sponge cake with amaretto
A friend asked for a sponge cake with a filling made with almond milk, so I did this. I apologize for the lack of pictures, but since it was all coated with whipped cream it would've looked like a white blob from the outside anyway.
For each layer of the cakes, beat 4 eggs with half a cup of sugar until pale and tripled in volume. I added a pinch of freshly ground cardamom, and a pinch of cinnamon or half a spoonful of vanilla would be good here instead. Sift in a cup of sifted flour while folding, then pour into a greased 8" pan and either steam for 15-20 minutes or bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes or until done. I steamed them to keep them moist and to keep a dry crust from forming, but baked it's fine. Since it's very awkward to beat up 8 whole eggs, I then repeated the recipe for the next layer. Use in all 8 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 2 cups of flour sifted before measuring, and a couple pinches or dashes of your flavoring of choice.
For the flavoring syrup, I boiled a cup of sugar with a cup of water until the sugar dissolved, then added a couple tablespoons of amaretto. Next time I may try it with rum or brandy for a different flavor.
For the filling, I followed a recipe for cake filling substituting almond milk for dairy milk, but since almond milk is a lot thinner than dairy milk, I had to add an additional 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. I used 3/4 cup sugar stirred with half a cup of flour, a pinch of cinnamon (maybe a quarter teaspoon) and a quarter teaspoon salt, used to thicken 3 cups of commercial almond milk, then I beat up 3 eggs, slowly poured the almond milk mixture over them, and then cooked them until they thickened too. (Then I added the cornstarch. I recommend that you either stir in 2 or 3 teaspoons of cornstarch in the flour mixture, or simply start with about 1/3 cup cornstarch.) After this was thickened I added a couple tablespoons of amaretto and a teaspoon of vanilla.
The frosting was a bunch of cream beaten up with a couple spoonfuls sugar-- maybe about 1 cup of cream with 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar, beaten until very stiff, and then I added a pinch of cardamom and a few spoonfuls of the flavoring syrup.
When everything was ready and cold, I cut both of the layers in half the flat way, brushed each of them with flavoring syrup before spreading them with the almond filling, then brushed the whole cake, top and sides, with more flavoring syrup before coating it with a generous layer of the whipped cream.
I was only able to taste the whole cake (all three components) in very small quantities-- I reserved some of the batter and baked it in a custard cup, so I could use it to taste the other components. And the combination was heavenly-- the amaretto and cinnamon really help underline the almond flavor, and the moistness and flavor that the soaking syrup added were awesome. When I next do this one, I might stir in some fresh wild blueberries into the filling or frosting if they're in season, or sprinkle the top with just a tablespoon of chopped toasted blanched almonds, but as is it was heavenly. My friend said that everyone raved about the cake, and it was gone in 10 minutes.
For each layer of the cakes, beat 4 eggs with half a cup of sugar until pale and tripled in volume. I added a pinch of freshly ground cardamom, and a pinch of cinnamon or half a spoonful of vanilla would be good here instead. Sift in a cup of sifted flour while folding, then pour into a greased 8" pan and either steam for 15-20 minutes or bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes or until done. I steamed them to keep them moist and to keep a dry crust from forming, but baked it's fine. Since it's very awkward to beat up 8 whole eggs, I then repeated the recipe for the next layer. Use in all 8 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 2 cups of flour sifted before measuring, and a couple pinches or dashes of your flavoring of choice.
For the flavoring syrup, I boiled a cup of sugar with a cup of water until the sugar dissolved, then added a couple tablespoons of amaretto. Next time I may try it with rum or brandy for a different flavor.
For the filling, I followed a recipe for cake filling substituting almond milk for dairy milk, but since almond milk is a lot thinner than dairy milk, I had to add an additional 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. I used 3/4 cup sugar stirred with half a cup of flour, a pinch of cinnamon (maybe a quarter teaspoon) and a quarter teaspoon salt, used to thicken 3 cups of commercial almond milk, then I beat up 3 eggs, slowly poured the almond milk mixture over them, and then cooked them until they thickened too. (Then I added the cornstarch. I recommend that you either stir in 2 or 3 teaspoons of cornstarch in the flour mixture, or simply start with about 1/3 cup cornstarch.) After this was thickened I added a couple tablespoons of amaretto and a teaspoon of vanilla.
The frosting was a bunch of cream beaten up with a couple spoonfuls sugar-- maybe about 1 cup of cream with 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar, beaten until very stiff, and then I added a pinch of cardamom and a few spoonfuls of the flavoring syrup.
When everything was ready and cold, I cut both of the layers in half the flat way, brushed each of them with flavoring syrup before spreading them with the almond filling, then brushed the whole cake, top and sides, with more flavoring syrup before coating it with a generous layer of the whipped cream.
I was only able to taste the whole cake (all three components) in very small quantities-- I reserved some of the batter and baked it in a custard cup, so I could use it to taste the other components. And the combination was heavenly-- the amaretto and cinnamon really help underline the almond flavor, and the moistness and flavor that the soaking syrup added were awesome. When I next do this one, I might stir in some fresh wild blueberries into the filling or frosting if they're in season, or sprinkle the top with just a tablespoon of chopped toasted blanched almonds, but as is it was heavenly. My friend said that everyone raved about the cake, and it was gone in 10 minutes.