Almond Griddle Cakes With Cranberry Syrup Food

CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE WITH SUGARED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Make the sugared cranberries: Bring 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Put the cranberries in a large bowl and pour the sugar syrup over them; let sit 1 hour. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar with the cardamom in a large bowl. Drain the cranberries, add to the spiced sugar and toss to coat. Spread the cranberries and sugar on a rimmed baking sheet. Let sit, rerolling the cranberries in the sugar occasionally until dry, 2 to 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray. Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice and cardamom in a large bowl; set aside. Put the cocoa powder in a separate large bowl. Heat 1 cup water in a small saucepan until almost simmering; pour over the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Set aside until slightly cooled, about 10 minutes.
• Add the eggs to the cocoa mixture and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until just combined. Add the granulated sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla; beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture, then increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans; lightly tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment. (The cake layers can be made 1 day ahead; let cool, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap.)
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until just combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts; increase the mixer speed to high and beat, scraping down the side of the bowl, until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and almond liqueur; beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Halve 1/2 cup of the sugared cranberries. Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Spread with 1 cup frosting, then sprinkle with the halved cranberries. Top with the second cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Top with the remaining sugared cranberries.

LEMON ALMOND CAKE WITH CRANBERRY GLAZE

Steps:

• For the lemon almond cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, almond meal, poppy seeds, baking powder, salt, baking soda and zest in a medium bowl. Whisk together the yogurt and lemon juice in a separate small bowl until very smooth. Whisk together the granulated sugar and olive oil in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs to the olive oil mixture, one at a time, whisking very well after each, then stir in the almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and yogurt mixture to the olive oil mixture in three alternating additions, whisking after each until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the cranberry glaze: Combine the cranberries with 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until the cranberries start to break down and release their juices (you can help this process along by smashing them with a rubber spatula), 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the cranberries and their juices into a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl. Press the mixture through the sieve with a spatula, making sure to scrape off the bottom of the sieve and adding that to the bowl as well. Add the powdered sugar and salt to the bowl and mix until it comes together into a spreadable glaze. (It will seem like a lot of sugar at first but it will eventually incorporate.) If the glaze is too thick, add a couple drops of water until it's thin enough to spread. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar.
• To decorate: Spread the glaze over the top of the cake, then sprinkle with sliced almonds, rose petals, fresh thyme leaves, sliced cranberries and sprinkles.

CRANBERRY-ALMOND POUND CAKE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine dried cranberries and amaretto. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool., In a large bowl, beat almond paste, half of the butter, and 1/4 cup sugar until well blended. Add remaining butter and remaining sugar; cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in almond extract., Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Fold in fresh cranberries and dried cranberry mixture. Transfer to a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan., Bake at 325° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55-65 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., Combine glaze ingredients; beat until smooth. Drizzle over cake. If desired, top with sugared cranberries and sliced almonds.

CRANBERRY ALMOND BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350, position rack in center of oven.
• Grease and flour a 10-12 cup bundt or kugelhopf pan (or 12 1-cup mini bundt pans) Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• With a stand mixer (with paddle) or a hand mixer, beat butter and almond paste on medium speed until smooth and soft- 2 minutes.
• Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy- 2 minutes.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping after each addition.
• Beat in vanilla.
• With mixer on low, alternate adding flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Scrape down as necessary.
• Beat about 20-30 seconds until batter os completely smooth.
• Fold in cranberries with a rubber spatula.
• Spoon batter into pan, spread evenly.
• Run a knife through batter to eliminate air pockets.
• Bake until wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean- 40-45 minutes (20 minutes for mini cakes), Set pan on rack to cool for 20 minutes, invert cake on rack to release cake, cool completely.
• Serve at room temperature with a dusting of powdered sugar.

CRANBERRY-ALMOND POUND CAKE

Steps:

• A couple hours before baking, heat the water to a boil, remove from heat and add dried cranberries to soak up all of the liquid.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan or two 9-inch round cake pans.
• Stir the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine almond paste, almond extract, and sugar until it resembles wet sand.
• Add the butter and beat with an electic mixer until fluffy or about 3 minutes.
• Add the eggs individually, beating them in after each addition.
• Add the dry ingredients gradually, alternating with the sour cream.
• Beat 20 seconds and then gently fold all of the cranberries into the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan (s) and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• If desired, drizzle a light glaze of confectioners' sugar and milk over the cake and garnish with slivered almonds.

CRANBERRY CAKE WITH ALMOND-BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8-in. square baking pan., Beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Beat in milk. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; stir into butter mixture. Stir in cranberries. Transfer to prepared pan., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack., For sauce, in a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sugar and cream; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in extract. Serve warm with cake.