Almond-and-Plum Snack Cake
Absolutely delicious cake. A fine crumb, moist cake dotted with chunks of almond paste and topped with plums and almond slivers. Finished with a sparkling blanket of sugar that adds a nice crunch.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter (2-1/2 sticks) 10 ounces, softened
- 8 ounces almond paste at room temperature, crumbled (about 1 cup), divided in half
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 3/4 cups bleached cake flour such as Swans Down (about 6 5/8 ounces)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour about 4 1/4 ounces
- 4-6 medium-size red plums cut into 3/4-inch wedges (about 3 cups)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds about 1 1/2 ounces
- 2 tablespoons raw or turbinado sugar or use granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter, 1/2 cup almond paste, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in bowl of a food processor. Process until light, creamy, and smooth, about 45 seconds. With processor running, add eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating fully after each addition (mixture should look thick and fluffy). Add sour cream, and process until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape bowl as needed.
- Whisk together cake flour and all-purpose flour in a large bowl. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; Using a rubber spatula, fold batter to combine ingredients completely.
- Toss plum slices and lemon juice in a medium bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
- Line a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper; lightly grease with cooking spray. Spread batter in prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup crumbled almond paste over batter. Arrange plums over top, and sprinkle with almonds and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
- Bake cake in preheated oven until lightly browned and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer cake in pan to a wire rack, and let cool completely, about 2 hours
Notes
The recipe can easily be halved.