Wednesday 20 May 2009

Almond filled Sponge Cake (was Anniversary Cake for my Twins on the 16May)







Ingredients: (for the cake)
  • 200g butter
  • 200g self raising flour
  • 200g sugar
  • 4 eggs
Preparation:
Mix the butter (soft) with the sugar, mixing it well with the mixer (or hand mixer)for enough time for the mixture to become a whitish cream, at this stage mix the eggs in a little at the time until they are all blended with the mixture, as you want this cream to be as airy as possible. Next is the flour, but this one you can fold in using maybe a spatula, as you want to preserve all that air you knocked in with the mixer, divide this cream into two pre-greased and floured baking tins, and goes in the oven at 180c for 20 minutes (do the toothpick check) just to ensure they are well cooked, let them cool a little then remove them from the baking tin and place them on a cooling rack.



Ingredients: (for the filling)
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 15g corn starch
  • 2g salt
  • 235ml milk
  • 30g grated almond
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tea spoons of almond essence
  • 1 Vodka lid
Preparation:

Mix all the dry ingredients well, place all the wet ingredients in a small pan (minus the Vodka), now add all the dry ingredients to the wet ones in the pan, and put it on a medium heat and whisk it continuously as soon as it starts to thicken up reduce the heat to nearly minimum, otherwise will thicken too quick and will get lumpy, you want a smooth cream. After is thickened and will thicken no more cook for a further 2 minutes, then remove from the heat, add the vodka let it cool completely before using it you can even refrigerate.
(this almond cream is also excellent for profiteroles, croissants and much more)











Ingredients: (cake topping)
  • 1 glass of double cream
  • 3 soup spoons of powdered sugar
  • 1 tea spoon of vanilla essence
  • 1 hand full of hand chopped almonds (with the skin preferable)
Preparation:

Whip the double cream to make the whip, once whipping is about half way through add the vanilla essence and when is two thirds from being done add then 1 soup spoon of the powdered sugar and when is completed add the other 2 soup spoons of powdered sugar whisk a little more just enough to mix it and it is done to cover the cake.
Cover the cake with the aid of a spatula and then spread the hand chopped almonds over it.


Knife chopped almonds ...yum!!

Cake assembly:

decide which disc is going to be the base then level it by cutting it's top (see picture), this will aid in the filling adhering better and soaking in a little, also securing better the other disc.
So you then assemble it as follows, after cutting the base spread the filling around one centimetre thick all over the base, then place the second disc on top, then cover the whole cake with the whip and spread the almonds on top, the refrigerate at least half an hour before serving, more time even better, absolutely lovely with a nice strong coffee, there is something magical when coffee and almond flavours meet in your mouth.













I received these awards from Nina's Recipes and was very happy to have them, there are no rules written, so I assume one has to pass them along to about 7 other blogs as that is how many Nina passed.
Nominees please pass the awards bellow to 7 nominees (or more) of your choice, linking them to the award + linking on your post who nominated you, these are the simple rules





And this award was given to me by Sophie a long standing foodie friend here in my blog, which makes me very honoured to accept such a nice award.
In keeping with the tradition of passing this award forward, here are the rules. The Sisterhood Award is an award from bloggers to bloggers in recognition of a blog spot which shows attitude and/or gratitude.

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate up to 10 blogs which show great attitude and/or gratitude
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog, or sending them an email.

41 comments:

Donna-FFW said...

Happy birthday to your twins, how old are they? I have twins 11, boy/girl and 2 other 10,8. Then I have 4 stepkids under 12. Anyhoo- This double layer sponge cake looks absolutely gorgeous and undeniably delicious, and the frosting OMG!! How delicious is that!

Anonymous said...

Wow a gorgeous almond cake! Very nice, Rico!

Finla said...

Congragulations to the twins, i am sure they were delighted with this cake.
I would be ;-)

Chef E said...

Hands down this looks amazing! I want a piece of that cake :)

Nina said...

