Almond Cake With Roasted Pineapple And Vanilla Cream Recipe Epicuriouscom

HONEY-ALMOND CAKES WITH PINEAPPLE ZABAGLIONE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter six 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins. Blend almond paste and sugar in processor until well blended. Using electric mixer, beat butter in medium bowl until smooth. Beat in almond paste mixture, then honey and Tuaca. Add eggs 1 at a time, blending well between additions. Whisk flour and salt in small bowl; mix into almond paste mixture. Divide batter among prepared cups. Bake until golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool slightly in cups. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 325°F oven for 10 minutes, if desired.)
• Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium bowl set over pan of barely simmering water until very thick, whisking constantly, about 7 minutes.
• Pour warm zabaglione over warm or room-temperature cakes, sprinkle with toasted almonds, and serve.
• *Available in the baking-products section of most supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.
• **A citrusy, vanilla-flavored Italian liqueur; available at specialty liquor stores.

ALMOND CAKE WITH KIRSCH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Dust pan with flour; tap out excess. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup sugar and butter in large bowl until light and creamy. Add almond paste, 1 piece at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in kirsch, almond extract and salt. Mix flour and baking powder in small bowl; add to batter. Beat just until blended. Spoon batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
• Bake cake until top is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.
• Transfer cake to platter. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.) Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

BANANA-PINEAPPLE LAYER CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Whisk in oil, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in bananas, pecans, and pineapple. Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run knife around cake sides and turn out onto rack to cool completely.
• For frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl to blend. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 1 1/2 cups frosting over. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle toasted pecans in border around top edge of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Let stand at room temperature before serving.)

PINEAPPLE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger and salt. In large bowl, beat 1 2/3 cups sugar, eggs and 1/4 cup butter until fluffy. Mix in pineapple with syrup and 1/2 cup almonds, then dry ingredients. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool 20 minutes.
• Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and remaining 1/4 cup butter in medium bowl to blend. Spread frosting over warm cake. Sprinkle with remaining almonds.

ORANGE-ALMOND CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• For cream filling:
• Bring milk and orange peel to simmer in heavy medium saucepan; remove from heat. Using electric mixer, beat yolks in large bowl to blend. With machine running, add sugar and beat until mixture is light yellow and thick, about 4 minutes. Add flour, beating until well combined. Gradually beat in hot milk mixture. Return custard to same saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer cream filling to medium bowl; press plastic wrap onto surface. Refrigerate cream filling overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• For syrup:
• Bring sugar and 1 cup water to boil in small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil 5 minutes, swirling pan occasionally. Cool syrup slightly. Stir in Grand Marnier. Cover; chill until cold. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line each pan with parchment paper round. Bring milk and butter almost to boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat eggs in large bowl on high speed 2 minutes. Gradually beat in 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until mixture is light yellow and thick, scraping down sides occasionally, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-high; add vanilla. Gradually beat in hot milk mixture in steady stream. Immediately add dry ingredients and beat until just blended, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl (batter will be thin). Mix in 3 teaspoons orange peel. Quickly divide batter between prepared pans.
• Bake until cakes are golden, pull away from sides of pans, and spring back when pressed in center, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 10 minutes. Invert cakes; peel off parchment paper. Turn cakes right side up on rack and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic and let stand at room temperature.)
• Using small sharp knife, cut off peel and white pith from oranges. Working over strainer set over large bowl, cut between membranes to release segments. Transfer orange segments to paper towels to drain.
• Beat cream and 1/4 cup sugar in large bowl until cream holds peaks. Fold 1/2 cup whipped cream into cream filling, then fold in crushed amaretti and remaining 1 teaspoon grated orange peel. Using serrated knife, cut each cake layer horizontally in half, creating 4 layers. Place 1 layer on plate, cut side up; brush generously with syrup (about 6 tablespoons). Spread 3/4 cup filling over. Arrange 1 layer of orange segments (about 20) over filling. Repeat layering twice more with cake, syrup, filling, and orange segments. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Brush cake with syrup. Fill pastry bag fitted with large star tip with 1 cup whipped cream. Spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake. Pipe cream in rosettes around top edge of cake. Cover center with orange segments. Brush oranges with melted apricot jam. Refrigerate cake 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• *Available at Italian markets and some supermarkets.