Almond

Lemon Raspberry Loaf

4:35 AM

 

Lemon Raspberry Loaf

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 lemon, zested

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1 cup raspberries

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt


Glaze -

1/2 cup raspberries

1 to 2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon corn syrup, optional

1 to 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon almond extract


Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease and flour an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl mix together sugar and lemon zest. Add the butter and beat on high until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. Stir in the sour cream and lemon juice. In a small bowl add the raspberries. Sprinkle one 1/2 tablespoon of flour over the raspberries and toss gently to coat. Set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt, whisking to combine. Add the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring just until combined. Add about a third of the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Scatter over half of the flour coated raspberries and continue layering in the batter and raspberries, ending with a layer of batter. Bake the loaf until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely. When cool, prepare the glaze. Mash the raspberries with 1 tablespoon of water and the corn syrup, if using, into a puree, then pass through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Add the raspberry puree to the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl along with the lemon juice and almond extract and stir into a smooth glaze, adding more water or confectioners’ sugar if needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency. Pour the glaze over the loaf and allow it to set up before slicing and serving.

Almond

Almond Cream Cake

8:15 AM



Almond Cream Cake

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups cake flour
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

Frosting:
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

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans. In a bowl, beat the egg whites until they are stiff and form peaks. Keep in refrigerator until you're ready to add them to the batter. In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. In another bowl, combine the milk and almond extract. Set aside. In a large bowl beat butter for about 2 minutes (or until it is white in appearance). Add the sugar to the butter and beat until fluffy (about another 1-2 minutes). Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture alternately with the milk. 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. Bake for 25-27 minutes or until the top bounces back when you touch it. 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. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a saucepan, whisk the flour into the milk over medium-low heat until it thickens, stirring constantly. (The consistency should be very thick) Remove the pan from the heat and cool to room temperature. Stir in the almond extract. While the mixture is cooling, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; until the sugar is completely creamed and there is no graininess left. Add the cooled flour mixture and beat it until it all combines and looks like whipped cream. Frost cake and garnish with almonds if desired.