Caramel almond cake (toscakake)

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 toped with a crisp caramel-almond Florentine-like topping it is simply too good to care too much about its origins!

Credit: Alan Benson

• serves

  8

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 150 g butter, at room temperature, plus extra, melted, to grease
• 110 g (½ cup) caster sugar
• 1 tsp natural vanilla extract or essence
• 2 eggs
• 150 g (1 cup) plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 80 ml (⅓ cup milk)
• vanilla ice-cream or thick cream, to serve

Caramel almond topping

• 70 g butter, cubed
• 75 g (⅓ cup) caster sugar
• 70 g (⅔ cup) flaked almonds
• 2½ tbsp pure cream
• 1½ tbsp plain flour

Cooling time 1 hour 10 minutes

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Grease a 22 cm 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 28 minutes or until almost cooked.

Meanwhile, when the cake has been in the oven for about 15 minutes, make the topping. Combine the butter, sugar, almonds, cream and flour in a medium saucepan, using 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 (180°C 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.

 

Note

• This cake will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Sarah O'Brien. Food preparation by Tina McLeish. Creative concept by Lou Fay.

Anneka's mission is to connect home cooks with the magic of baking, and through this, with those they love. For hands-on baking classes and baking tips, visit her at BakeClub. Don't miss what's coming out of her oven via Facebook,Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

This recipe is part of our Bakeproof: Scandi baking.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.