When I saw this French Almond Cake from Happy Home Baking blog, I immediately know that I am going to bake this cake. Simply because I have a pack of ground almond at home for me to clear stock, the look of the cake and also how HHB has described it that made me wanna eat the cake :).
This cake is easy, just dump everything in the mixing bowl and whisk with electric mixer. But, such an easy recipe I am still not able to achieve perfect!!!
Firstly, look at the center of the cake, there was an area that look so wet and uncook. Was it I overmix again?
Next, even HHB has stated to cover the cake with foil after baking for 15-20 mins but I totally forget about it until I saw the charred top when I was checking the doneness of the cake :(. I scraped away the black top and covered generously with icing sugar but still can't hide the flaws.
Recipe from HHB that she has adapted from Easy Cakes by Linda Collister
Ingredients : (makes one 8" cake but I still 7" cake pan)
110g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and leave to soften
150g caster sugar (I cut down to 120g)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
90g ground almonds (almond powder)
40g self-raising flour**
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
1 tablespoon flaked almonds for sprinkling (I omit it since dun have at home)
some icing sugar for dusting
** if you do not have self-raising flour, substitute with:
40g plain flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and a pinch of salt
Method :
1. Pre-heat oven at 180degC. Grease (with butter) and flour the sides of a 7" or 8" cake pan, line the base with parchment paper, set aside.
2. Place butter, sugar and eggs in a mixing bowl, add almond powder, flour, milk, vanilla extract (optional) then beat with an electric mixer or whisk. When quite light and fluffy, spoon into the prepared pan and spread the batter evenly. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top.
3. Bake at 180degC for 30-35mins, or until the sponge just springs back when pressed (mine took 40mins), or a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. (Important Note: Cover the top with foil about 15-20mins into baking to prevent the top from over browning.)
4. Run a thin bladed knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Verdict?
as long as the cake taste good abit of black top is acceptable~~
ReplyDeleteI get that wet strip when I did not scrape my bowl properly when baking butter cakes with liquids. But this cake requires no creaming method, so I also dunno why it's got that wet part in the cake.
ReplyDeleteI also made a almond cake cos wanted to get rid of the ground almond in the fridge.. haaahaha.. that post will be much later.
As long as the cake is nice to eat, who cares if it got sun burnt la, yummy yummy.
Don't feel upset about this...I am second to 苏联妈妈, as long as it tastes good, then it's fine.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Angie
If u didn't mentioned,judging from the first photo I can't notice there is a burnt top.
ReplyDeleteI also saw this recipe from HHB blog, already bookmarked as I also wanna clear my ground almond stock. haha.
sometime I also like you, not read the recipe properly, hehehe..never mind, next time try to bake again lor.
ReplyDeleteanything with almonds can't be bad...and this cake looks so moist...can you send a slice....
ReplyDeleteEveryone has their fair share of kitchen mishap,
ReplyDeletewe learn thru these these little disasters ;)
Anyway, maybe your cake was underbaked because you used a smaller pan? The top is already cooked but the centre is still wet?
It still looks good and I'm sure it tastes good too. I don't mind a big slice :D Thanks for sharing. MaryMoh at http://www.keeplearningkeepsmiling.com
ReplyDeleteStill I can see the cake looks moist and most important taste Good :) Seems that your cake looks taller compare to HHB, so usually I will bake in 160C for taller cake but in longer time.
ReplyDeleteDon't give up! Try again! That's what baking is all about - to get to that 'perfection'.
ReplyDeletePerhaps, the oven temperature is way too high. I usually don't follow the temperature recommended in the recipe. I go according to how my oven works!
Still looks good though! Love cakes with ground almonds, so tasty and so so moist!
ReplyDeleteThe cake looks so moist, as long as it tastes good, look doesnt really matter ^_^
ReplyDeleteHi Jess,
ReplyDeleteI was looking at the 1st 2 pics and din realise the top was over browned until i saw the 3rd pic. the outcome still looks good though.
maybe can lower ur temperature to 170 or 160 and bake in a lower position in the oven.
cheers =]
Jess, I still have ground almond at home. Would like to try this when I'm free.
ReplyDeleteThanks 苏联妈妈 & Angie.
ReplyDeleteWendy, I also got the wet strip for my butter cake sometimes, I thot I overmixed the batter so now I know is caused by not scraping the bowl properly.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward for your post, sure to be nice and yummy!
Ya, you are right cos my family still stomach in the cake :P. Thanks ya.
Angel, cos I already scraped the burnt part away and dust with so much icing sugar to camouflage :).
ReplyDeleteDo try out the recipe but pls remember to cover the cake with the foil. Happy baking :).
Sonia, I always ve this problem, either misread or didnt read the recipe properly so will always miss this and that out arghhh.... Even read properly but later will forget hee hee hee...
ReplyDeleteJelena, no prob, I will send you a slice if I am baking again :)
ReplyDeleteHi HHB, you are right but I always forget to learn from mistakes :P.
ReplyDeleteOh so the wet part was due to underbaking? The skew came out clean so I assumed was done. I will take note on this next time. Thanks :).
thanks Mary, the cake tasted gd :).
ReplyDeleteThanks DG. I lowered the temperature too since my oven's temperature is hotter.
ReplyDeleteThanks busygran. Most of the time I will adjust the temperature since my oven is hotter but I think this cake burnt easily than other cakes.
ReplyDeleteThanks pigpigscorner & neyeeloh :).
ReplyDeleteThanks Baker Tan. I had lower the temperature to 160C since my oven is hotter but still burnt so I guess should be this cake is more sensitive?
ReplyDeleteAnn, do try out but pls remember to cover the cake with foil ya and happy baking :).
ReplyDeleteIt still looks yummy to me, I think you are getting there soon :)
ReplyDeleteJess, it's that same situation I saw in your other cakes earlier. Maybe you did overmix the batter!? Or you may consider Beranbaum's cake tips I gave you earlier? Sometimes, when I'm folding batter in order to incorporate the ingredients without having the air within deflated, I think I pay too much attention ... so lost in what I'm doing ... that I become nervous, and thus, screw up the batter! LOL! No worries, we all learn from trials and error. 失敗乃是成功之母嘛！I know you can! Gambateh!
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's underbaked, but then the top is already burnt. I've also experienced before, the skewer test, yes it comes out clean but then the centre is wet, 'kuih' like. I also had a baking disaster last Sunday, will definitely try again this Sunday and post later. Perhaps you can try again, change the method, use the usual creaming method of creaming the butter and sugar, then add eggs, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe cake sounds wonderfully delicious. I definitely plan to give it a try. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I don't mind at all and I think it tastes even better with the dark crust! Never give up!
ReplyDeleteRegards, Kristy
if you hadn't shown the burnt top, I wouldn't had known...you did a great job covering it up, and the whole cake looks amazing!! and to me it looks very moist....
ReplyDeletethanks noobcook :).
ReplyDeleteHi Pei Lin, this cake was baked b4 your tips given :). I am like u, the more I get nervous the chances of things screw up will be higher :P. Thanks for your encouragement!
ReplyDeleteThanks No-Frilled Recipes for your advise. Waiting for your posting :).
ReplyDeleteHi Mary, Kristy & Chef Dennis, thank you so much for your encouragement :)
ReplyDelete