Almond Cake

Name: Almond Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Cuisine: Spain, after the tarta de Santiago
Ingredients: 4 large eggs (about 200 g without shells), at room temperature; 200 g (1 cup) superfine (caster) sugar; 1 unwaxed lemon, zest finely grated; 1 orange, zest finely grated; 2 g (½ tsp) ground cinnamon; 2 ml (½ tsp) almond extract, optional; 1 pinch fine sea salt; 250 g (2½ cups) ground almonds (almond flour); 20 g (2 tbsp) powdered (icing) sugar, for dusting; neutral oil, for the pan; butter works but the cake is then no longer dairy-free

A moist, flourless cake made with ground almonds

Makes: 1 cake (23 cm / 9 in)
Hands-on: 15 min
Total: 1 h 55 min
Level: Easy

Based on the Galician tarta de Santiago: ground almonds, eggs, sugar and lemon zest, with no butter and no flour. It is moist, dense in the best way, naturally gluten-free and keeps for days, and it suits coffee, fruit or a scoop of ice cream.

Ingredients

4large eggs (about 200 g without shells)at room temperature
200 gsuperfine (caster) sugar (1 cup)
1unwaxed lemon, zest finely grated
1orange, zest finely grated
2 gground cinnamon (½ tsp)
2 mlalmond extract (½ tsp)optional
1 pinchfine sea salt
250 gground almonds (almond flour) (2½ cups)
20 gpowdered (icing) sugar (2 tbsp)for dusting
neutral oilfor the pan; butter works but the cake is then no longer dairy-free

Diet: Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free
Allergens: egg, tree nuts
Origin: Spain (Galicia), after the tarta de Santiago

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Oil a 23 cm (9 in) springform pan and line the base with baking paper.
Whisk the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for 4–5 minutes (or with a balloon whisk for about 8), until pale, thick and doubled in volume; a ribbon trailed from the whisk should sit on the surface for a moment. 5 min
Add the zests, cinnamon, almond extract and salt. Fold in the ground almonds in two additions with a spatula, gently, until just combined.
Pour into the pan and bake 35–40 minutes, until golden brown, springy and a skewer comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil after 25 minutes if it browns quickly. 38 min
Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then remove the ring and cool completely, about 45 minutes. Dust thickly with powdered sugar before serving (traditionally around a paper cross-shaped stencil). 1 h

Why it works

With no flour or leavening, the cake's lift comes entirely from air whipped into the eggs, so a thorough whisk and gentle fold matter. Ground almonds supply fat, protein and moisture, which is why the cake stays moist for days without butter. The citrus zest and a pinch of cinnamon keep the rich almond flavor bright.

Common mistakes

Undermixing the eggs and sugar. Without the thick ribbon stage, the cake is flat and heavy.
Stirring hard when adding the almonds, which knocks out the air.
Coarse almond meal with skins gives a heavier cake; use fine blanched ground almonds.

Variations

With orange syrup: Simmer the juice of 2 oranges with 60 g sugar for 3 minutes and spoon over the warm cake after pricking it.
Raspberry almond: Scatter 150 g raspberries over the batter in the pan before baking; add 5 minutes.

Make ahead and storage

Keeps 5 days wrapped at room temperature and improves on day two. Freezes well for 2 months.

Notes

Fan oven: 160°C (320°F). Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free as written; if you grease the pan with butter it is no longer dairy-free.