About MissCakeBaker

I spend the week running in heels and the weekends in my apron.

Sunday 28 October 2012

Mallorcan Almond Cake


I spent  a week in a Mallorcan mountain village in July which was completely idyllic.  There was an abundance of local produce from the sweetest oranges I've ever had to almonds harvested a few months earlier.  The village had a lovely bakery to which we made regular visits. My favourite purchase was definitely this local cake.  

A search of the internet has brought up this recipe for Mallorcan Almond Cake. I think my version used grated orange as opposed to lemon zest. This is the perfect cake to have with a cup of tea to remind me of the sunny days of summer holidays.

The Recipe

Unsalted butter and plain flour or preparing cake tin
8 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2 cups coarsely ground almonds


1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Butter an 11-inch round cake pan with 2-inch sides and then dust it with flour, shaking out any excess.

2. In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar an whisk together until smooth and foamy. Add the lemon zest, cinnamon, and vanilla, if using, and mix well. Add the ground almonds a little at a time, mixing well after each addition to incorporate fully.

3. Using a whisk or a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Scoop about one-third of the whites onto the egg yolk mixture and, using a rubber spatula, fold them in to lighten the mixture. Then add the remaining whites and fold them in gently but thoroughly, deflating the batter as little as possible.
4. Transfer the batter to the prepared tin Bake the cake for about 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and, holding the cake pan 6 inches above a countertop, drop the tin onto the counter. This simple dropping action shocks the cake, making it easier to remove from the pan.
5. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let cool in the pan until warm. Run a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake sides and then invert the cacke onto the rack and lift off the pan. Place the cake upright on a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream, if desired.

17 comments:

  1. Yummyy!!!
    I like it!
    Have anice Sunday

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  2. beautiful... I can taste it... I have been there!

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  3. This looks so tasty...I think I need something to remind me of summer, it's so cold today! The flavour combinations in this cake sound really tasty too! :-)

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  4. Delicious. Almond cakes are lovely and so useful for desserts as well as afternoon tea. I'd never seen a recipe for Mallorcan cake before and it's only on reading it now that it struck me that it's very similar to the traditional Tarta de Santiago, even though that's hardly close by. I believe that Claudia Roden has a theory that the tarta is Jewish in origin and maybe that's true here as well. (Sorry, I'll stop rambling on now).

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    1. I think I saw on Come Dine with Me of all places that almond cakes of this type are Jewish in origin - will have to do a bit of research and check out the Tarta de Santiago too.

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  5. This cake would be so ideal for me!! Yum. xx

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  6. That sounds like such a wonderful venue. Fab recipe too, that slice of cake is positively mouth watering!

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  7. Love almonds and this look awesome!!!

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  8. Ooh, what a lovely slice of cake that looks. Almond cakes are usually so delicious. I guess they would be a speciality of Mallorca.

    Having said that, I've just read Phil's earlier comment about the Jewish influence - all very interesting.

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  9. What a lovely looking cake. I bet it would be lovely using orange zest. Thanks for the recipe.

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