Recipe

July 4, 2011

Dufflet’s Strawberry Almond Cake Recipe

Recipe:

Almond Sponge Cake

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F.

Step 2: Boil a pot of water on the stove to use later for heating up the eggs.

Step 3: In a separate saucepan, heat the butter and milk over medium heat until butter melts. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

Step 4: Line the bottom of two 8″-round cakes pans with parchment paper, and lightly butter the sides.

Step 5: Sift the flours and baking powder together, add the ground almonds. Set aside.

Step 6: Lightly whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a large heatproof bowl or the bowl of your electric stand mixer. Place the bowl over simmering water. Heat the mixture, whisking constantly until warm — almost too hot for your hands, but not so hot that the eggs start to cook. Attach the bowl under an electric mixer, or transfer eggs to the bowl of an electric mixer. Add vanilla and whip the egg mixture on high speed until it has cooled and tripled in volume.

Step 7: On a low speed, sift 1/3 of the flour mixture over the eggs, fold in gently. Fold in the remaining flour in two additions. Remove bowl from electric mixer. Add a small amount of the batter to the warm butter/milk mixture. Whisk gently and then fold back into the main mixture in the bowl of the electric mixer. Combine by hand.

Step 8: Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.

Step 9: Bake until lightly browned and starting to shrink from the sides of the pan and bounce back lightly to the touch, about 30-35 minutes. Cool completely on rack.

Amaretto Syrup

Step 1: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.

Step 2: Stir in the Amaretto to taste.

Filling & Frosting

Step 1: Prepare sliced strawberries.

Step 2: Place the cream in bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Add icing sugar and vanilla, whip until firm peaks form.

Assembly

Step 1: Slice each cake layer in half (you will only need 3 layers, keep the 4th layer in the freezer for another occasion).

Step 2: Brush each layer with Amaretto syrup on cut side only. Place first layer of cake on serving plate. Measure out 1 cup of whipped cream and spread on first layer, arrange sliced strawberries to cover. Repeat with second layer of cake. Top with last layer.

Step 3: Spread a thin coat of whipped cream around sides and top of cake. Chill cake until firm.

Step 4: Continue icing with more cream. Use generous amounts to cover top and sides. Use a palette knife to create vertical lines on the side of cake (or comb sides) and a swirl on the top. Press sliced toasted almonds around base of cake, about 1/2″ high. Fill piping bag fitted with 1/2″ rosette tip. Pipe 8 rosettes around the top border.

Step 5: Brush warm apricot glaze over each strawberry half. Place one half on top of each rosette. Chill cake for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.

Makes one 8″ cake

Ingredients

Almond Sponge Cake
6 tbsp unsalted butter
2/3 cup homogenized milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tbsp cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup ground almonds (almond flour)
4 large eggs, beaten
4 large egg yolks
1-3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Amaretto Syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3-4 tbsp Amaretto

Filling & Frosting
1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries
3 cups 35% whipping cream
1/3 cup icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
4 whole strawberries, cut in half with green leaf left on
1/2 cup warm strained apricot jam

Directions

Yield:

Almond Sponge Cake

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F.

Step 2: Boil a pot of water on the stove to use later for heating up the eggs.

Step 3: In a separate saucepan, heat the butter and milk over medium heat until butter melts. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

Step 4: Line the bottom of two 8″-round cakes pans with parchment paper, and lightly butter the sides.

Step 5: Sift the flours and baking powder together, add the ground almonds. Set aside.

Step 6: Lightly whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a large heatproof bowl or the bowl of your electric stand mixer. Place the bowl over simmering water. Heat the mixture, whisking constantly until warm — almost too hot for your hands, but not so hot that the eggs start to cook. Attach the bowl under an electric mixer, or transfer eggs to the bowl of an electric mixer. Add vanilla and whip the egg mixture on high speed until it has cooled and tripled in volume.

Step 7: On a low speed, sift 1/3 of the flour mixture over the eggs, fold in gently. Fold in the remaining flour in two additions. Remove bowl from electric mixer. Add a small amount of the batter to the warm butter/milk mixture. Whisk gently and then fold back into the main mixture in the bowl of the electric mixer. Combine by hand.

Step 8: Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.

Step 9: Bake until lightly browned and starting to shrink from the sides of the pan and bounce back lightly to the touch, about 30-35 minutes. Cool completely on rack.

Amaretto Syrup

Step 1: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.

Step 2: Stir in the Amaretto to taste.

Filling & Frosting

Step 1: Prepare sliced strawberries.

Step 2: Place the cream in bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Add icing sugar and vanilla, whip until firm peaks form.

Assembly

Step 1: Slice each cake layer in half (you will only need 3 layers, keep the 4th layer in the freezer for another occasion).

Step 2: Brush each layer with Amaretto syrup on cut side only. Place first layer of cake on serving plate. Measure out 1 cup of whipped cream and spread on first layer, arrange sliced strawberries to cover. Repeat with second layer of cake. Top with last layer.

Step 3: Spread a thin coat of whipped cream around sides and top of cake. Chill cake until firm.

Step 4: Continue icing with more cream. Use generous amounts to cover top and sides. Use a palette knife to create vertical lines on the side of cake (or comb sides) and a swirl on the top. Press sliced toasted almonds around base of cake, about 1/2″ high. Fill piping bag fitted with 1/2″ rosette tip. Pipe 8 rosettes around the top border.

Step 5: Brush warm apricot glaze over each strawberry half. Place one half on top of each rosette. Chill cake for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.

Makes one 8″ cake