Toasted Almond & Lemon Cake with Strawberry Preserves

March 09, 2013

The fresh strawberry preserve topping adds a delicious touch to this fabulous toasted almond and lemon cake.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour + more for flouring pan
1/2 cup blanched almonds, toasted and then ground fine in a blender, grinder, or food processor
1/2 cup fresh Whole Fruit Lemon Olive Oil + more for greasing pan
4 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and adjust the rack to the middle of the oven. Using lemon olive oil, grease and flour one 9" cake pan. Combine eggs, sugar, lemon olive oil, vanilla, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk to thoroughly combine. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three batches, whisking after each addition. Pour in to the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then gently run a knife around the side to loosen and invert on to a rack to fully cool.

Fresh Strawberry Preserve Topping:
4 cups washed, hulled, strawberries sliced thin
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation:
Combine the strawberries, sugar, zest, and juice in a heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 7 minutes being careful that the contents do not boil over. Set aside and allow to thicken as it cools to room temperature before spreading over cake with a dollop of lightly whipped cream on each slice (optional). Serves 10.
(Recipe shared by Rachel Bradley-Gomez, Veronica Foods Company)