Best Almond Cake With Roasted Pineapple And Vanilla Cream Recipe Epicuriouscom Recipes

ALMOND CAKE WITH ROASTED PINEAPPLE AND VANILLA CREAM

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan. Finely grind almonds with flour, baking soda, and salt in processor. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, just to blend. Stir in sour cream, lemon peel, and almond extract. Stir in flour mixture just until blended. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 38 minutes. Cool on rack 15 minutes; turn out cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely. Wrap in plastic and store at room temperature. Rewarm unwrapped cake slightly in microwave.)
• For vanilla cream:
• Whisk all ingredients in small bowl to blend. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• For pineapple:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Place pineapple in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Whisk brown sugar, 1/3 cup pineapple juice, cloves, and cinnamon in small bowl to blend. Pour juice mixture over pineapple. Roast until pineapple is tender and juices brown, turning and basting pineapple with juices every 20 minutes and adding more pineapple juice by tablespoonfuls as needed to prevent burning, about 1 hour 15 minutes. (Can be made 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 375°F oven for 10 minutes before continuing.)
• Cut warm pineapple crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Cut warm cake into 8 pieces. Place 1 slice of cake on each of 8 plates. Spoon pineapple and juices atop cake, top with vanilla cream, and serve.

HONEY-ALMOND CAKES WITH PINEAPPLE ZABAGLIONE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter six 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins. Blend almond paste and sugar in processor until well blended. Using electric mixer, beat butter in medium bowl until smooth. Beat in almond paste mixture, then honey and Tuaca. Add eggs 1 at a time, blending well between additions. Whisk flour and salt in small bowl; mix into almond paste mixture. Divide batter among prepared cups. Bake until golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool slightly in cups. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 325°F oven for 10 minutes, if desired.)
• Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium bowl set over pan of barely simmering water until very thick, whisking constantly, about 7 minutes.
• Pour warm zabaglione over warm or room-temperature cakes, sprinkle with toasted almonds, and serve.
• *Available in the baking-products section of most supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.
• **A citrusy, vanilla-flavored Italian liqueur; available at specialty liquor stores.

PINEAPPLE ALMOND CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350^F.
• Butter and flour 13x9x2 inch baking pan.
• Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, and salt in a medium bowl.
• In a larger bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and 1/4 cup butter until fluffy.
• Mix in 1/2 cup of the almonds and the pineapple with syrup.
• Gradually add the flour mixture and transfer to the baking pan.
• Bake until a tester comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
• Cool on a rack about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and remaining 1/4 c butter until blended.
• Spread over warm cake and sprinkle with remaining almonds.