At a recent planning meeting for a Jams & Jellies class, fellow cooking instructor Lili Courtney and I were discussing a cake that would be good for serving with the warm Blueberry Lemon jam we'd be making. There were lots of suggestions thrown around, and things got a little confused (as they tend to do with me and Lili.) I left with a plan to make Dorie Greenspan's Almond Cake--a cake that Lili assured me was mixed "from start to finish in a food processor."
Music to my ears. This is because I am not a fan of baking. Lamentations of my baking attempts are frequent. I don't like flour. It lies. So the thought of a cake mixed entirely in a Cuisinart (my favorite kitchen tool) was very appealing.
I picked up my copy of Dorie's Baking Chez Moi. The spine of the never-opened tome creaked open (remember, I don't bake, but the book looks good in my collection.) Dorie's Almond Cake is most definitely not made in a food processor. Eggs must be separated and whipped to almost stiff peaks. Careful folding must take place. Unable to contact Lili to clear up the confusion, I pressed on. And I'm glad I did. This cake is fantastic. It's rich and dense and delicate all at once. This cake wants to be served at afternoon tea. This cake says, "Serve me with a dollop of warm apricot or raspberry preserves and a bit of Chantilly cream.
Once I talked to Lili, I learned she was referring to a recipe she learned about from the podcast Splendid Table. This is the food processor Almond Cake, and it's delicious. This cake has a bit more sturdiness and texture from ground almonds versus the more finely ground almond flour. This cake makes a great breakfast cake and is perfect with a cup of coffee. This cake wants to be packed up and taken on a picnic. This cake says, "Take me to work, and you'll be employee of the month."
Both delicious in their own right. Both worth making! Get the recipe for our adaptation of Dorie Greenspan's cake here and our version of the Splendid Table's Almond Cake here.