Inspired by a church cookbook recipe for almond bars and Dutch Boterkoek boxed mixes.
Almond Buttercake Tarte
Serves 8-10
For cake (makes 3 cakes):
1 cup unsalted butter at room temp
1 pack of almond paste (1 ¼ cups per pack)
1 ½ cups white sugar
2 eggs at room temp
½ teaspoons fine grain salt
2 cups white flour
For frosting (makes one frosting, triple if making all three cakes at once):
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon milk
½ cups sliced almonds, toasted in a dry pan for two minutes until they start to have a bit of a nutty scent
Edible flowers for garnish, stems on and washed (optional)
Make the cake:
Preheat oven to 300°F.
In a stand mixer, whip (with paddle attachment) butter, almond paste, and sugar for 30 seconds on low and then 30 seconds on high power.
Add eggs and whip for 20 seconds at low speed.
Add flour and salt and whip on medium power for 1 minute (covered with a clean towel so flour doesn’t fill the kitchen!) until smooth and fluffy.
Allow to rest (set for 10 minutes or so) in the mixer bowl.
Spread ⅓ of the batter into a 9-inch buttered tarte pan.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Divide remaining dough in half and freeze for use at a later date. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, spread into a tarte pan, and cook in a 300°F oven for 30 minutes. Frost as noted below and serve.
Make the frosting:
Combine powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk until smooth.
Pour over warm tarte and cover with toasted almonds.
Throw a few edible flowers (I like nasturtiums or tulips!) on the top of the tarte, remove from the tarte pan (using a knife if it is a bit sticky), and place on cake platter or plate for serving.
Find more great food recipes in my second book, Lark Parties! #livinglark
