Scandinavian Almond Cake

Have you ever had Scandinavian Almond Cake? It’s so delicious, I could eat the entire thing myself in one sitting. The cake has a wonderful texture, soft on the inside and just a little crunchy on the outside, and manages to be rich and light at the same time.

There’s a special pan called a rehrücken that gives the cake its curved shape and ridges. In the past my mom has used my partly-Swedish Grandma’s cake pan, but this year my entirely-Norwegian aunt gave us each our own pan for Christmas. And she did the most amazing presentation: she found beautiful glass plates just the right size, placed a package of almond extract inside the pan, and wrapped the whole thing up in white tulle and ribbons. Gorgeous.

The almond cake would be great for any get-together or—our favorite—with cocoa after coming in from skating or sledding on a cold winter’s day.

Scandinavian Almond Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat together:
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract
2/3 cup milk

Add:
1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Add:
1 stick melted butter or margarine

Beat mixture well.

Butter and flour the cake pan. (Or spray pan generously using Pam with flour.) Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 38-45 minutes until golden brown.

Let the cake cool for 10 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Tip:
If you’re having trouble removing the cake, loosen by inserting a knife along the edges of the pan.