BakeRecipes
Caramel Almond Cake (Toscakake)
Prep 25min (+1hr 10min cooling time)Bake 40-45minMakes 8-10 serves
One of Scandinavia’s most loved cakes, both Sweden and Denmark have their own version of this wonderful cake (and, like all great cakes, the origins are unclear). A rich, buttery, moist cake topped with a crisp caramel-almond Florentine-like topping it is simply too good to care too much about its origins!
Ingredients
Melted butter, to grease
50g (5¼oz) butter, at room temperature
110g (½ cup/4oz) caster sugar
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract or essence
2 eggs, at room temperature
150g (1 cup/5¼oz) plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
80ml (⅓ cup/2½fl oz) milk
Vanilla ice-cream or thick cream, to serve
Caramel almond topping
70g (2½oz) butter, cubed
75g (⅓ cup/2½oz) caster sugar
70g (⅔ cup/2½oz) flaked almonds
2½ tablespoons (50ml/1¾fl oz) pure cream
1½ tablespoons plain flour
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/340°F (150°C/300°F fan-forced). Grease a 22cm/8¾in springform tin with melted butter and line the base with non-stick baking paper.
- Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on lowest possible speed until just combined. Add the milk and beat on lowest possible speed until just combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat on lowest possible speed until just combined.
- Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin and smooth with the back of a spoon. Place the tin on a baking tray and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until almost cooked.
- Meanwhile, when the cake has been in the oven for about 20 minutes, make the topping. Combine the butter, sugar, almonds, cream and flour in a medium saucepan. Use a wooden spoon to stir over medium heat until well combined and the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2–3 minutes or until thickened slightly.
- Remove the cake from the oven and increase the temperature to 200°C/400°F (180°C/350°F fan-forced). Quickly pour the caramel almond topping evenly over the top of the cake and then use the back of a metal spoon to spread evenly to cover the top. Return the cake immediately to the oven and bake for a further 10–15 minutes or until the cake is cooked through and the topping is golden brown.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Run a spatula around the outside of the cake to release the topping from the pan. Carefully remove the sides of the pan and set the cake aside for 1 hour or until cooled completely.
- Serve in wedges with ice-cream or cream.
Baker's Tip
- This cake will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
This recipe is from Anneka's SBS Food online column, Bakeproof: Scandi Baking. CLICK HERE for more Bakeproof recipes.
Photography by Alan Benson.
