Crunchy Almond Cake

Dear Reader, I don't often implore you to try a specific recipe. When I get inspiration from other fabulous bakers and bloggers or magazines or whatever, it's usually not about feeling the urge to make a certain cake or cookie, but rather just feeling the pull to get into the kitchen and create something. Well, this post is different because I am asking you, nay, begging you to give this recipe a shot. Barring any severe almond allergy, I think you'll agree that this cake is one of the most delicious things that will ever come out of your kitchen. And, happily, one of the simplest ever to throw together.

The Almond Cake from Alice Medrich's fantastic Pure Dessert is a perfect example of what her book is all about--this simple, rustic cake is a true celebration of the earthy flavor of almonds. In trying to figure out how to describe it to you, I've decided that the Almond Cake is basically the most excellent Mad Lib of anyone's dessert dreams--buttery, rich, nutty, incredibly moist, crunchy, crispy, chewy, tender, melt-in-your-mouth--you name it, it's in there. A slice of this cake works with your 10 a.m. coffee, after dinner, as a sudden sweet bite from the countertop while passing through the kitchen in the middle of the afternoon.

And the flavor--oh, the flavor! Absolutely drunk with almonds. To start, imagine a pumped up, cake version of those crispy, perfectly sweet almond cookies you might get from your favorite Chinese take out place. One of the most interesting things about this cake is that its sweetness comes not just from the sugar in the batter and the smattering of it in the prepared baking pan, but also a different kind of sweetness altogether--a fragrance, really--that is provided by a dose of heady almond extract and the almonds themselves in different forms (ground into flour for the batter and layered in the pan to create a gorgeous crust).

If the promise of amazing flavor and texture isn't enough, let me tell you that after a bit of mise, this cake comes together in minutes in a blender or food processor. No creaming, folding or alternating wets and dries required, people! You now have no excuse to miss the opportunity to make yourself and loved ones deliriously happy by trying this recipe. Like, now.

Crunchy Almond Cake
Adapted from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert

For the crust:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, very soft
Generous 1/3 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the cake:

4 ounces whole almonds
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
3 large eggs
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, slightly softened
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set a rack to the lower third of the oven. Generously butter a 9 inch cake pan with 1 tablespoon of very soft unsalted butter--it seems like an insane amount of butter, but you are also creating a crust for the cake here. After the pan is buttered, sprinkle the sliced almonds in a single, even layer over the bottom of the pan and work some of the slices up the sides of the pan as well. Sprinkle two tablespoons of granulated sugar over the butter and almonds and set the prepared pan aside.

To make the cake batter, throw the almonds, sugar, salt and almond extract into a blender or food processor and blend until the nuts are finely ground. Add the eggs and butter, blending throughly. Add the flour and baking powder and blend just until everything is incorporated. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is a deep golden brown and a tester comes out clean, about 32-35 minutes. Cool cake completely in the pan on a wire rack before sliding a thin knife around the sides of the pan to release it. Turn the cake out onto a serving platter so that the sliced almond-covered bottom becomes the top of the cake. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.