Lemon-Almond Butter Cake

Recipe from Jody Adams

Adapted by Regina Schrambling

Published January 21, 2015

  • Karsten Moran for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
2 hours 30 minutes, plus cooling time
Rating
5(4,577)
Comments
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This buttery almond cake with lemon curd baked inside is like the ultimate citrus tart, without the heartbreak of pie crust. It's fancy enough to be served as a dinner party dessert, yet substantial enough to be served with Sunday brunch. (Bonus: you'll have several tablespoons of lemon curd left over. It's delicious on toast or pancakes.) —Regina Schrambling

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

FOR THE LEMON CURD

  • Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons

  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 4 extra-large eggs

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

FOR THE CAKE

  • 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour

  • 1 cup plus 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 2 extra-large eggs

  • ½ cup ground toasted almonds

  • 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

  • About ½ cup heavy cream for garnish

  • 1 tablespoon almond liqueur (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

67 grams carbs; 230 milligrams cholesterol; 626 calories; 13 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 37 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 251 milligrams sodium; 10 grams protein; 51 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

  1. Step 1

    For the curd, combine zest, juice, sugar and eggs in a heatproof bowl, and beat well. Add butter, and place over a saucepan full of simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until mixture thickens into curd, about 5 minutes. Strain into a bowl, and press plastic wrap onto surface to keep skin from forming. Refrigerate until cool, at least 1 ½ hours.

  2. Step 2

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch spring-form pan with 1 tablespoon butter, and dust with 1 tablespoon flour, shaking out excess.

  3. Step 3

    With an electric mixer, cream the remaining butter and 1 cup sugar together until light and fluffy. Sift together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt, and stir in. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs until they start to foam. Do not overbeat or the cake will be tough. Add eggs and ground almonds to batter, and mix well.

  4. Step 4

    Scrape batter into the prepared pan. Drop 8 individual tablespoons lemon curd around perimeter of batter, leaving a 1-inch border, and taking care to space drops evenly. Drop 3 to 4 tablespoons curd into center of batter. Refrigerate remaining curd for another use. Sprinkle cake with toasted almonds and 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, depending on taste.

  5. Step 5

    Bake until cake is toasty brown on top and a toothpick inserted into cake (not curd) comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool on rack 10 minutes, then remove sides of pan, and cool completely.

  6. Step 6

    Whip cream with almond liqueur. Present cake at table, and offer whipped cream on the side.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
4,577 user ratings
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Comments

molly

I cut half the sugar in the curd and half in the cake.
I used 3/4 c gluten- free cake flour instead of 1 c. flour.
I used 1/2 c. ground toasted almonds AND 1/2 c of almond flour in the batter.
I used 3 lrg eggs not 2 xtra large
i added a tsp of almond extract

and it was SO delicious.

Demetroula

Why hasn't this recipe been converted to weight measurements instead of volume???

Barbara

This recipe seemed so promising, and it was really quite good; however, next time I will do the following: use far more of the lemon curd-maybe even twice as much, add more almonds, and check the cake before the suggested baking time had elapsed.

Rochelle

Linda's notes: Reduce sugar by a third for the curd and the cake. For the cake, use cup almond meal and a half cup of flour. When you add eggs, also add tsp vanilla and half tsp almond extract. I plopped all the curd on top of the cake and baked for 40 minutes in a 9 inch spring form pan.

Sue Welty

When the cake came out of the oven it looked beautiful ! As it cooled, the center sunk and I thought " oh no, maybe it wasn't done". I cut it later in the day for dessert and it was wonderful. I wonder if anyone else had the same thing happen ? In the photo it's hard to tell if that's how it's supposed to look or not. I didn't adjust any of the ingredients as some of the comments suggested and I thought it was perfect as is.

uppergolf

Fabulous recipe. I did not cook the curd long enough and I did use less sugar as others have suggested. Despite my technical error the flavor of this cake was delicious. Definitely will make again

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Credits

adapted from ''In the Hands of a Chef'' by Jody Adams

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