The Delight Cake, also known as almond paste, is a delicious creation based on sponge cake, filled, and decorated with an almond flour dough. This dough is distributed both inside and on the surface of the cake, forming an elegant basket weave.
Preparing this cake requires a bit of care, particularly for the weave that, after a resting period, will bake quickly, becoming golden and crispy on the outside but soft to taste. To obtain almond flour, you can choose to buy it ready-made, or if you prefer, blend almonds until you get a very fine powder. Make sure there are no large pieces, as you will need to use it with a pastry bag fitted with a nozzle. The sponge cake we will prepare for this cake does not need to be very high, but it should still be well-aerated. To achieve this, we use a slightly larger pan: while normally for three eggs a 20 cm pan is used, in this case, we will choose a 24 cm pan. This will allow the sponge cake to bake evenly, without becoming too thick.
This cake has a strong flavor, in which the taste of almonds is intensified by amaretto, which we use both for soaking and to blend the almond flour. To further accentuate the almond flavor, we also add a small bottle of almond essence. The Delight Cake is an elegant and refined dessert, a bit challenging to prepare, but absolutely not difficult. By following the recipe, I am sure it will become one of your favorite cakes.
I also recall other recipes to make your tables sweeter and more delicious
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 12
- Cooking methods: Oven, Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 491.76 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 70.03 (g) of which sugars 59.39 (g)
- Proteins 8.47 (g)
- Fat 17.78 (g) of which saturated 1.16 (g)of which unsaturated 2.42 (g)
- Fibers 3.64 (g)
- Sodium 54.63 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 130 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 3/8 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup potato starch
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- A few drops almond flavoring
- 2 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 vial almond flavoring
- as needed amaretto liqueur
- 1 cup water
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3/8 cup amaretto liqueur
- 1/2 jar apricot jam
- 20 almonds (optional)
Tools
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Springform Pan
- 1 Pastry Bag
- 1 Star Tip
Preparation
To prepare the Delight Cake, the first step is to prepare the sponge cake. Start by whisking the eggs well with the sugar and almond essence, using a stand mixer or an electric whisk. The eggs should become very fluffy, so whisk for at least 10 minutes. Then, add the sifted powders by hand, namely flour, potato starch, and baking powder, in several batches. Gently mix with circular motions from bottom to top, to avoid deflating the mixture too much. Once the batter is ready, pour it into the previously greased and floured pan, then bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes. The sponge cake is done when it separates from the edges of the pan.
When the sponge cake is completely cold, we can remove it from the pan and divide it into two parts by cutting it horizontally. At this point, it’s time to prepare the syrup and the almond dough.
For the syrup, simply put the water and sugar in a saucepan, bringing it to a boil. When it starts to boil, add the amaretto and turn off the heat.
Using a kitchen brush, start generously soaking one half of the sponge cake. It is important that the syrup is abundant so that the cake does not become dry but remains soft and moist. Make sure to distribute the syrup evenly over the entire surface.
For the almond dough, put the almond flour, sugar, eggs, and almond aroma in a bowl. Start mixing with a whisk and add the amaretto a little at a time, until you obtain a soft dough, but firm enough to pass through a pastry bag. Make sure the dough is dense enough to hold its shape when it comes out of the nozzle: test it to check.
In a cup, mix two generous tablespoons of apricot jam with two tablespoons of almond dough, until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.
Spread the sweet mixture of apricot jam and almonds on the soaked half of the sponge cake, then cover with the other half of the sponge cake. Continue by generously soaking this upper part of the cake, ensuring that the second half is also well soaked, to keep the cake soft and flavorful.
Now we need to cover the cake with the almond dough. Put the dough into the pastry bag, fitted with the basket weave tip, and start creating the basket pattern on the surface of the cake, as shown in the photo. Once the entire surface is covered, proceed to decorate the edge. You can choose to make a smooth coating, as I did, or continue decorating the edge with the same tip, but without forming baskets, to prevent them from falling off the edge of the cake.
After covering the cake with the almond dough, let it rest for about 12 hours, but no less than 8. I place it on the oven tray, where it will later bake, and let it rest in the turned-off oven. I like to decorate the cake’s surface with some whole almonds, distributing them along the circumference, but this is only a decorative step that you can also omit, depending on your taste. The cake will still be delicious without this addition.
After the resting time, preheat the oven to 400°F and bake the cake for about 10 minutes. It is important that the oven is already hot when you bake it. Since it only needs to brown, check the cake after about 8 minutes, as baking time can vary from oven to oven. Do not leave it too long, or it may quickly turn from golden to burnt.
Once the cake is out of the oven, brush some apricot jam over it, using a kitchen brush. Since the cake is still hot, this operation will be very simple. The jam will make the cake’s surface shiny and glossy, giving it an elegant and appetizing appearance.
NOTES
The Delight Cake keeps perfectly at room temperature if stored in classic cake holders with a lid. It’s the ideal dessert to conclude an important meal, but it is also much appreciated as a gift or served as a snack. For an extra touch, you can accompany it with a good cup of hot tea or a glass of amaretto or passito.
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