A(nother) Cake Recipe!

The easiest almond cake that happens to be gluten-free...

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a Spanish-themed menu for my Sunday afternoon cooking class (did you know I teach every Sunday afternoon?). We drank kalimotxo (cheap red wine + coke on ice with lemon— it’s delicious) and made kale salad with manchego + toasted almonds + a sherry vinaigrette, plus pan con tomate, and a pot of clams + garbanzos with smoky pimentón. For dessert, and what I’m excited to share with you today!!!, the easiest almond cake inspired by the traditional Galician cake, Tarta de Santiago.

*just FYI* like all of my classes, this one was recorded + the video/recipes/grocery list are available for purchase— just click here!

Here’s the whole spread:

Okay, about this cake…

What it is: Like the Greek yogurt cake I recently shared, this is a simple-to-make cake— no mixer required! made in one bowl! It has very few ingredients (eggs, sugar, almond flour, a tiny bit of almond extract + a pinch of salt…you sprinkle the top with sliced almonds before baking and with powdered sugar after baking…that’s it). It happens to be totally gluten-free so it’s a wonderful option for anyone in your life with celiac (maybe that’s you?). It’s also just totally elegant in its simplicity.

How to serve it: Great for dessert, or served in the afternoon with coffee or tea, or for breakfast. Basically, eat it whenever you want. You can serve wedges unadorned, or topped with other things like a spoonful of soft whipped cream and maybe a spoonful of jam or some sliced or crushed fresh fruit.

How to store it: Since the ground almonds have so much fat, this cake stores particularly well and doesn’t dry out easily (store in a covered container at room temperature). You can also wrap slices in plastic and freeze (defrost at room temperature).

How to riff on it:

• Use any nut flour (try with hazelnuts!) and top with crushed/sliced nuts

• Add the finely grated zest of an orange or lemon (or both!) for extra flavor

• Dot the top with jam before baking

Spanish Almond Cake / Serves about 8

Baking spray 

1 cup [200 g] sugar

3 large eggs, plus 3 large egg whites (for paid subscribers: see the very bottom of this email for 3 bonus recipes with ideas on what you can do with leftover egg yolks: blender hollandaise, key lime pie + lemon curd!!)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 1/2 cups [250 g] almond flour

A small handful blanched sliced almonds

Powdered sugar, for serving

Preheat your oven to 350ºF [175ºC]. Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with baking spray and line the bottom with a circle of parchment. Spray the parchment for extra insurance.

Place the sugar, whole eggs, egg whites, salt, and almond extract in a large bowl and whisk vigorously for 1 full minute. The mixture will be frothy. 

Stir in the almond flour and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the sliced almonds.

Bake until dark golden brown and the cake feels firm when you press it with your finger, about 45 minutes.

Let the cake cool to room temperature before removing from the cake pan. Dust the top generously with powdered sugar (use a sieve or a loose leaf tea steeper). Slice into wedges and serve.

This Sunday…

I will be teaching a colorful, flavorful Italian menu that just so happens to be completely vegan. We’ll start with tall glasses of cold prosecco with frozen peaches (like a bellini, but even easier), and then make a big pot of spicy penne arrabiata with crunchy, garlicky breadcrumbs. On the side we’ll have a sheet pan of roasted caponata, which is just an all-around excellent thing to have in your repertoire when eggplant and peppers are in season! We’ll talk about ways you can repurpose and reinvent leftovers. For dessert, a sublimely easy chocolate-espresso cake that’s so simple to make and just the best. Can’t wait! Sign up right here.

If you like this post/recipe, you might also enjoy: my Sunday afternoon classes (I teach live cooking classes every Sunday afternoon and they are so much fun) / my podcast (always free! some new episodes coming very soon!) / my cookbooks.

Also, if you someone you know might also like this post/recipe, please help me spread the word about this new newsletter by sharing it. It means a lot!

Take care, xoxo, Julia

Below!! Three Bonus Recipes for Ways to Use Leftover Egg Yolks for paid subscribers only (Blender Hollandaise / Key Lime Pie / Lemon Curd)!!