly over cake. Dust with confectioners sugar if desired.

ALMOND CAKE WITH FRESH FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Chop almonds in food processor. Add the sugar and eggs and process 1 minute. Add the butter and salt and process 1 minute more.
• Spread the mixture in the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack in pan. When cool, carefully unmold.
• Melt raspberry preserves and spread over cake. Slice fruit and arrange over cake. Combine apricot preserves and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Heat until melted. Strain and drizzle over fruit.

ALMOND CAKE WITH FRESH FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Chop almonds in food processor. Add the sugar and eggs and process 1-minute. Add the butter and salt and process 1 minute more.
• Spread the mixture in the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack in pan. When cool, carefully unmold.
• Melt raspberry preserves and spread over cake. Slice fruit and arrange over cake. Combine apricot preserves and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Heat until melted. Strain and drizzle over fruit.

CHEZ PANISSE ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and position the rack to the center of the oven.
• Line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with a round of parchment paper, or butter the pan and dust it lightly with flour, tapping out any excess.
• With an electric mixer, beat together the sugar and almond paste until the paste is finely broken up (the sugar crystals helps break the paste into pieces-so don't add the butter yet!) 3.
• Now add the butter and beat for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
• In a separate bowl, or a measuring cup with a spout, stir together the eggs with a fork then dribble it into the batter as you beat.
• Add the vanilla.
• Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt with a whisk.
• Stir the dry ingredients into the batter until just incorporated.
• Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• The baking time may take a but longer due to the variation in different brands of almond paste.
• Cool the cake on a rack before serving.
• This cake is extremely moist and will keep well for up to a week if well-wrapped.

FRESH BERRY CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds (see #6 in Cake Baking Tips), then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. I recommend using nonstick spray for greasing. I also recommend 8 inch cake pans as the 9 inch cakes will be pretty thin.
• Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg whites. Beat on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Then beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the milk until combined. Do not overmix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
• Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for around 22-24 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before assembling.
• Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Medium peaks are between soft/loose peaks and stiff peaks and are the perfect consistency for decorating cakes. Use immediately or cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Yields about 4 cups.
• If cooled cakes are domed on top, use a large serrated knife to slice a thin layer off the tops to create a flat surface. This is called "leveling" the cakes. (Discard thin layer or crumble over ice cream.) Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly spread 1 heaping cup of whipped cream on top. I always use an icing spatula to spread. Arrange a single layer of mixed berries on top. Top with 2nd cake layer. Spread another 1 heaping cup of whipped cream on top, then a single layer of berries. Top with 3rd cake layer. Spread remaining whipped cream on top and garnish with fresh berries. Add a dusting of confectioners' sugar on the berries, if desired, and/or garnish with fresh florals.
• Chill the assembled cake, uncovered, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day before slicing and serving. This time in the refrigerator helps the whipped cream thicken and makes cutting neater and easier. If chilling for longer than a few hours, you can carefully cover it with plastic wrap or use a cake carrier for storing in the refrigerator (what I always store my cakes in!). *Note that the berries could begin to release their juices if kept in the refrigerator for longer than 2 hours. For cutting, I recommend using your sharpest knife and cutting slowly.
• Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

ALMOND CAKE WITH FRESH BERRIES

Steps:

• CAKE:.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Butter an 8-inch round cake pan that is 2 inches deep.
• Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the paper.
• Put the almond paste, sugar, 1 stick of butter and the vanilla in a food processor and process for 10 seconds.
• Add the eggs, milk, and salt and process for 5 seconds.
• Add the flour and baking powder and process for 5 to 10 seconds, until smooth.
• Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake for 45 minutes.
• Let cool.
• THE SYRUP:.
• Combine the syrup ingredients in a small bowl.
• Stir to dissolve the sugar.
• ASSEBMLY:.
• Remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a serving platter.
• Using a spoon or pastry brush, moisten the cake with the syrup.
• Scatter the berries on top of the cake and around it.
• Spoon on the diluted apricot jam and garnish with the mint leaves.
• Serve with the sour cream or crème fraiche.
• *You can make this cake early in the day. Or make several cakes, wrap, well and freeze. Defrost, still in their wrappings, in the refrigerator.