French Almond Cake with Lavender Lemon Glaze
 
 
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Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter, at room temperature
  • ¾ cup white granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup blanched almonds (grinding the almonds yourself yields a superior flavor and texture. However you can substitute 1 cup pre-ground blanched almond meal.)
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 3 egg whites
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • ½ cup cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • Lavender Lemon Glaze:
  • 2½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers
  • Boil this together, let steep 5 min. and then cool.
  • Then stir in 1 cup powdered sugar.
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8×8 inch square pan.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Sift the cake flour and baking powder into a small bowl.
  6. 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.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. Poke some small holes around the top of the cake with a toothpick to allow the glaze to fully absorb.
  11. To make the glaze: Combine the lemon juice and lavender flours in a small saucepan or microwaveable dish, bring to a boil, remove and let steep for 5 minutes. Use a mesh sieve to remove the lavender flours.
  12. Pour the glaze over the cake and let the cake sit for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Recipe by The Daring Gourmet at https://www.daringgourmet.com/french-almond-cake-with-lavender-lemon-glaze/