- 50 mins
- 135 mins
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 cups cake flour* (345 grams) spooned & measured carefully
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup milk 2% milkfat
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3/4 cup egg whites plus 3 tablespoons*
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons white flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 2 cups butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- Sliced almonds and whole almonds for decorating
Preparation
Step 1
Prep Time 50 mins Cook Time 45 mins Total Time 1 hr 35 mins
1. Using a stand mixer, beat the egg whites with the whisk attachment until they are
stiff and form peaks. This may take a minute or two. Pour the egg whites into
2. Using the same bowl that you used to beat the egg whites, place the softened butter
in and cream the butter for about 2 minutes (using the beater blade attachmenuntil it
is white in appearance.
3. Add the sugar to the butter and beat until fluffy (about another 1-2 minutes).
4. In a small bowl, combine the flour (measured carefully*), salt and baking powder.
Set aside.
5. In another bowl, combine the milk and almond extract.
6. Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture alternately with the milk.
7. Add the stiffly beaten eggs to the cake batter. Fold the egg whites in gently. Do not
overmix at this point. If you do, your cake will become more dense.
8. Grease and flour 2 9" round cake pans. Pour the cake batter equally into the
prepared cake pans.
9. Bake the cakes at 350 degrees for 25-27 minutes or until the top bounces back
when you touch it.
10. Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges and remove them
from the pans to a wire rack, allowing them to cool completely.
11. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a saucepan, whisk the flour into
the milk over medium-low heat until it thickens. Stir it constantly, lowering the heat to
low if needed. The consistency should be very thick, like mashed potatoes. This
step took about 12-15 minutes.
12. Remove the pan from the heat and set the pan in a bowl of ice for 5-10 minutes to
quicken the cooling process. The temperature of the mixture should be at room
temperature.
13. Stir in the almond extract.
14. If you have a food processor, process the white sugar for a minute or so so that the
granules become finer.
15. While the mixture is cooling, cream together the butter and processed sugar using a
stand mixer with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy. Do this for 5 minutes until
the sugar is completely creamed and there is no graininess left.
Notes
*This is about 6 large egg whites. *Some are having problems with the cake being too
dense. This can happen when you mistakenly add too much flour. When you measure
the flour, spoon it from the flour container gently into the measuring cup. Do NOT pack it
down at all. This technique will help you not put too much flour into the cake.
16. Add the cooled flour mixture and beat it until it all combines and looks like whipped
cream. This will take about another 3-5 minutes of beating. Keep scraping the sides
of the bowl while the mixture is beating together so that everything gets well
incorporated. Once the mixture has the texture of fluffy whipped cream, you are
ready to ice the cake.
17. Once the cakes are cool, place one cake on a cake plate. Spread frosting on top of
that layer, then place the other cake on top of the frosted cake. Use the remainder
of the frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake.
18. Decorate the sides and top with sliced and whole almonds, as the picture shows, if
desired.