French Almond Cake with Lavender Lemon Glaze

By tonya370

Lemony with a touch of lavender flavoring to the glaze makes this tea cake lovely for a brunch.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup blanched almonds
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• LAVENDER LEMON GLAZE
• 2 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8×8 inch square pan.

To blanch the almonds, pour boiling water over them to cover. Let them sit for about 5 minutes or until the peels slip off easily. Discard the peels and let the almonds air dry for a few hours. Grind the almonds with ¼ of the sugar.

Cream the butter and ½ cup of sugar until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating until the mixture is pale and fluffy, another 3-4 minutes. Add the vanilla, almond extract, and lemon zest and beat just until combined. Fold in the ground almond mixture.

Beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl on medium high speed until foamy, then add the cream of tartar. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

Sift the cake flour and baking powder into a small bowl.

Fold in ⅓ of the egg whites, then ⅓ of the flour mixture. Repeat with the remaining egg whites and flour. Be very careful not to over-stir.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Be careful not to over-bake.

Remove the cake from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Carefully invert the cake and the place top side up on a cake platter.

GLAZE
Heat the lemon juice in a small saucepan or microwaveable dish until steaming hot. Remove from heat and add the lavender flowers until cool. Add the 1 cup of powdered sugar to make a glaze. If it is too thick, add a little water or milk until glaze consistency.

Pour the glaze over the cake and let the cake sit for at least 20 minutes before serving.