Hi Ricardo, CONGRATULATIONS for your TWINS and this lovely cake!
Regards,
Nina from California

Rico said...

A great many thanks to my dear friends:

Donna, thank you so much for comment and visit. My twins are a little older they're 19 (boy and girl) I also have a younger boy aged 15. Cheers for asking, and gratz on your twins and all your kids. xxx

5 Star, Thank you so much for your comment and visit. You have great foods too on your blog.. cheers :) xxx

Happy Cook, thanks a lot, yeah very delighted indeed, so it was all gone. :) xxx

Anonymous said...

What a cake! How lucky are they to have that on their bday. Delicious!

Tangled Noodle said...

Happy birthday to your twins! This is a beautiful cake and I wish I could have a slice, too (it's my birthday next week!)

Rico said...

Here we are again, I want to thank all my close friends:

Chef E, you would always be welcome to a piece or cake or any foods you like here at my place, thanks for comment and visit. xxx :)

Nina, thanks a lot, gratz will be given to the twins, thanks for comment and visit. :) xx

DuoDishes, and I am lucky to have all of you as friends, thanks for visit and comment. :) xx

Tangled, you would be welcomed to a slice any time, sorry can send them via email, gratz will be given to the twins, thax for visit and comment. :) xx

Sophie, gratz will be given to the twins, many thx for the visit and comment :) xx

John said...

Look so good!!!!!!!!!

Rico said...

Thanks John ...I am flattered. cheers!! :)

Thistlemoon said...

Looks great! I love cakes like this - heavy on the cake and easy on the icing - however, this icing looks great! I bet the flavors were great!

Rico said...

JennDZ, yeah was quite delicious, and I agree with you definitely heavy on the cake light on the icing lol :) Thanks for visit and comment. I love your cooking :) xxx

Nina said...

Hello Ricardo,
I have two awards for you to pick up a.s.a.p. :):) Congratulations on all your hard work including the teenagers! :):):)

Rico said...

Thank you so much Nina appreciated, loved your comment and visit ...I'll check the awards... :) xx

Ginette said...

Hi Ricardo, Happy Birthday for your twins. Nice cake, and very yummmyyyyy ..... :-))

Moira said...

Esse bolinho ficou com um aspecto apetitoso e super-profissional.
Estou tentada a experimentá-lo :)
Bjs
Moira

Rico said...

Thank you so much Ginette, I will pass the gratz to the twins and thank you for the generous comments and visit. :) xx

Brigada Moira, pelo super comentário e visita adorei :) xx jinhos

Unknown said...

ADOREI este bolo!

Está simplesmente divinal! Suponho que não tenha sobrado nada p mim :P

Jinhos

Rico said...

Brigada Psychic, honrado pela sua visita e comento, infelizmente não sobrou...mas se visitar posso sempre fazer outro. rsrs jinhos xx :)

jlarson750 said...

Rico, once again you've made me hungry. I have twins also, identical girls, 16. Having a lot of fun keeping the boys away right now...

Coffee and Vanilla said...

Looks very good :) I usually buy two packets of almond flakes and throw them at the cake until they stick everywhere ;)

Rico said...

I would like to sincerely thank:

Jlarson,I am sorry I made you hungry lol but that was the intention, gratz on your twins I think is great. I know the feeling ..:) xx

Coffee and Vanilla, loved your visit and message, thanks, I chopped my own almonds with the skin I did pretty much the same throw at the cake for them to stick lol cheers :) xxx

Anonymous said...

Dear Rico!
Greetings!
I wonder what they would call such a sponge cake back in France:
Gateau de Savoie aux amandes?
It reminds me of another French ckae I can't place for the moment!
Scrumptious-looking!
Thanks for sharing!
Robert-Gilles

Rico said...

I like the French name hehe well thanks for your visit and comment loved it :) Rico

Rico said...

You too nice, thank you so much appreciated. I usually don't feel I deserve this things but I am so happy to have been selected by you none the less. thank you so much. :) xx

Finla said...

