We were having guests for lunch on Tuesday. I kept it simple this time. Just sandwiches, potato chips, pickles and cake. You can never go wrong with cake!
I baked a Swedish Visiting Cake and a French Yogurt Cake because if you can't go wrong with one cake, you REALLY can't go wrong with two cakes, and to be honest I was a bit ashamed that it was only sandwiches, so I thought two cakes would make up for the lack of anything else!
The French Yogurt Cake is a recipe I have shared before. Its a really simple cake. Really simple. This time I baked it in a loaf tin, and it took approximately 35 minutes to be done. Its a no fail cake. When you are having company for lunch, you want something which is no fail . . . there is no time for do-overs.
This Swedish Visiting Cake is also pretty much a no fail cake. Its quite simple to make and very easy to throw together at the last minute!
Because of the name, I am assuming it is Swedish in origin. Duh!
It is the kind of cake that would be perfectly comfortable sitting on the tea table, meant to be shared between friends and a nice hot cup of tea. (Herbal in my case.)
It is dense and buttery with a moist crumb. Don't worry, I have not left the baking powder or soda out. There is none in the recipe. None at all.
Its not that kind of cake. It is a humble cake. A simple cake. A delicious cake.
Flavoured with lemon zest which I like to rub into the sugar. This helps release the oils and give the cake even more lemon flavour. A little trick I learnt from Dorie Greenspan way back when.
There is also vanilla and almond flavouring in the batter. I always use a good vanilla, pure vanilla. Don't you just love the smell of almond extract? Or is it just me?
The batter goes together quickly and simply, which is one of this cakes assets. You can easily throw it together at the last minute and it will be out of the oven in about half an hour. Just long enough to take your friend's coat and hang it up and get them all settled in.
You scatter flaked almonds over the top prior to baking, which gives it a nice crunch.
I like to dust the top with icing sugar to serve. Its a bit like popping a frilly crinoline under a skirt . . . it just prettifies everything up.
I dare say it also goes very nicely with fresh berries . . . and this is berry season after all!
Yield: Makes one 9-inch round cake
Swedish Visiting Cake
A simple cake that is meant to be enjoyed with a friend and a hot cuppa. There is no leavening in this cake, don't worry I haven't omitted it.
ingredients:
- 190g caster sugar (1 cup)
- the finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 large free range eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 140g cup plain flour (1 cup)
- 115g unsalted butter, melted and cooled (1/2 cup)
- a handful of flaked almonds
- icing sugar to dust
instructions:
How to cook Swedish Visiting Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch round cake tin really well and dust lightly with some flour. Set aside.
- Measure the sugar into a bowl. Rub in the lemon zest until quite fragrant. This helps to release the natural oils of the lemon and adds even more lemon flavour. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the salt, vanilla and almond to mix. Stir in the flour. Fold in the melted butter until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin, smoothing it out. Sprinkle flaked almonds over the top to lightly cover.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and crisp around the edges. It should still be moist in the centre. Remove from the oven and let sit on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before running a knife around the edges and carefully removing it from the pan to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Of course I had to try a slice after baking, just to make sure it had turned out properly as it should. No worries. Everyone knows that when they get cake in this house, there is always a slice missing! 😉
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