Easy Almond Cake

The reason why Aunty Lina was so happy was that the cake rose despite batter mishandling. We had poured the batter into the pan and were ready to put it into the oven when we realised that we forgot the baking powder! So we had to turn the batter out, fold in the baking powder c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y, and then put it all in the tin again. We all crossed our fingers and hoped for the best!

In fact, self-raising flour is used in the recipe. But we bought plain flour instead, and so had to add the baking powder. Is self-raising flour available in France?

Easy almond cake
from How To Be A Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson

250 g softened unsalted butter
250 g softened marzipan
150 g castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond essence
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large eggs
150 g self-raising flour

Preheat oven to 170 °C. Chop the butter and marzipan to make them easier to break down, and put them in the bowl of the food processor, fitted with the double-bladded knife, with the sugar. Process until combined and pretty well smooth.

Add almond essence and vanilla extract, process again, then break the eggs one at a time through the funnel, processing again each time.

Tip the flour down the funnel, processing yet again, and then pour the mixture into a buttered and floured 25-cm Springform pan, scraping the sides and bottom with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 50 minutes, but check from 40. Then, when the cake looks golden and cooked and a cake-tester or fine skewer comes out cleanish, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin before turning out.