Frangipane Cake, a dessert based on almonds with a unique texture given by the crumbly shortcrust pastry and the softness of the almond flour cream, enriched with a layer of good berry jam.
To make it, I prepared a batch of my classic shortcrust pastry, rolled it out onto a 9.5-inch diameter deep pan, keeping the outer edge at a height of at least 1.5-2 inches on which I spread a layer of berry jam. Alternatively, you can use cherry or apricot jam, which also pair well with almonds.
The frangipane cake seems difficult to prepare but it is actually quite doable because it starts from a tart base covered with a cream that does not require pre-baking.
I remind you of other homemade cakes to enrich your family breakfast and snack tables
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 10
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 451.94 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 49.06 (g) of which sugars 26.29 (g)
- Proteins 7.06 (g)
- Fat 26.01 (g) of which saturated 12.85 (g)of which unsaturated 7.41 (g)
- Fibers 2.06 (g)
- Sodium 32.08 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 105 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
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- to taste lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup berry jam
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup almond flour (or ground almonds)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 lemon zest
- to taste vanilla extract
- to taste vanilla powdered sugar (for serving)
Tools
To prepare the shortcrust pastry, you could knead by hand, but I recommend a stand mixer to make everything easier. For the almond cream, a hand whisk is enough. To bake the cake, I recommend a 9.5-inch springform pan.
- 1 Stand Mixer Howork
- 1 Hand Whisk
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Springform Pan
Preparation
The first step is to prepare the shortcrust pastry, so place all the shortcrust ingredients in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix at medium speed until a nice dough forms. Alternatively, you can knead the ingredients by hand, mixing them all together until you get a smooth dough that doesn’t need resting.
Roll out the shortcrust pastry on a work surface and use it to cover the pan, keeping the edges of the pastry at least 1.5-2 inches high.
Spread berry jam over the base.
Now we need to prepare the almond filling. Start by beating the softened butter well with the sugar, then add the eggs one at a time, continuing to mix.
Once you have a nice homogeneous cream, add the almond flour and lemon zest.
Finally, add the flour and vanilla extract, mix well to make the cream smooth and it will be ready without the need for cooking.
Now you need to spread the almond cream over the shortcrust and jam base, smoothing it out well.
Fold the edges of the shortcrust pastry inward with the help of a lightly floured fork to create a nice border as seen in the photo.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 40 minutes, until nicely golden.
Let it cool and remove from the pan, before serving you can sprinkle it with a bit of vanilla powdered sugar.
NOTES
The frangipane cake is a delicious cake that can be served at the end of a fine meal to impress your guests or enjoyed for a rich snack.
It keeps at room temperature if consumed the same day, but you can keep it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days covered, always bring it back to room temperature before consuming.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute almonds with hazelnuts?
You can make the same cake by grinding hazelnuts instead of almonds, but I recommend substituting the jam with hazelnut cream and you’ll have another superb dessert.