Thankyou so much for passing me the awards, they are really wonderful awards and I am really honoured to receive them.
Before i forget let me congragumate for the awards too.

Rico said...

you very welcome :) you deserve them.

Tangled Noodle said...

Thank you so much for sharing your awards! You deserve these accolades - you offer such wonderful and original dishes, I'm always hungry after reading your posts.

My apologies for being absent from comments recently - I enrolled in summer classes and I'm trying to work out the best way to keep up with my blog readings and my assignments (the blog reading usually wins!)

Thistlemoon said...

WOW Rico! Thank you so much for the award! I can't believe I missed it the last time I was here! I guess I was to distracted by all the good food! :)

Sweet Cheeks said...

Okay how on earth do you have teenage kids?????!!!

Second, I love, love, love almond and this looks amazing@

Rico said...

Well thanks once more for the extra visitors lol ..luv ya:

Tangled N, well I'll try and answer to all you said...hehe.. I am flattered to whom thinks I deserve de awards, I humbly accepted them. I am sorry for making you hungry lol well actually I am not , that is the intention to get people salivating hehe. I am just happy you like them.
As to apologies for absence none needed, comments here are voluntary and not a must people are to do them only if they feel they would like to and I deserve, so don't feel obliged. I feel honoured though that you have that much consideration for me that feel that have to explain..well you are very decent and nice, I love your blog too.
I hope all is going well in your summer classes. luv ya cheers :) xx thx for visit and comment xx


JennDZ, no worries, and distraction is my middle name so I understand lol... thank you for the praise on the good foods, you should know as yours are incredible. luv ya xx :) thx for visit and comment xx


Mommy G, well that question is actually two lol ...kids happen when one doesn't use contraception lol as to having twins was fluke an egg that was fertilized twice, so they either penetrated at the same time or the egg didn't close fast enough to prevent the entry of the other one lol (kidding, but true). I wasn't sure how it happened so I tried again and got confirmed to be fluke as the second time wasn't twins just one so I have 3 kids now hehe well two of them are no longer kids as they were 19 this anniversary. hehe
After all that the almond cake ...thanks it was really nice, a story though. some relatives weren't here their granddad and aunty + another aunty and husband, so I took a slice for each and gave 2 to the auntie and said one for you one for your hubby, then to the other auntie and said one for you and one for your dad..it was so good both aunties ate both slices and neither the hubby or the dad got any lol haha thx for comment and visit :) xx

Rico said...

I like that "thanks Man" sounds very youthful, lol ..joking aside well you deserved it Sophie, you are a good cook/chef, cheers :) kisses :) xx

Ana Powell said...

Devido á minha ida a Portugal atrasei-me com as visitas ao Blogs amigos.
Parabéns então aos "Twins", muitas felicidades paar todos.
Um excelente bolo para comemorar.
Parabéns também pelos prémios concedidos, bem merecidos x

Rico said...

Brigado Ana, sabes que não há compromissos de ter de vir sempre aqui, vem quando podes e queres, eu não ponho essa pressão para ninguém. Espero que a ida a Portugal tenha sido óptima e de boas experiências, te agradeço os parabéns a mim aos meus meninos e a teus comentos e visita...adorei,, jinhos doces :) xx

Anonymous said...

Rico, this looks so tasty! I could go for this for breakfast this morning!

Rico said...

Thank you so much for your visit and comment, appreciated. :) xx

Coffee and Vanilla said...

Oh, thank you, that is sooo sweet :) I don't check blogger and only today I did read your message.
Margot

Rico said...

You more than welcome ..you know that!! cheers !! :) xx

Christelle said...

Superb!! The twins must have loved it :)

Rico said...

Is amazing but you commented on most of my favourite recipes that I made. cheers Christelle. kisses :) xx

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Hi my name is Rico (short for Ricardo) will regularly add more food content to this blog, all my recipes are tried and tested, as I make them and eat them as well as my family, so I wouldn't give you something that is not good.

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