Citrus Almond Sponge Cake Recipes

ALMOND CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Grease/butter a 9" cake pan or 9" springform pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine 4 egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar. Beat with an electric hand mixer on high speed 3 minutes or until thick, creamy and lightened in color. Add 1 1/2 cups almond flour and 1 Tbsp lemon zest and use a spatula to fold and stir together until incorporated. Wash and dry attachments from the mixer.
• In a second large mixing bowl, add 4 egg whites and beat together until stiff peaks form (about 2 minutes). Fold the egg whites 1 heaping spoonful at a time into the almond batter, folding with each addition just until incorporated and scraping from the bottom of the bowl to ensure batter has an even consistency.
• Once all the egg whites are incorporated and batter is even in consistency (do not over-mix), transfer batter to the prepared baking pan and sprinkle the top with 1/4 cup sliced almonds. Bake at 350˚F for 30 minutes or until top is firm.
• Let cake rest in the pan 15 minutes then run a thin spatula around the sides and invert it onto your hand then place it right side up on the rack. Let cool to room temperature and garnish with powdered sugar and lemon slices if desired.

BEST EVER ALMOND CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (with high sides) or three 8-inch round cake pans (with high sides), lining the bottoms with parchment paper rounds for easy release.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer) whip the butter on medium high speed until very smooth. Add the sugar and mix on high speed until fluffy and creamy. The sugar will start to dissolve into the butter a little bit during this creaming process, so you should be able to feel the grains of sugar getting smaller.
• Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl regularly at this stage to make sure everything is mixed well.
• Mix in the oil and almond extract on low speed.
• Measure the buttermilk into a liquid measuring cup and and set aside.
• Measure and sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a separate bowl and combine with a wire whisk.
• Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternatively while the mixer is running on low speed. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, half the buttermilk, another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, the other half of the milk, and the remaining dry ingredients.
• Turn the speed of the mixer to medium-low and mix until the batter is smooth (about one minute).
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 29-34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean.
• Cool the cakes in the pans for about 5-7 minutes and then turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
• Once the cakes are cool, store them wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge until ready to frost. They should be refrigerated for at least 1 hour before frosting.
• While the cakes cool, heat the milk in a small saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the flour slowly, whisking constantly to combine.
• Continue to cook this mixture, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and no lumps remain.
• Spread out the thickened milk and flour mixture onto a dinner plate to cool completely.
• When the mixture is cool, press it through a sieve or strainer to remove any tiny lumps that may remain.
• Add it to a large bowl with a hand mixer, or to the bowl of your stand mixer, and mix on medium-high speed until smooth.
• Add the butter and mix on medium-high speed until the mixture is very smooth.
• Add the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, along with the salt and the almond extract.
• Continue to mix on medium-high until the frosting is extra smooth and creamy.
• Level the top of the cakes with a serrated bread knife or a cake leveler (if you have one). Place one of the cakes on a plate or cake stand and place a dollop of frosting on top.
• Spread out the frosting to the edges of the cake, place the next layer on top and then frost the top and sides of the cake until everything is smooth.
• Use Life Love and Sugar's tutorial on how to get straight edges when frosting layer cakes with buttercream (find the tutorial HERE), or simply frost it in a rustic pattern as you wish.
• Arrange the fruit pieces, cookies, and almonds on top as you wish.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CITRUS-ALMOND SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• For the Margarita Semifreddo
• Put twenty 2 x 2-inch ring molds on a tray and put them in the freezer at least 1 hour before you start to make the semifreddo.
• Stir the tequila, Cointreau, simple syrup, and lime juice and zest together to make the margarita base. Measure 2/3 cup (drink the rest).
• Pour about 3 tablespoons of the margarita base into a small glass bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface. Let sit for about 1 minute, then microwave for 45 seconds or heat gently in a small saucepan until melted.
• Put the egg, egg yolks, and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water-make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water-and whisk until the sugar is melted and the mixture is hot. Whisk in the gelatin.
• Move the bowl to the standing mixer fitted with the whisk and whisk at medium-high speed until the mixture is pale and light and the sides of the bowl are cool.
• In a separate bowl, whip the cream to medium peaks.
• Fold about half of the remaining margarita base into the eggs. Fold in half the cream, then repeat, folding in the remaining base and the cream, gently but thoroughly.
• Fill a pastry bag and pipe the semifreddo into the ring molds (see Note), leaving about 1/3 inch of headroom. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.
• For the Sponge Cake
• Heat the oven to 375°F or 350°F on convection. Spray eight to nine 1-ounce aluminum timbale molds with cooking spray and coat them with sugar (vanilla sugar, page 185, would be best). Set the molds on a baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, rub the sugar, orange and lemon zests, and vanilla seeds (rinse, dry, and save the pod for another use) together with your fingers.
• Whisk the almond flour, cornstarch, and salt together.
• Put the egg and egg yolk in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk. Whisk at medium speed until frothy. Add the sugar mixture and beat at medium-high speed until light and doubled in volume. Add the dry ingredients gradually, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to high and beat until the batter regains its original volume, about 3 minutes. You can prepare the batter about 2 hours in advance. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it right away.
• If you've made the batter in advance, whisk it again on high speed for about a minute. Fill a pastry bag and pipe the batter into the molds, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake until puffed, golden, and firm, about 11 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.
• Unmold the cakes right away. You'll need to nudge them out of the molds with a small knife. Serve them warm.
• To Serve
• Mix the orange zest and sugar together in a small bowl. Dip the tops of the warm sponge cakes into the sugar and set them on small plates. Garnish with the candied kumquats and lemon zest. Unmold the margarita semifreddos by rubbing each mold briskly between your palms and then pushing the semifreddo out of the mold. Add them to the plates.

