Description

This Almond Cream Cake is a delightful celebration of family traditions, featuring a soft, buttery crumb layered with a luscious almond cream. With its golden exterior and creamy filling, it’s a showstopper for any gathering.

Ingredients

Scale

3/4 cup egg whites (plus 3 tablespoons, 6–7 large egg whites*)
1 cup salted butter (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups cake flour* (spooned and measured carefully)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup 2% milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% milk
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups salted butter (room temperature)
Sliced almonds and whole almonds for decorating

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Grease and flour two 8" round cake pans to ensure your cakes come out easily.
In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites at high speed until they form stiff peaks, which usually takes about 3-5 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when you can turn the bowl upside down without them falling out. Be careful not to overbeat, as this can make them dry.
Transfer the whipped egg whites to a separate bowl and refrigerate them while you prepare the batter. This keeps them cold and helps maintain their structure.
In the same mixing bowl, cream the room-temperature salted butter for about 2 minutes until it appears white and fluffy. This is crucial for incorporating air into the batter, which helps the cake rise.
Add the granulated sugar to the creamed butter and beat for an additional 1-2 minutes until it’s light and fluffy. This step is vital for achieving a light cake texture.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine the milk and almond extract. This mixture will help keep your cake moist and flavorful.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, alternating with the milk mixture. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix; this could lead to a dense cake.
Gently fold the chilled egg whites into the batter with a spatula. Make sure to fold them in carefully to maintain the airiness.
Divide the batter equally between the prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-27 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
Once baked, let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Carefully loosen the edges and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together the flour and milk until the mixture thickens, about 12-15 minutes. Stir constantly to prevent lumps.
Remove the saucepan from heat and place it in an ice bath for 5-10 minutes to cool it down quickly. The mixture should reach room temperature before proceeding.
Stir in the almond extract once the flour mixture has cooled.
If you have a food processor, process the granulated sugar for about 1 minute until the granules are finer. This helps achieve a smoother frosting.
In the stand mixer, cream the softened salted butter with the processed sugar for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy, ensuring there are no grainy textures left.
Add the cooled flour mixture and beat until fully combined, resembling whipped cream in texture, which should take another 3-5 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well incorporated.
Once the cakes are completely cool, place one layer on a cake plate. Spread a generous layer of frosting on top, then place the second cake on top. Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides. For a beautiful finish, garnish with sliced and whole almonds.

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 27 mins
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 350
Sugar: 25 g
Sodium: 200 mg
Fat: 20 g
Saturated Fat: 12 g
Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 4 g
Cholesterol: 80 mg

Keywords: Make sure your butter is at room temperature for creaming. If it's too cold, it won’t incorporate well into the sugar, leading to a dense cake. A common mistake is overmixing the batter after adding the egg whites. Gently fold them in to maintain the light texture; overmixing will lead to a denser cake.