Chez Panisse Almond Torte - Adjusted for High Altitude

By foodiva

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 7 oz almond paste
• 14 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla paste/extract
• 1/8 tsp almond extract
• 5 eggs + 1 egg white
• 1 1/4 c. flour + 1 Tbsp
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Powdered sugar (optional)
• 1/4 c. raspberries, blueberries or cranberries (optional)

Details

Servings 1
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 70mins
Adapted from deliciousindenver.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350.
Generously butter and flour a bundt or cake pan. I like to put 1 Tbsp softened butter on a paper towel and rub it all around the pan into every nook and cranny - then pour in 1/4 cup flour and rotate the pan, tapping, until butter is evenly coated with flour. If it doesn't naturally adhere to the inner part of the bundt pan, take handfuls of flour and sprinkle directly on it over and over til coated. It's a pain, but this cake sticks very easily otherwise!
Beat softened butter, almond paste and sugar together until well-combined and fluffy, appx 2-3 minutes.
Add extracts, then add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix just until combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing evenly with spatula. If adding fruit, push the berries in one at a time evenly around the pan 1-3 inches deep, smoothing batter over the tops. Try not to let any of the berries touch the metal of the pan, because they may stick and make it hard to get the cake out of the pan!
Bake for 5 minutes, then drop the temperature to 325 degress. Bake for 45 - 55 minutes, or until the cake springs lightly back when touched.