ALMOND SPONGE CAKE FOR STONE-FRUIT TRIFLE WITH LEMON MOUSSE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack, and let cool.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Pulse almonds in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt; continue to pulse until finely ground.
• Butter a 9-inch round cake pan, and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Combine yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, and the vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Raise speed to high, and gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes.
• Fold egg-white mixture into yolk mixture. Working in 3 additions, fold in almond-flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth top using an offset spatula.
• Bake until cake is deep gold and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack, and let cool for 30 minutes. Turn out cake from pan, and let cool completely. Halve cake crosswise, and cut each into quarters to use for trifle.

LEMON ALMOND SPONGECAKE

Steps:

• Line a greased jelly-roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inches, with wax paper, grease the paper, and dust the pan with flour, knocking out the excess. Into a bowl sift together the flour, the salt, and the baking powder and whisk in the almonds. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the egg yolks, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and the zest until the mixture is very thick and pale, beat in the lemon juice, the vanilla, and the almond extract, and beat the mixture for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it forms a ribbon when the beater is lifted. Add the flour mixture and beat the batter until it is just combined. In another bowl with cleansed beaters beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form soft peaks, beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat the whites until they form stiff peaks. Whisk one third of the whites into the batter to lighten it and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake it in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, invert it onto a rack, and discard the wax paper. Invert the cake onto another rack and let it stand, uncovered, overnight to dry out. Cut the cake with a serrated knife into 3/4-inch cubes.

CITRUS, ALMOND & YOGURT CAKE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small pan. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Meanwhile, butter a 23cm springform cake tin and line with baking parchment. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Put the 200g caster sugar, flour and ground almonds in a large bowl and mix well. Whisk the eggs and 75g yogurt into the cooled melted butter, then pour this into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Zest the lemon and orange over the bowl. Stir with a spatula until there are no streaks of flour, then scrape into the tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 40 mins.
• Cut a few slices each from the zested lemon and orange, then squeeze the juice from what's left of each into a saucepan (you'll need about 6 tbsp total). Add the 2 tbsp caster sugar and the fruit slices to the pan. Bring to the boil and cook for 5-10 mins, or until the juice has reduced to a thin syrup and the fruit slices have softened. Leave to cool. Remove the fruit slices to a sheet of baking parchment and leave to dry.
• Insert a skewer into the middle of the cake - it should come out dry, with no wet cake mix clinging to it. If it's not ready, bake for 5-10 mins more and check again. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins, then spoon over the citrus syrup. Leave to cool for 10 mins more, then remove from the tin. To freeze, first leave to cool completely, then wrap the cake well. Will keep frozen for up to three months.
• Mix the 2 tbsp yogurt with the icing sugar to make a thick icing. Spoon this onto the centre of the cake and use the back of a spoon to ease it to the edge (it should drip over the side). Scatter over the flaked almonds and decorate with the fruit slices. Serve warm, or leave to cool completely. Will keep in an airtight tin for up to five days.

ALMOND SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let almonds cool.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Place the cooled almonds and the cornstarch in bowl of a food processor. Process until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
• Butter two 6-inch-round layer-cake pans. Line pans with parchment paper, and butter again. Flour pans, and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together egg yolks and vanilla. With mixer on high speed, gradually add 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until pale, thick, and light, about 5 minutes. Transfer egg-yolk mixture to a large bowl; set aside. Wash and dry mixer bowl and attachment.
• Place egg whites and salt in the clean mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase the speed to high, and gradually add the remaining sugar. Beat until stiff and glossy, about 4 minutes.
• Fold the egg-white mixture into the egg-yolk mixture. In three additions, fold the reserved ground-almond mixture into this new mixture. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans, and smooth the tops with an offset spatula.
• Bake cakes until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool, about 25 minutes. Turn out cakes, and cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.

