We all have that one “family recipe” that has been passed down through the generations. That one recipe you can always rely on. The one that even the pickiest uncle or that friend with a complicated diet can’t pass on.
To me, that recipe is my grandma Zézinha’s Almond Cake. It is deceptively easy to make, but, like all good family secrets, there are a few twists to it. The first one is that it uses ground-down unskinned almonds, which gives it a unique texture. The second one is the pineapple juice, resulting in a moist and refreshing cake.
Without further ado, let’s get to know this recipe. I hope it will become part of your family celebrations too!
Almond Cake
with Whipped Cream, Pineapple and Wild Berries
Ingredients
Almond Cake
- 9 eggs (9 yolks + 6 whites)
- 200 g yellow sugar
- 250 g almonds with skin
Whipped Cream Filling and Fruits
- 400 ml heavy cream
- 6 tbsp white sugar
- 800 g canned pineapple
- 170 g wildberries (raspberries, blackberries and blueberries)
Instructions
Almond Cake
- Preheat the oven at 180 º C.
- With a mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until it is well incorporated.
- In a food processor, grind down the almond with skin to a powder.
- Add the almond to the egg yolks and beat for a few more seconds to mix them.
- In another bowl, beat the egg whites until you have stiff peaks.
- Then, add a third of the egg whites to the yellows and mix with a spatula. Add the second third, stirring delicately, and then do the same with the last third.
- Divide the batter into 3 cake pans, previously greased, of 18 cm diameter. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Whipped Cream Filling and Fruits
- In the mixer, whip the heavy cream until you have stiff peaks, slowly adding the sugar.
- Open the pineapple can and set aside half of the juice. Cut 6 of the rings in half for the decoration and chop the rest into small pieces.
- Place the first cake layer on the plate and make small holes in its surface with a skewer. Pour some of the juice over it.
- Cover the cake with some whipped cream and then place some pineapple pieces, followed by another whipped cream layer. Smoothen it with a spatula.
- Repeat the previous two steps for the other two cake layers.
- Cover the rest of the cake with the remaining whipped cream and decorate with the pineapple rings and the wild berries on top.
Notes
The wild berries can be replaced by a different fruit of your choice. You can also choose to cover the cake completely with whipped cream or opt for the “naked style”, like in my picture.
