This almond topped cake is a fruit version of a traditional Swedish sponge cake. My version is pretty similar to the one found in the cookbook on Nordic cooking called Fire and Ice, though I tweaked it a bit by adding a little almond extract and sprinkling the top with pearl sugar, which is a crunchy white sugar that you can find at specialty stores, as well as shops like Ikea in their food section. One of my favorite parts of the recipe is how you sprinkle the blueberries on top of the cake batter, then press down to push the into the cake. It seems like an odd step (why don’t you just fold them into the batter and then pour into the pan?) but this method has you evenly distributed the berries throughout the pan, as well as pushing them from the top, making sure that the berries don’t sink to the bottom as they bake.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Swedish
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 50 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour5 minutesminutes
Servings 8
Calories 540kcal
Author Irvin
Ingredients
Cake Batter
3large eggs
1cupwhite granulated sugar200 g
1teaspoonbaking powder
1/2teaspoonground cinnamon
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
1/2cupunsalted butter, melted115 g or 1 stick
2teaspoonvanilla extract
1/4teaspoonalmond extractoptional but recommended
1 1/4cupall-purpose flour175 g
2cupsfresh blueberries
Topping
1/2cupunsalted butter, melted115 g or 1 stick
1/2cupwhite granulated sugar
2teaspoonall-purpose flour
1cupsliced almonds
1tablespoonheavy cream
2tablespoonpearl sugaroptional but recommended (see headnote)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking oil and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
Beat the eggs and sugar together until pale yellow in color, about 3 minutes. Add the baking powder, cinnamon and salt and stir in.
Stir the melted butter, vanilla and almond extract (if using) together, then add it to the egg mixture. Beat to incorporate, then add the flour and mix until absorbed.
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and spread evenly into pan.
Sprinkle the blueberries over the cake batter, then press berries into the batter. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in oven or until the cake is puffy in the middle and just starting to turn golden brown on the edges.
About 10 minutes before cake is done, combine all the topping ingredients, except the pearl sugar, into a pan and cook on the stovetop on medium high heat until it starts to bubble. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice carefully, trying not to break any of the sliced almonds.
Once the cake is barely done, pull it out of the oven and increase the heat of the oven to 400°F. Carefully spoon the topping ingredients over the cake then sprinkle the pearl sugar on top (if using). Return cake to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the top of the cake is golden brown and crisp.
Let cool in the pan 15-20 minutes before removing from springform pan.
Notes
Adapted from the cookbook Fire and Ice by Darra Goldstein