A Special Anniversary Cake

Torta de Cielo (Mexican Almond Sponge Cake)

Every year, June 26 is a special day for me---The day when my parents got married and this year they celebrated their 32 years of togetherness...

                                   "Happy Anniversary Pappa and Mummy"

Though I couldn't be there at home to celebrate it with my parents, I thought of baking a cake back here at my abode....Now, which cake and what cake? I wanted to make something truly special, something which is not so common!! I had two cake recipes in my mind; the Tres Leche and the Torta de Cielo.....I planned of baking the Tres Leche but somehow at the last hour, I changed my decision!! And it was a good decision indeed as the cake was just delicious; tasted quite different too!!! No wonder it is called as "cake of heaven".

Ingredients:
Recipe Source: Baking...made simple by Parragon Books

Unsalted Butter, at room temp - 1 cup
Whole almonds, in their skins - 1 1/4 cups
Sugar - 1 1/4 cups
Eggs, lightly beaten - 3
Almond extract - 1 tsp
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
All-purpose flour - 9 tbsps
Pinch of salt


Method:

• Lightly grease an 8 inch/20cm round cake pan and line it with a parchment paper.
• Process the almonds in a food processor to form a mealy mixture. Set aside.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl, until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, almonds and both the extracts until well blended. Stir in the flour and salt and mix briefly, until the flour is just incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C, for 45-50 mins, or until the cake feels spongy when gently pressed.
• Remove from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool.

To serve, you could dust with confectioner's sugar and decorate with toasted silvered almonds. I made a sugar frosting for the cake, which I feel was a mistake as the cake was too too sweet. I had to literally peel off the sugar frosting when serving, as none at home liked it. So, go in for a simple decoration (dusting the confectioner's sugar).

Sugar Frosting
Recipe Source: Baking...made simple by Parragon Books

Ingredients:

Confectioner's sugar - 2 cups

Water - 3-4 tsps

Vanilla extract - 2 tsp

Method:

• Sift the sugar into a bowl and mix with enough water and vanilla extract to form a soft frosting. 
• Lay the frosting over the top of the cake. {You could trim the edges of the frosting, but I let mine to flow down}.

 

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