CITRUS SPONGE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan with the oil and dust with potato starch.
• 2. Sift the cake meal and potato starch together over a piece of foil and set aside.
• 3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks on medium speed for 3 minutes, until golden yellow and thick. Add the sugar slowly. Continue to beat 3 minutes more.
• 4. With the mixer on low, gradually add the orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest, and lemon zest. Add the vanilla and almond extract. Gradually add the matzo meal mixture to the batter. Mix gently until well blended.
• 5. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the whisk attachment of the electric mixer until foamy. Add the salt and beat until the whites hold glossy peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into cake batter with a spatula. Pour the batter into the springform pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan, then loosen the sides. Cool completely.
• 6. Cut the cake into 12 wedges, or carefully slice the cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife and cut into 6 wedges to make 12 total wedges.
• 7. Toss the strawberries with the orange juice and sugar 30 minutes before serving the cake. Spoon the strawberries over each cake wedge and serve.

SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees. If making a roulade, brush the bottom of a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan with a light coating of oil. Do not brush the sides, as the cake needs to be able to cling to the pan as it rises. Line only the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper, smoothing to eliminate air bubbles. If baking in a 9-inch springform pan, leave the pan ungreased and unlined.
• In a wide, medium bowl, combine the egg whites, 1/4 cup sugar, the kosher salt and cream of tartar. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer fitted with the beaters on medium-low speed until the mixture looks frothy, then start to slowly increase the speed to medium-high. Continue to beat the egg whites until you have a dense, voluminous, glossy foam that forms stiff peaks, about 4 minutes. When you lift the beaters out of the bowl, the egg whites should come to a straight point that doesn't droop. Don't beat beyond this point, or the whites will become dry and lumpy. Set the bowl aside.
• In a separate wide bowl, combine the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Beat with the hand mixer (no need to wash it after you beat the egg whites) on medium-high until the mixture is very pale and fluffy and forms a slowly dissolving ribbon as it falls off the beaters back into the bowl, about 4 minutes. Slowly stream in the 1/4 cup oil, beating constantly to ensure it emulsifies into the yolk mixture, until you have a smooth, light mixture that looks like mayonnaise.
• Reduce the mixer to the lowest speed, add half of the flour and mix just until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon water, mix until incorporated, then add the remaining flour and mix just until it disappears. The mixture will have thickened and look a bit like cake batter.
• Fold the yolk mixture once or twice with a large flexible spatula to make sure it's evenly mixed, then scrape about a third of the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture and thoroughly fold in the whites until the mixture is loosened. Working more gently, fold in half of the remaining egg whites until only a few streaks remain. Fold in the remaining whites, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until you have a light, smooth, evenly mixed batter.
• Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth into an even layer. Firmly rap the pan on the surface once or twice to pop any large air bubbles. Bake the cake until it's golden brown, firm and springy to the touch across the entire surface, 25 to 30 minutes for a jelly roll and 30 to 35 minutes for a 9-inch cake. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely upside down to prevent it from collapsing.
• Reinvert the cooled pan and cut along the sides with a small offset spatula or paring knife to loosen the cake. It will sink a bit, which is normal. If making a jelly roll, turn the sponge out onto the wire rack and peel off the parchment. If making a 9-inch cake, remove the ring of the springform pan, invert the cake onto the rack, and carefully peel off the bottom of the pan (it should come away cleanly, leaving behind just a thin film).
• Use the sponge as desired. The unfilled sponge cake will keep at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for several days, but will become sticky after the first day.

CITRUS-ALMOND POUNDCAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-cup Bundt pan. Put lemon juice, orange juice and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan over low heat; cook until the sugar dissolves and remove from heat.
• Put almond paste and remaining 2 cups sugar in food processor and process until well combined; add butter and continue processing until light and fluffy. With the machine running, add eggs one at a time along with zest and vanilla, and continue to process until smooth.
• Stop the machine, add the flour, baking powder and salt, and pulse a few times - just until the dry ingredients are integrated (be careful not to over process, or the cake will become tough). Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. When a skewer or thin-bladed knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven and let cool slightly.
• Pour the citrus soak over the cake and let it sit for about 30 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the cake releases from the pan easily. Cut into slices.