Cake O`Clock

The other day I was over at Alicia`s Posie Gets Cozy and she was writing about a `yummy yummy yummy cake` that her mother in law makes and brings with her when she visits. It is made in a special pan called a rehrucken cake pan available from Pipkas of Door County. The rehrucken pan is a long ridged loaf tin, which comes with a recipe for Scandinavian Almond Cake - the cake made by Alicia`s mother in law.

Any thing called yummy three times has to be tried no? 

So yesterday I made it and it turned out beautifully. I used a standard loaf tin and as it was shorter and fatter than a rehrucken pan it took about 5 minutes longer in my oven. The basic recipe calls for almond essence but instead I added the zest of 1 lemon. Z helped in scattering the almonds on top of the batter and when it was toasty and golden brown, a light dusting of icing sugar (confectioner`s sugar) was all that was needed.

Now that I know what a stick of butter is (about 100 gr) I`m a huge convert to the American system of cups - much less fiddly than using scales that may or may not be accurate.

Here`s the recipe

PIPKA’S FAMOUS DELICIOUS SCANDINAVIAN ALMOND CAKE

Beat well: 1 ¼ cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 ½ tsp pure almond extract, 2/3 cup milk

Mix in:    1 ½ cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder

Slowly add:     1 stick melted butter

*Butter and flour Rehrucken pan.

*Pour batter into Rehrucken pan. Sprinkle with sliced almonds (optional).

*Bake at 350^o for 38-42 minutes until golden brown.

*Cool in pan for 6-8 minutes.

*Invert cake onto cooling rack.

*Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

You might want to add chocolate chips to the batter or a lemon drizzle (a cup of icing sugar and a tablespoon of lemon juice mixed together) once it`s cooked.

It`s the kind of cake you can share with friends but really it`s a family cake.  One just to have around.  For that cup of tea late afternoon.