Almond Cake

This cake really doesn't need an introduction other than saying that if you don't like it, we may have some compatibility issues.

I present to you one of the easiest and tastiest almond cakes that is perfect on its own, sprinkled with powdered sugar, covered in fruit, or eaten with a fork all by yourself over a period of 17 hours.

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Almond Cake

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
5 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
10.5 ounces almond paste, crumbled
2 tbsp finely grated lemon peel
4 large eggs

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 325°. Butter and flour (or use a baking spray) a 9" diameter springform pan.  Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl.  Using a hand or stand mixer, beat sugar, oil and butter in a large bowl until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add almond paste and lemon peel.  Beat until smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add flour mixture; stir to blend.  Transfer to pan.

Bake until golden brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.  Cool cake completely in pan on rack.

Remove pan sides from cake.

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Rozlyn's Birthday Party

I love making birthday cakes for other people but I LOVE making birthday cakes for my daughter. I love it even when my original plan fails miserably the day before (edible balloons are harder than I imagined), even when I don't have birthday candles (chanukah candles are a great substitution), and even when I decide to serve a super crumbly cheese to two-year olds the day after I clean the house (thank goodness for my vacuum).

I learned a handful of other things at Rozlyn's two-year birthday party:

1. Others believe I have the skill to hand carve wooden letters. I should take ownership of this and not let them know that Michael's also has a knack for selling said letters...for $9.99.

2. The level of skill that it actually takes to make sugar cookies that say "happy birthday" is indirectly correlated to how much skill other people think it takes.

3. Baking cookies directly on a cookie sheet without parchment paper or a silpat takes a major leap of faith...or this awesome pan from NordicWare. No, honestly, try it if only so that you can photograph a cookie on the beautiful herringbone pattern.

4. And lastly, everyone loves almond cake, even babies.

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Sugar Cookies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350°. Sift together the flour and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the beater, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium, slowly add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for 1 minute.

Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until most of the flour has been absorbed, about 1 minute. Add the remaining flour and continue beating until all of the flour has been absorbed and the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, 2 to 3 minutes. 

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide into 2 equal balls. Shape each into a disk and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. 

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand for 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 3/16 to 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutter to cut out desired shapes. Refrigerate the cookies until firm, 20-30 minutes, before baking.

Bake the cookies until golden brown around the edges: 11-13 minutes, depending on size.

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Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd and Cherry Frosting

It's amazing what one year can make in baby's life: They start walking. They start talking. They start dancing and they become incredibly selfish tiny humans.  Let's take Sadie's birthday party, for example: At Sadie's first birthday, she offered all of her cake to her doting adult guests.  This year? Sadie and her other toddler friends (including an adorable curly haired girl named, Rozlyn), inhaled the cake before letting any adult get a bite.  

At least they have their priorities straight?

(And thanks to rocket moon photography, we have photographic evidence of it all!)

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Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd Cherry Frosting
adapted from Hummingbird High

Vanilla Cake
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, divided into 1/4 cup +1 cup
3 cups cake flour
2 cups sugar
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

Lemon Curd
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1" cubes

Buttercream Frosting
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
a pinch of salt
2 tbsp whole milk
2 tbsp 100% pure cherry juice

Make the lemon curd:  Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a glass bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice, and lemon zest. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (a double boiler) and stir with a wooden spoon (or whisk) for 7-10 minutes or until the mixture is thick and no longer falls in a quick stream back into the bowl.

Remove from the heat and strain through a sieve, if needed. Add the butter and stir until combined. Chill until room temperature. This will keep for a few days in the refrigerator

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans by spraying generously with cooking spray and lining the bottoms of each with parchment paper circles. Spray the parchment paper circles with cooking spray as well.

In small bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract and 1/4 cup buttermilk. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat on low speed for 1 minute or until well combined. With the mixer on its lowest setting, add butter and the remaining 1 cup buttermilk. Raise the mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

After 2 minutes, reduce the mixer to low. Add the egg mixture in 3 additions, adding the next addition only when the previous has been fully incorporated. Once all the egg mixture has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on low speed for only 1 more minute (do not over mix).

Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean and the top of each cake bounces back when gently poked. 

Make the buttercream: In the bowl of a mixer, combine powdered sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt. Beat on medium-low speed until the mixture comes together and the butter is fully incorporated throughout the sugar.

Reduce the mixer to low. Combine milk and juice in a separate, small bowl and add to the butter mixture a little bit at a time. Once all the liquid has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. 

Assemble the cake: Fill each layer of the cake with a 1/4" thick layer of lemon curd and cover with a nice coat of fluffy cherry buttercream.

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