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Chefmom's Almond Cake

List of Ingredients

8 ounces Almond Paste, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter, soft
4 eggs
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 cup bread flour
---or you could use 3/4 cup all-purpose and 1/4 cup cake flour


Recipe

Preheat the oven 325. Prepare a 12x18 sheet pan by spraying and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Soften the almond paste by beating it for several minutes with the paddle. This will break it up, then add a little of the egg to moisten, then add the sugar and mix until smooth. Add the butter one Tablespoon at a time and cream until very light, about 7 minutes. Over the course of the next 5 minutes slowly add the eggs, a little at a time and allow them to incorporate before adding the next amount. Stir in the flour and spread into the pan. Be sure the pan is spread very smooth so it bakes evenly.

Bake until it is firm. Cool and finish the petite fours. Cut the sheet into three even strips, spread with a very thin layer of raspberry filling ( I spread it on, and then spread most of it off! Then stack the layers and cut into shapes, the easiest to start with are small squares or rectangles. For shorter petite fours, just cut the sheet into two pieces and stack. Finish with a poured fondant icing.

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A Note from Chefmom.....
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This is the recipe that I first used in Culinary School for petite fours, and it is the same recipe I use today. I have made many different petite fours using a chiffon type cake, but if I want almond, then this is the cake. It has a tight crumb and slices nicely, yet is moist and the almond paste gives it the perfect almond flavor.

The poured icing can be made, if you have a baking death wish, or purchased in dried form and then reconstituted with a small amount of water. This is available from www.sugarcraft.com I keep it on hand as a baking staple!!