almond layer cake
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For a recent anniversary I decided to make a cake. I was trolling recipe sites and "Fresh Hawaiian Coconut Cake" caught my eye, but you'll notice that there is no coconut in the ingredients. It's really a nice yellow slightly almond-flavored cake. It's a good "generic" cake to have in your baking arsenal.
The original cake used Jello Instant Lemon Pudding with flaked coconut as the fillling, but this is way too sweet and the lemon overpowers any coconut flavor. I did add dried unsweetened coconut flakes on the frosting. Options I had for next time is using a from-scratch filling. I'm thinking a haupia-style filling, nutella, or even whipped cream and fresh berries. |
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2 blocks + 5T unsalted butter
2 cups white sugar 5 eggs 3 cups flour 1½t vanilla extract 1½t almond extract |
½t salt
1t baking powder 1/2 + 1/8t baking soda (eyeball the 1/8th using a 1/4 teaspoon measure) 1 cup whole milk* |
NOTE:
I don't buy whole milk. You can substitute 7/8 cup of heavy cream and 1/8 cup non-fat milk, or 1/2 cup non-fat with 1/2 half-and-half.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray Pam onto 2 (9-inch) round cake pans and dust lightly with flour.
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and keep mixing.
In the 'dry' bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the blender still on, take turns adding the dry ingredients and the milk to the egg/butter/extracts mix, making sure to start and end with dry ingredients. Keep the blender on a pretty low speed, or you will make a huge mess. Mix until just combined.
I don't buy whole milk. You can substitute 7/8 cup of heavy cream and 1/8 cup non-fat milk, or 1/2 cup non-fat with 1/2 half-and-half.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray Pam onto 2 (9-inch) round cake pans and dust lightly with flour.
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and keep mixing.
In the 'dry' bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the blender still on, take turns adding the dry ingredients and the milk to the egg/butter/extracts mix, making sure to start and end with dry ingredients. Keep the blender on a pretty low speed, or you will make a huge mess. Mix until just combined.
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Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans. It will be thick, so try to make it flat using a spatula. Bake both on the center rack 45 minutes, until the tops are browned and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let it sit for a few minutes until it's cool enough to touch.
Flip the cakes out--be assertive about this as the cakes are pretty sturdy. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes. I used Jello instant lemon pudding, but I wouldn't recommend that. Add you favorite filling between the layers. Frost with whipped cream and serve. |
