Almond cake with flavored cream

I made the almond cake with flavored cream for the first time out of necessity - I had eggs, some leftover wafers, and almonds in the cupboard. I improvised quickly and since then I repeat it when I want something substantial, with interesting textures, without needing hard-to-find ingredients. It’s the kind of cake that is made with what you have at home, but still looks good in the end.

Quick Info

Total time: about 1 hour and 30 minutes (including baking and assembly)
Preparation time: 30-40 minutes
Baking time: 40-45 minutes
Servings: 12-16, depending on how you cut it
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: homemade cake, suitable for family or informal occasions

Ingredients

Base
8 eggs (at room temperature)
16 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 pinch of salt
8 tablespoons oil
8 tablespoons sparkling water
1 packet baking powder
15 tablespoons (heaping) all-purpose flour, freshly sifted
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 bottle vanilla essence
100 g ground almonds

Cream
100 g plain store-bought biscuits
160 g hazelnut cream wafers (also store-bought)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
100 ml milk (at room temperature)
1 bottle rum essence

Glaze and decoration
100 g chocolate
4-5 tablespoons milk
colored coconut flakes
white chocolate flakes

Preparation Method

1. Preparing the base
Crack the eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. It’s easier if the eggs are at room temperature. Divide the sugar into two - 8 tablespoons for the egg whites, 8 for the yolks.

Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy. Gradually add the 8 tablespoons of sugar until they are well stiffened. Beat the yolks separately with the other 8 tablespoons of sugar. Once they lighten in color and the sugar is no longer grainy, add the baking powder and vanilla essence.

Slowly pour in the oil, like making mayonnaise, then add the sparkling water, continuing to mix on low speed. Finally, start to gently fold in the whipped egg whites and sifted flour alternately, mixing lightly with a spatula.

2. Dividing the mixture
Divide the mixture into two bowls. In one half, add the 2 tablespoons of cocoa and mix well so there are no lumps. In the other half, add the ground almonds.

3. Pouring the base into the pan
Grease the pan with a little oil and dust it with flour. Pour the first layer, which is the cocoa part, and level it out. Over this layer, pour the almond mixture and level it gently.

4. Baking
Place the pan in the preheated oven at medium temperature. For me, 40-45 minutes was enough, but it’s good to do the toothpick test. If the toothpick comes out clean, the base is done. Remove and let cool.

5. The cream
While the base is cooling, prepare the cream. Put the biscuits and wafers in a food processor and crush everything well. Add the cocoa powder, milk, and rum essence. Mix until the cream is homogeneous and slightly spreadable.

6. Assembly
When the base has completely cooled (or at least is no longer hot), spread the cream evenly over the entire surface.

7. The glaze and decoration
In a small saucepan, heat 4-5 tablespoons of milk, then break the chocolate into pieces and add it. Stir over low heat until the chocolate melts and results in a shiny glaze, neither too thick nor too runny. Pour the glaze over the cream layer and spread it quickly with a spatula.

Immediately sprinkle colored coconut flakes and white chocolate flakes while the glaze is still soft.

8. Resting and portioning
Let the cake sit overnight, uncovered or just with a clean paper on top (not foil), at room temperature. The next day, cut it into suitable pieces.

Why I make this recipe often

It’s practical because I can use leftover biscuits or wafers, it doesn’t require complicated techniques, and the cake keeps well and remains tasty the next day. The base comes out moist, the cream is quick and doesn’t need to be boiled or cooled further.

Tips and variations

Tips

Don’t skip sifting the flour; the base will come out airier.
Don’t put the cream on a hot base; otherwise, it will run or get too soggy.
The glaze should be poured quickly; it hardens quite fast on the cold layer.

Substitutions

Almonds can be replaced with walnuts or ground hazelnuts if you don’t have almonds.
Sparkling water can be replaced with still water, but the base won’t be as fluffy.
If you don’t have hazelnut cream wafers, you can use plain wafers or another type of wafers with chocolate or vanilla cream.

Variations

The cream biscuits can be combined from several types if you want a more interesting texture.
For decoration, you can use plain coconut or grated chocolate if you don’t have colored coconut flakes.

Serving ideas

It’s great cut into small cubes on a platter with other homemade cakes.
It goes well with coffee, especially in the morning or as a dessert after a weekend meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use fewer eggs?
You can adapt the recipe with 6 eggs, but the base will be thinner and probably a bit denser.

2. What type of chocolate is best for the glaze?
Milk chocolate or dark chocolate, depending on your preference. The important thing is that it melts well and is not filled.

3. How can I tell if the base is baked?
After 40 minutes, do the toothpick test. If it comes out clean from the middle of the base, it’s done.

4. Can I make the cream without a food processor?
You can crush the biscuits and wafers with a rolling pin or in a bag if you don’t have a food processor, but the texture will be more rustic.

5. What do I do if the glaze is too thick?
Add 1 tablespoon of milk and stir over low heat until it reaches the desired consistency.

Nutritional values (estimates)

A serving of cake has approximately 320-350 kcal, depending on how big you cut it. The base is rich in carbohydrates (sugar, flour), has fats from eggs, oil, almonds, and chocolate, while the cream adds fiber and additional carbohydrates. Estimated: 6-7 g protein, 17-20 g fat, 38-42 g carbohydrates per serving. These are just estimates; values vary depending on the ingredients used.

Storage and reheating

The cake keeps well at room temperature, loosely covered, for 2-3 days. If you want to keep it longer, put it in the fridge, covered, but the base may become a bit harder. Reheating is not recommended - it is served at room temperature. If you have leftovers, they can be frozen, but the texture of the cream may change upon thawing.

That’s it - a simple homemade cake, without pretensions, but with a guaranteed result.

 Ingredients: Base: 8 eggs, 16 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1 pinch of salt, 8 tablespoons of oil, 8 tablespoons of sparkling water, 1 packet of baking powder, 15 tablespoons (heaped) of white flour, freshly sifted, 2 tablespoons of cocoa, 1 bottle of vanilla essence, 100 g ground almonds. Cream: 100 g store-bought biscuits, 160 g wafer with hazelnut cream (store-bought), 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, 100 ml milk at room temperature, 1 bottle of rum essence. Glaze and decoration: 100 g chocolate, 4-5 tablespoons of milk, colored coconut flakes, white chocolate flakes.

 Tags:  cookie cake