Thursday, October 11, 2012

Almost Almond


I don't know why I say it, but I do.  Every single time.  Anytime I eat something that is almond flavored I utter the phrase.  Over and over again.  Like I am some kind of expert.  Like I do it all the time.  As if I am so familiar with it that I couldn't be any more sure of myself.  Without fail. 

The second I bite into anything with even the most obscure hint of almond I can't help but remark, "It tastes JUST LIKE wedding cake!"  Maybe it does, you say.  Perhaps I know, and it is a fair comparison.  But I don't.  I wouldn't have the slightest clue what wedding cake tastes like.  I started to think about it last night and I can't tell you a single wedding I have been to in my memory that I have eaten the cake.  I just don't do it.  I didn't even eat my own wedding cake, not even one year later on my anniversary because I didn't want to figure out how to get the top layer from New Orleans to DC where I was living at the time. 

Why don't I eat the cake? It isn't because I don't like cake, or because I can't squeeze anymore food into an already snug dress.  It has to do with my moves.  I am a dancing machine and weddings are the prime place to strut my stuff.  By the time the cake is cut I am already full from the dinner (which I never miss out on ;-) and well into the refreshments and can't be bothered to leave the dance floor for even a moment to enjoy cake.  Other matters are more pressing, I have priorities!

But I know enough to know that wedding cake traditionally tastes like almond and so I feel confident in my statement.  And I do love almond flavored treats, A LOT - so chances are I would really like wedding cake - if only I could kick off my dancing shoes long enough to indulge.  Maybe next time....

 

Almond Bread
Adapted from Cooking Light October 2012

 

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 (7-ounce) package almond paste
  • 2 large eggs 
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon 2% reduced-fat milk, divided 
  • Baking spray with flour (such as Baker's Joy)
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • Dash of salt

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk.


Place granulated sugar and next 3 ingredients (through almond paste) in a large bowl;



 beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time,



beating well after each addition;



beat in vanilla. Beating at low speed, add flour mixture and 1/2 cup milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until combined.

3. Scrape batter into a 9 x 5-inch metal loaf pan coated with baking spray;



sprinkle with sliced almonds.



Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

4. Place powdered sugar in a small bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon milk and dash of salt; stir with a whisk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over top of bread;



 let stand until set.

 

Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe 

2 comments:

Spryte said...

OMG!! I LOVE almond and have been dying to find an almond bread recipe! I will definitely be giving this a try!

Julie said...

This looks so good! I am going to have to try this one day.

I actually found your recipe on another site. You may want to check it out because it looks like the owner of that site used all of your photos and content in their post. It appears that they are doing this with all of their posts - using other people's content. Just wanted to give you a heads up. My friend just had something like this happen to her. Here is the link to the site that swiped your content. stepsteprecipes.blogspot.com/2013/01/almond-bread.html?

Have a fabulous day!

Julie
www.thisgalcooks.com