Almond Cake With Cardamom and Pistachio
Published March 23, 2010
Jim Wilson/The New York Times
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
½ cup vegetable oil, plus additional for pan
7 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon almond extract
4 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon/420 grams almond flour (see tip)
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 to 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
3 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped pistachio nuts, for garnish
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 to 12 servings)
34 grams carbs; 109 milligrams cholesterol; 660 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 52 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 43 milligrams sodium; 21 grams protein; 21 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9-inch round or square pan and set aside. Using a stand mixer, whisk egg whites until stiff but not dry, and set aside.
- Step 2
In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar, and whisk to blend. Whisk in almond extract and oil. Add almond flour and cardamom. Gently stir a third of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the rest until just incorporated.
- Step 3
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and finish cooling on a rack. To decorate, dust with confectioners’ sugar and chopped pistachios.
If you want to grind your own almond flour, start with 3 cups nuts. Using a large food processor, pulse almonds until very finely ground, stirring once or twice to prevent them from turning into a paste.
Private Notes
Comments
No don't understand what I'm supposed to do with that 1 tablespoon of almond flour. Does it go in the batter with the 4-1/2 cups, is it scattered on top of the finished cake? If it's part of the batter, why the alternative of only 1 tablespoon of matzo meal? I'm confused...
This is a great cake but a couple of cautions: be prepared for a very stiff batter which makes for some heavy folding of the whites; in addition to oiling the pan, cut a circle of parchment paper or waxed paper to line the bottom and oil that too. Otherwise it can be difficult to get the cake out of the pan.
We made this for Easter Sunday dinner. Served it with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. It was fantastic!
A few changes to the recipe:
-Halved the cardamom. I like cardamom, but two teaspoons seemed a bit much. This was the right call. It ended up being subtle, but not overpowering.
-Used a little less than a tablespoon of almond extract, and added a teaspoon and a half of vanilla extract.
-Left in the oven for an hour and ten minutes.
We'll make it again!
I made this cake by mistake (meant to make the other pistachio almond cake on this site which was recommended by a friend) and I'm regretting it. I too had trouble folding the egg whites into the cement-like batter, and the cake texture came out very uneven. The flavor is not as good as other almond cakes I've made in the past. I won't be making this one again.
7 eggs. IN THIS ECONOMY? 2010 does feel like a century ago.
Can I use Olive Oil instead of vegetable or is the flavor too strong? Also, if I am grinding my own nuts, do they need to be blanched almonds? Can they be roasted or should they be raw?